Raising a child with a disability is a challenge to every parent. This study explored the experiences of Hungarian minorities parents of children with severe disabilities from Romania, using in-depth interviewing research techniques, by analyzing the difficulties in the field of education and society. Examining individual life paths, becoming a parent is difficult in all aspects but the issue of parental responsibility for raising a child with severe disability suggests a much more complex approach. Participants were parents (female =3; males=2) who were purposively sampled from an urban setting (Bihor area) whose children attended SEN schools in the same area.  Data were collected using semi-structured interview guides and were thematically analyzed. It turned out from the interviews that the challenges which parents of children with severe disabilities encounter at home, school, and society, are accumulated emotional stress and exhaustion, moreover they face material challenges as well. The analysis also revealed that the parents were not sure of what was expected of them in making educational or habilitation-rehabilitation decisions on behalf of their children. The lack of decision-making and the unpreparedness put the parents under serious trials, which were often characterized by depressive life stages. The analysis of the conversations reveals that the need for development training and creating organizational-community networks are required. Our qualitative research has also shown that parents of children with disabilities face serious unresolved difficulties and challenges, to address these challenges will need to put in place policies that will look at the needs of parents of children with disabilities.

Individual interviews were conducted with 5 parents, (female =3; male=2) of students with severe disabilities to explore Hungarian minorities parents’ views of education and society efforts of inclusion. The semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were coded using Atlas.ti program (2011) and a GT (Grounded Theory) approach was used. (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Gelencsér, 2003; Kucsera, 2008). A mixed-methods approach was used to identify and evaluate the relative importance of three main themes and five subthemes related to the experiences of parents of children with severe disabilities regarding social and educational inclusion. The three main themes: Traumatic loss; Belonging and Role conflict highlights the difficult process of inclusion in Romania.

The qualitative methodology employed within the study enabled a detailed analysis of the parent-children relationship. The analysis revealed that the parents were not sure of what was expected of them in making educational or habilitation-rehabilitation decisions on behalf of their children. The lack of decision-making and the unpreparedness in Romania put the parents under serious trials, which were often characterized by depressive life stages. The analysis of the conversations reveals that the need for development training and creating organizational-community networks for Hungarian minorities are required. Our qualitative research has also shown that parents of children with disabilities face serious unresolved difficulties and challenges, to address these challenges will need to put in place policies that will look at the needs of parents of children with disabilities. The research on which this paper is based has been implemented by the MTA-DE-Parent-Teacher Cooperation Research Group and with the support provided by the Scientific Foundations of Education Research Progam of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.

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