Navigating education system and related services : experiences of newcomer parents of children with special needs
department or school: Education, Faculty of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Arian Nejad, Fatemeh
issued: 2025-10-21T16:23:58Z
issued: 2025
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Navigating the healthcare and education system, as well as the services provided at different points along the special education continuum for children with special needs, is complicated and challenging for newcomer parents (Baker et al., 2010; Cummings & Hardin, 2017). Newcomer parents’ concerns impact their access to and use of services, as well as their experiences (Rhoades et al., 2004). However, research that portrays the lives of these parents, particularly those with special needs children in Canada, remains limited. The scarcity of such data inhibits the cultural integrity of activities in schools, daycare facilities, and the healthcare system. This study examined the experiences of newcomer parents of young children with special needs guided by the following research questions: What are the experiences of newcomer parents of young children with special needs navigating support services in schools and the healthcare system? How are newcomer parents of young children with special needs involved in their child’s education process? What cultural values impact their experiences with the new system? Employing narrative analysis methodology, in-depth interviews of five newcomer parents who have a child with special needs (ages three to eight years) in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia were conducted to investigate their experiences of accessing services, support, information, and resources. These participants’ interviews were re-storied individually, followed by a cross-narrative data analysis of their narratives. Restories were informed by Ollerenshaw & Creswell’s (2000) problem solution approach, and the cross-narrative analysis yielded six themes. The findings identified a movement from initial puzzlement and shock towards advocacy and navigation processes towards finding resources and services through advocacy, communication, and community support. This study provides valuable information for service providers, policymakers, and professionals in reconside…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/92682
note: NAVIGATING EDUCATION SYSTEM AND RELATED SERVICES: EXPERIENCES OF NEWCOMER PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS by FATEMEH ARIAN NEJAD MA, The University of Punjab, 2008 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTDOCTORAL STUDIES (Early Childhood Education) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Vancouver) October 2025 © Fatemeh Arian Nejad, 2025 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies for acceptance, the thesis entitled: Navigating Education System and Related Services: Experiences of Newcomer Parents of Children with Special Needs submitted by Fatemeh Arian Nejad in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Early Childhood Education Examining Committee: Laurie Ford, Associate Professor, Department of Human Development, Learning, and Culture, UBC Supervisor Anusha Kassan, Professor, Department of School and Applied Child Psychology, UBC Supervisory Committee Member Suna Eryigit-Madzwamuse, Associate Professor, Department of Human Development, Learning, and Culture , UBC Additional Examiner iii Abstract Navigating the healthcare and education system, as well as the services provided at different points along the special education continuum for children with special needs, is complicated and challenging for newcomer parents (Baker et al., 2010; Cummings & Hardin, 2017). Newcomer parents’ concerns impact their access to and use of services, as well as their experiences (Rhoades et al., 2004). However, research that portrays the lives of these parents, particularly those with special needs children in Canada, remains limited. The scarcity of such data inhibits the cultural integrity of activities in schools, daycare facilities, and the healthcare system. This study examined the experiences of newcomer parents of young children with special needs guided by the following r…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0450519
language: eng
degree discipline: Early Childhood Education
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Ford, Laurie
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/92682