Mothers' and teachers' experience of school re‐entry after a child's prolonged absence due to severe illness

Abstract

School re‐entry of children who have been absent from school due to severe illness is a complex process and requires effort and adjustment from the child and his parents, teachers, school systems, and classmates. To contribute to the understanding and accuracy of the school re‐entry process of ill children, and to the development of re‐entry programs in Israel, the present study examined the re‐entry experience from the viewpoint of mothers and teachers. The study included 27 semi‐structured interviews with mothers and teachers of children who re‐entered school after a prolonged absence due to childhood cancer. The study findings suggest that changes in the child's self‐perception, physical limitations brought on by the illness, as well as social difficulties, and altered academic abilities make it very difficult to re‐enter school. School re‐entry is more optimal when the sick child's relationship with the teacher and classmates is maintained during the absence, and when it is tailored and continuous learning support from the school. These findings emphasize the importance of maintaining an ongoing relationship during the ill child's absence from school and setting a clear re‐entry plan by the school in accordance with the child and his parents.

Integrative review of school integration support following pediatric cancer

“…There was a range of both negative and positive experiences with parent–school faculty communication. Parents who described negative experiences felt burdened with the responsibility of monitoring their child’s progress [ 11 ], reminding school faculty of their child’s needs [ 21 , 38 , 19 ], and taking the initiative to educate school faculty on their child’s illness [ 24 ]. Across studies, parents reported that teachers needed frequent reminders regarding their child’s needs and ongoing communication to get the appropriate support in place for their child [ 11 , 21 , 38 , 19 , 23 ].…”

“…Another study revealed that parents felt educational support offered was school dependent [ 48 ]. Parents expressed the desire for a standardized approach to supporting families during integration across schools, such as a protocol or liaison [ 24 , 48 ].…”

“…Across studies, parents reported that teachers facilitated school integration support by providing both frequent academic and emotional support [ 33 , 19 , 25 , 30 , 26 , 28 ]. Additionally, support was facilitated when conversations about the child’s needs were held with school staff early in the integration process [ 32 ] and the school maintained continuous contact with the family during the child’s absence [ 24 ]. In a study conducted in South Korea, many parents reported a formal school integration program would have been helpful when their child initially returned to school [ 39 ].…”

“…Only one study commented on communication support from informal support systems. Parents discussed how neighbors from their community reached out to the school on their behalf as a form of support [ 24 ].…”

“…Studies from Germany and Puerto Rico reported that government support structures, such as availability of disability compensation and government-based at-home teaching services, were identified by parents as essential process supports for school integration [ 27 , 23 ]. In addition to formalized support groups, parents in one study commented that neighbors and friends were sources of financial and logistical support during the integration process [ 24 ].…”