Subjective well-being and social inclusion at school for students with a disability, according to their parents, in France

Abstract

Background

Providing inclusive, quality education for all children is one of the United Nations' sustainable development goals for 2030.

Aims

The aim of this study, carried out in France among 491 parents of children with a disability aged 3 to 18 and enrolled in ordinary schools, is to measure the well-being and social inclusion of children and to identify the factors that promote well-being and social inclusion at school.

Methods and procedures

The parents fill in various questionnaires relating to the well-being and social inclusion of their child, the quality of their relationship with the teacher and their satisfaction with the accommodations offered at school. They also provide information about their child and their socio-economic situation.

Outcomes and results

Regression analyses show that well-being and social inclusion depend on the nature of the child’s disability and decrease with age but do not significantly depend on child’s gender and academic level or social background. Furthermore, well-being and social inclusion can be significantly improved when the quality of the parent-teacher relationship and school accommodations are satisfying.

Conclusions and implications

The results of this study encourage the development of quality parent-teacher relationships to promote well-being at school.