Migrant parents and children with disabilities. The representations of the professional and the perception of the families

Abstract

A first analysis of the data collected (44 on line questionnaires to pre-school teachers and 10 interviews to professionals and families) highlights the following findings: -From teachers’ point of view, difficulties in the communication and involvement of the families due to the lack of time and cultural mediation. When families get involved, the cooperation increases. - From parents’ point of view, enormous difficulties in the everyday life due to the barriers for people with disabilities (housing inadequacy), lack of institutional information about their right and of help in case of crises (school is an exception), lack of understanding with social workers, sense of doom towards their children’s destiny, which mitigates their sense of guilt but doesn’t build any life project. - From professionals’ point of view, the need of the parents of a local case-manager and of a network of friends and families with similar cultural background, missing information and communication make it difficult to get parents involved, who on the other hand are immediately willing to accept help. At the moment, pre-school represents the institution that corresponds better to the need of families, also the teachers are aware of this situation, but they ask for more support from the local social services and more participation of the migrant families promoted through the help of cultural facilitators