‘.he was excluded for the kind of behaviour that we thought he needed support with…’ A qualitative analysis of the experiences and perspectives of parents whose children have been excluded from school

Abstract

Exclusion from school is associated with adverse outcomes for young people. There is limited research that explores parents’ perspectives, particularly in relation to the exclusion of primary school aged children. The present study used semi-structured interviews with 35 parents of 37 children aged 5–12 years from the Southwest of England. Parents experiences were captured in a conceptual model through three main themes. Exclusion was described as part of a complex journey of difficulties reflected by a continuum of coping. The child’s place on the continuum was determined by an interaction between the child, family, and school with communication a key determinant. The study also highlighted the wider implications of exclusion, including emotional and functional impacts on the child and parent and highlighted the importance of the parents voice in the identification and support of their child’s needs. It also presents many complexities surrounding exclusion from school and limited support parents felt their child was offered.

Keywords:

• school exclusion
• qualitative research
• parents’ experiences
• primary school

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the children, their families and the schools for taking part in the study. We are grateful for all the support that has been provided by a number of services and individuals across the county. We are grateful to the Peninsula CLAHRC and the NIHR for funding Claire Parker’s doctoral studentship.

Additional information

Funding

This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for the South West Peninsula. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health in England.