Parents' awareness of the functioning of children with autism in the school environment. On the example of parents Szczecin schools

Abstract

Objectives The purpose of the article is to explore public awareness of knowledge autism and the phenomenon of discrimination in the school environment, their social and legal aspects. The scope of the study included the identification of problems related to the knowledge of the child's functioning, affected by autism , diagnosis and psychological-educational and medical assistance, the role of institutions and the family, the attitude towards children at school and outside school, and respect for the rights of children with autism. Material and methods A survey was conducted using a survey questionnaire. The survey was addressed to parents of students from three elementary schools witch were chosen for their variation in academic performance. The ranking was divided into a national part and a summary for eighteen provincial cities, in which 10,306 elementary schools qualified. In addition, a face-to-face interview was conducted with school principals. Results The results of the study are disturbing and indicate limited public awareness and unsatisfacto-ry understanding by the public of the occurring problem regarding people affected by autism. Studies show that society is is quite negative about the parents of children with dysfunctions. Conclusions The results of the survey indicate moderate public awareness among respondents regarding those affected by autism. The results obtained can contribute to a deeper reflection and awareness of the disorders and functioning of the child, and the implementation of measures to better understand the issues related to the functioning of a student with this condition. The results of the study may help in the decision of the Polish school to promote the discussed issues.

Keywords

• education
• discrimination
• social awareness
• autism
• childhood disorders