Organization of support to children from dysfunctional families in school within the framework of inclusion in Belarus

Abstract

Shestunova Tatsiana, 2017. Organization of Support to Children from Dysfunctional Families in School within the Framework of Inclusion in Belarus. Master's Thesis in Education. University of Jyväskylä. Department of Education.

Inclusion has been seen in many communities as a useful strategy in addressing learners’ diversity. Children from dysfunctional background usually have various needs and problems. The theoretical framework of inclusion was used as a lens to study the support to the needs of diverse learners, including children form dysfunctional families, from the school part in Belarus. The purpose of the study was to understand how the scope of support to children from dysfunctional families carried out by schools in Belarus fits the idea of inclusion. Another matter of interest was to research into teachers' understanding of inclusion and their attitude and perception of children from dysfunctional families. In this study,I followed an interpretivist paradigm and adopted an instrumental case study design. The data was collected through the review of international and national documents governing school support and care of children from dysfunctional families and internal school documents. In addition, a web-based survey involving schoolteachers, altogether 12 people, was conducted. Teachers participated based on their availability and willingness. The results suggest that the Belarusian legislation system relative to child support meets the requirements of international laws. The system of school support is constructed on the provisions of the law and has the principle of humanism in its core. The school strictly monitors children from dysfunctional families and carries out their sustainable support. However, Belarusian teachers do not understand the concept of inclusion in its full scope and have numerous barriers towards implementation of inclusive practices at school.