Inclusive Early Childhood Education: Social Representations of the Family from the Mothers' Perspective

Abstract

This study aims to elucidate mothers' social representations of inclusive education and examine how these representations facilitate or impede inclusion and exclusion processes in early childhood classrooms. The involvement of mothers is particularly crucial in fostering the inclusion and learning of all children in preschool settings. This study was grounded in an interpretive paradigm and employed a qualitative methodology. The sample comprised 29 participants, specifically mothers of Chilean, Venezuelan, and Colombian nationalities. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, each averaging 50 min. The data were systematically processed using a reflective thematic analysis approach, which enabled the identification of patterns of meaning from the qualitative data while preserving the contextual and interpretive complexity of the discourse. NVivo 15 software was used to organize the units of meaning and to facilitate coding. The findings are categorized into four sections: Concepts of Inclusive Education, Facilitators of Inclusion, Obstacles to Inclusion, and the Educational Community, highlighting key aspects of the relationship between family and school. Social representations of inclusion are shaped by parents’ experiences, particularly those of mothers, underscoring their role in creating an equitable and participatory school environment for all children.