Expectations of Greek Parents about Employment Opportunities for their Child with Learning Disabilities: Implications for Social Workers

Abstract

A survey was carried out in Heraklion, Crete, to determine the expectations on employment of all parents who had a child with learning disabilities (LDs) between the age of 14 and 45 years, living with them and having participated in some educational or vocational programme for at least 1 year. From the 310 families, which fulfilled the criteria for admission in the current study, 176 families participated. The research method chosen was a structured interview. The results demonstrated that parents expected their LD child not to work or to work in a sheltered workshop whereas, ideally, most parents wanted some form of competitive employment for their children. The findings suggest that social workers and other professionals should inform parents more positively about the potential abilities of their children and emphasise the importance of a job for all parties involved.

Keywords::

• learning disability
• parents' expectations
• social workers
• Greece

Notes

¹ Constitution of Greece (http://1grpe.ach.sch.gr/syntagma.doc; Laws).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Despoina Aroni

Despoina Aroni, is a Research Assistance, in the Department of Social Medicine at the University of Crete. Address: Department of Social Medicine, University of Crete, Social Worker, Health Center of Salamina, 18900 Greece. [Email: [email protected]]

John Hegarty

John Hegarty, is a Senior Lecture in the school of Psychology at the Keele University. Address: School of Psychology, Keele University, Staffordshire, UK. [Email: [email protected]]

Anastas Philalithis

Anastas Philalithis, is a Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Crete. Address: Faculty of Medicine, University of Crete, Crete, Greece. [Email: [email protected]]