Family-Centeredness of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services for Young Children with Special Needs in Turkiye

Strategic Insights -

Investigators at Ankara University Faculty of Medicine have published a new study on the family-centeredness of early childhood special education and rehabilitation services for young children with special needs in Turkiye. According to the research, despite finding these services to be inadequate regarding family-centeredness, the families remain generally satisfied. This study aims to evaluate the family-centeredness of these services and assess families' satisfaction with them. The research included 101 children between the ages of 3-36 months with special needs and their families who received early intervention services for at least 3 months between 2014-2017.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study aimed to evaluate the family-centeredness of early childhood special education and rehabilitation services for young children with special needs in Turkiye.
  • The research included 101 children between the ages of 3-36 months with special needs and their families who received early intervention services for at least 3 months between 2014-2017.
  • The median age of the children was 33 months, and 51.5% were male.
  • Neurological disorders were present in 45.5%, and genetic disorders in 35.6% of the children.
  • Developmental evaluations showed 68.3% of children had special needs in expressive language, 64.4% in gross motor skills, and 62.4% in receptive language.
  • At least half of the families rated the centers as 'inadequate' on at least half of the scale.
  • However, more than half of the families reported high satisfaction in terms of 'completely finding what they were looking for', 'choosing the institution again', and 'recommending it to others'.
  • The study concluded that family-centered early intervention services are significant in guiding efforts to develop family-centered early intervention services and enhancing families' awareness and demands in this area, particularly in Turkiye and other similar low- and middle-income countries.

Statistics:

  • 101 children were included in the study.
  • The median age of the children was 33 months.
  • 51.5% of the children were male.
  • Neurological disorders were present in 45.5% of the children.
  • Genetic disorders were present in 35.6% of the children.
  • 68.3% of children had special needs in expressive language.
  • 64.4% of children had special needs in gross motor skills.
  • 62.4% of children had special needs in receptive language.
  • At least half of the families rated the centers as 'inadequate' on at least half of the scale.
  • More than half of the families reported high satisfaction in terms of 'completely finding what they were looking for', 'choosing the institution again', and 'recommending it to others'.

Sources:

  • Family-Centeredness of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services for Young Children with Special Needs in Turkiye. Ankara Universitesi Tip Fakultesi Mecmuas, 2025,78(1):33-41.
  • NewsRx. Research from Ankara University Faculty of Medicine in the Area of Health and Medicine Published (Family-Centeredness of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services for Young Children with Special Needs in Turkiye). Health & Medicine Week. August 8, 2025; p 3956.