Abstract
In the spring of 2020, schools across Canada and beyond closed as a public health measure to address the growing COVID-19 global pandemic. The abrupt shift to at-home learning necessitated, for many children, significant engagement by parents and family members. This chapter brings forward the perspectives of 36 Canadian parents of students with special education needs as they supported the learning of their children during school closures. Analyses of in-depth interviews revealed interrelated influences of community, family and school supports, parent efficacy and mental health. Stories shared by parents highlighted the weaknesses of school systems that were exposed when the first wave of the pandemic hit. Lessons learned include the need to develop and sustain networks of support for families of students with special education needs, particularly working mothers, and the importance of building authentic and productive partnerships between families and schools.
Keywords
- Special education needs
- Parent efficacy
- Mental health
- At-home learning
- Support networks
- Canada
- COVID-19
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Whitley, J., Specht, J., Matheson, I., MacCormack, J. (2022). Holes, Patches and Multiple Hats: The Experiences of Parents of Students with Special Education Needs Navigating At-Home Learning During COVID-19. In: Turok-Squire, R. (eds) COVID-19 and Education in the Global North . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02469-6_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-02469-6_3
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