Perspectives of pupils with additional support needs and their parents on the learning support during the COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia

The concept of inclusive education is well established in policy documents worldwide, but its implementation for pupils with additional support needs (ASN) still raises questions. The challenges of educating pupils with ASN increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic due to changes in organisation of the teaching and learning process and the heightened need for support. To gain in-depth insights into the experiences of upper secondary school pupils with ASN and their parents, an exploratory, phenomenological study of the perspectives of pupils and parents was conducted within the Croatian educational system. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 pupils with individualised educational programmes (IEPs) along with their parents. The data were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis. Three participant profiles that differed in regard to the perception of stability/change of learning support during the pandemic were generated and described. The dominant perspective included the perception of consistently low teacher support during the pandemic, which arises from insufficient recognition of pupils' needs, reactive stance and placing responsibility for school success on pupils. The perception of intensified parental support was evident in some accounts of both parents and pupils, but the pupils' explicit invitation stood out as a key factor in the activation of parents.