Perspectives of Parents of Children with Special Educational Needs: Self-Efficacy and School Supports During COVID-19

The role of parents in supporting at-home learning increased dramatically in the spring of 2020. Schools in most Canadian provinces closed physically due to COVID-19, and remote-learning options were quickly developed to ensure continued education for students. Many students with special educational needs, who typically benefit from a range of supports from school, became reliant on parents to provide means of access to and participation in remote learning. Using an online survey, we explored the perceptions of 263 Canadian parents of children with special education needs with regard to their self‑efficacy and supports from schools. We conducted multiple linear regression analyses for each of three dependent variables (academic supports, parent self‑efficacy, and social-emotional supports); independent variables included student grade level, education placement, and total school-provided supports prior to the pandemic. Findings indicated that most parents engaged in remote learning and lacked confidence in their ability to support the learning of their child. Parent self-efficacy was related to social-emotional supports from schools and not to academic supports. Parents of children in elementary grades, and of those who had received more supports from school prior to COVID‑19, reported feeling better supported in social-emotional areas by the school. Schools should explore ways of building strong collaborative relationships between educators and parents, as well as continuing to find ways of supporting families and students in both in- and out-of-school places. The pandemic, and school-building closures, have reminded us how partnerships between parents and schools are crucial for the well-being of all involved.

Mixed reality simulations for social-emotional learning

Although social-emotional learning is associated with long-term success in school and careers, it is often a missing link in U.S. public education. The COVID-19 pandemic has intensified the need for social-emotional supports for children. In this time of crisis, educators have also sought new ways to make connections and reimagined how students might actively learn with each other. Kristin Murphy, Amy Cook, & Lindsay Fallon discuss what they have learned about using mixed reality simulations to facilitate social-emotional learning with children and what makes this technology a promising active learning tool.

An Unwavering Commitment To Culturally Responsive Sustaining Education & Social Emotional Learning

Through an analysis of both SEL and CR-SE practices at an urban school and a social skill building afterschool program conducted through outside support staff, this paper demonstrates the process of providing social-emotional supports with a culturally responsive lens. The authors suggest, without a culturally responsive-sustaining lens, social and emotional supports can lack the trust and connection needed to meet students where they are while acknowledging their unique identities and cultures.

The Associations Among Teacher Discrimination, Parents’ and Peer Emotional Supports, and African American Youth’s School Bonding

Drawing on research about the positive benefits of school bonding on youth mental health, academic and overall well-being, and the inequities African American youth face in education, this study examined the associations among teacher discrimination, parents’ and peer emotional support, and African American youth school bonding. Using data from the National Survey of American Life Adolescent Supplement (NSAL-A), findings suggest that teacher discrimination negatively affects African American youth’s school bonding. In addition, while parents’ and peer emotional supports are positively associated with youth’s school bonding, and offset some of the negative effects of teacher discrimination on African American youth’s school bonding, these supports may not be enough to help youth realize the maximum benefits of school bonding, especially in the context of teacher discrimination. Implications for social work practice with African American youth and families are discussed.

Youth Homelessness

Youth homelessness is a complex problem in Canada. While social programs do exist to help homeless youth, there appears to be some confusion as to which program is best suited for helping homeless youth be successful in their lives. This paper examines how social programs help youth leave the streets. The paper analyzes three levels of social programs starting with informal programs, middle-mode programs and formal programs in an attempt to determine the best way to reintegrate homeless youth back into mainstream society. A close examination of social programs suggests that more funding is needed to provide more spaces for youth participation as well as emotional supports to provide stability in their lives. Currently, there are gaps between the social programs. Each program has its own individual rules for operation and does not adequately support transitioning youth. Youth homelessness occurs due to the breakdown of the micro, meso and macro level institutions leaving youth to attempt to take control of their own lives by living homeless.

Identifying and Exploring the Informational and Emotional Support Needs of Primipara Women: A Focus on Supportive Communication

ABSTRACTPrimipara women may require greater informational and emotional support than multipara women. Supportive communication, including informational and emotional support, can help to build a strong caregiver–patient relationship and can alleviate the difficulties associated with first-time birth. The objective of this study was to explore first-time mothers’ experiences of labor and birth. Three hundred primipara women completed self-report questionnaires. Qualitative analysis of one open-ended question about the women’s experience was conducted. Nine themes emerged from the data. Eight themes reflected informational and emotional support needs, whereas the final theme reflected instrumental support needs. The study concluded that informational and emotional supports are important factors of supportive communication and influence the birthing experience of primipara women.