Problems faced by parents of children with special needs in inclusion education

The primary objective of this study is to thoroughly examine the challenges faced by families of children with special needs during the full-time inclusion education process and their experiences related to this process. A phenomenological design was employed in the study to reveal individuals' experiences, ways of making sense of it, and their subjective views on the process. The study was conducted during the 2024-2025 academic year with 22 families of children with special needs receiving full-time inclusion education at various levels of official primary schools affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in Kırşehir province. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview form. This form consisted of open-ended questions developed in accordance with the purpose of the study. The questions covered the administrative, pedagogical, physical, and social problems families encountered during the inclusion education process, their coping strategies for these problems, and their overall evaluations of the process. The collected data were analyzed using content analysis. An inductive approach was adopted throughout the process, and participants' statements were interpreted using direct quotations. In conclusion, the findings of this study clearly demonstrate that the effectiveness of inclusion education is not limited to the efforts of individual actors; rather, it requires the coordinated and collaborative action of all stakeholders within the system. The success of inclusion practices depends on improving teacher competencies, developing an inclusion leadership approach among school administrators, arranging physical environmental conditions according to universal design principles, and actively engaging families in the process.