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Parent and teacher perceptions of emerging special health care needs
Author(s) -
O'Connor Meredith,
Rosema Stefanie,
Quach Jon,
Kvalsvig Amanda,
Goldfeld Sharon
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of paediatrics and child health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1440-1754
pISSN - 1034-4810
DOI - 10.1111/jpc.13188
Subject(s) - medicine , psychosocial , disadvantaged , longitudinal study , early childhood , perception , checklist , developmental psychology , psychiatry , pathology , neuroscience , political science , law , cognitive psychology , biology , psychology
Aim A fifth of children enter school with special health care needs (SHCN) impacting on their physical, psychosocial or educational development, including many with emerging SHCN who often do not qualify for additional supports. This study aimed to compare the perceptions of parents and teachers on children's emerging SHCN, and explore correlates of conflicting reports. Methods The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) is a nationally representative study of Australian children, which includes the abbreviated Children with Special Health Care Needs Screener. Data were analysed from a subsample of n = 720 children from the LSAC Kindergarten cohort ( n = 4983) for whom teachers also completed the Australian Early Development Index checklist, a measure of early childhood development that includes teacher reported SHCN. Results Teachers ( n = 120, 17.34%) identified more emerging SHCN than parents ( n = 74, 10.74%), and reports were often discrepant. Children were more likely to have consistent reports of emerging SHCN when their parents had high levels of involvement at school (OR 4.86; 95% CI 1.08–21.80; P < 0.05), whereas children who came from disadvantaged family backgrounds were more likely to have teacher‐only identified difficulties (OR 3.66; 95% CI 1.17–11.50; P < 0.05). Conclusion Parents and teachers bring different perspectives to children's development and additional support needs, each of which is valuable. Greater attention should be given to ensuring that common understandings about a child's needs at school are established early in children's educational pathways.