Part 1 of our Inclusion Advice series
What Inclusion in Schools Means
When we surveyed our members who had years of experience advocating for inclusion, common themes of struggle, frustration and triumph emerged. Parents faced systemic barriers when they sought equal education for their children, but they felt vindicated for their efforts when their children thrived in regular classes. Many parents also described the toll of the long marathon of advocacy throughout their children’s school years to ensure their educational rights were met.
The survey asked parents about what motivated them to advocate in their children’s school, what they valued most and least from their children’s schooling, what they wished they had known, and what they would recommend to other parents.
The responses from the parents demonstrated that children who were included in regular classrooms were more likely to feel a sense of belonging, benefit from their education, and build skills to live in community as adults. However, respondents also shared that they had to advocate constantly to safeguard their children’s inclusion at every age of their schooling.
In the blog posts that follow, names have been changed to ensure privacy. Some responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. We are grateful to the dedicated parents who shared their experiences and guidance with other families by participating in this survey.
