Difficulties in Integration of children with Down syndrome into the regular preschool and school system

Ciljevi istraživanja: utvrditi koliko se roditelja ili staratelja odlučilo za integraciju djece sa sindromom Down u redoviti predškolski i školski sustav. Nadalje, koliko su se institucije potrudile omogućiti djeci sa sindromom Down upis u redoviti školski sustav te koliko su u integraciju djeteta s Down-sindromom involvirane osobe uložile truda. Osim toga, važno je utvrditi s kakvim se sve izazovima i problemima susreću roditelji i ako nisu odlučili upisati djecu s Down-sindromom u redoviti sustav obrazovanja, zašto nisu. Ispitanici i metode: presječna studija rađena je na temelju anketa i intervjua 76 roditelja djece sa sindromom Down, a neovisno o dobi, spolu, mjestu stanovanja, naobrazbi i vjeroispovijesti. Rezultati: vrtić je pohađalo 55 (72 %) ispitanika, predškolski program njih 20 (26 %). Od 32 (42 %) ispitanika koji navode da im je dijete završilo osnovnoškolski program, značajnije su ispitanici u dobi od 46 i više godina (Fisherov egzaktni test, P = 0,02). Program srednje škole završilo je troje (4 %) djece, a samo dvoje je završilo redoviti program. Zaključak: ispitanici su redom prema mogućnostima u sustav upisivali djecu od vrtića nadalje i svi su smatrali odluku ispravnom. Unatoč poteškoćama u samom sustavu borili su se svim snagama da njihova djeca dobiju zakonom propisana prava. Najveće probleme imali su sa sustavom javnoga zdravstva te nedorečenim i za državne službenike očito neshvatljivim zakonima i tumačenjima tih zakona. Senzibilizacijom društva kao cjeline, cjeloživotnim edukacijama osoba koje su uključene u inkluziju i integraciju djece sa sindromom Down, roditeljima i djeci bi se iste višestruko olakšale.Research goals: to determine how many parents or guardians of children with Down syndrome have decided to integrate their children into regular preschool and school systems. Furthermore, how much did the institutions try to help children with Down syndrome to enroll in the regular school system and how much effort did the people involved put into the integration of children with Down syndrome. In addition, it is important to identify what challenges and problems parents face, and if they chose not to enroll their children with Down syndrome in a regular education system, what were their reasons. Respondents and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted based on surveys and interviews with 76 parents of children with Down syndrome regardless of age, sex, place of residence, education, and religion. Results: The number of respondents who attended kindergarten was 55 (72 %) and 20 of them (26 %) attended a preschool program. Of the 32 (42 %) respondents claiming that their child had completed a primary school program, the percentage of respondents aged 46 and over (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.02) was statistically significant. Three children completed a high school program (4 %) of which only two completed a regular program. Conclusion: The respondents, according to their possibilities, enrolled their children in the school system from kindergarten onwards and all believed the decision to be correct. Despite the difficulties within the system itself, they fought tooth and nail in order for their children’s legally prescribed rights to be recognized. They had the biggest problems with the public health system and the inconclusive and, for the public servants clearly incomprehensible laws and interpretations of these laws. The inclusion and integration of children with Down syndrome would be made much easier for parents and their children by sensitizing society as a whole and providing lifelong education for people involved in the inclusion and integration of children with Down syndrome