Choosing the right school: Exploring the factors that influence the decision‐making process of families of children with disabilities in Dubai

Abstract Dubai is culturally diverse with an inclusive education policy. But with its free market model of access to private education, how are parents of children with complex disabilities from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds making school placement decisions? Through an Interpretive Phenomenological Approach (IPA) this study follows the school placement journeys of five families from diverse backgrounds and children with complex needs. The project weaves together their lived experiences to shine a light on an unexplored experiential narrative. This study found that when looking for a school for their child with special educational needs (SEN), parents in Dubai, like parents across the world, experienced heightened levels of stress, expressed frustration over the lack of readily available impartial information, and valued settings where they perceived their child was treated with kindness and empathy. In findings unique to Dubai, parents expressed a desire for greater regulatory oversight in the process of hiring learning support assistants and the need for centralisation of information regarding inclusive educational services and their quality.