Parental (dis)satisfaction with school placement to achieve inclusion: a cross-country comparison

Background This study draws on data from a larger international project exploring parents' perceptions of the education of their children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Using responses from 1,309 parents in Australia, England, Germany, and Norway it examines parental satisfaction with mainstream and special schools, and parents' school placement preferences, including willingness to change schools. Parental satisfaction is assessed as an overall evaluation of how well the child's school placement meets their needs, without distinguishing between specific aspects of the school experience. The study also explores whether the child's level of support is associated with these perceptions. Based on a human rights perspective, we highlight parents’ perspectives and their role in the development of more inclusive education systems, without promoting one model of schooling over another. Methods Responses from 1,309 parents across four countries were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Non-parametric tests compared satisfaction across school types, chi-squared tests assessed associations with willingness to change schools, and binary logistic regression examined whether level of support was associated with parents' willingness to change school placement. Results Parents in England, Germany, and Norway reported higher satisfaction with special schools than with mainstream schools. No statistically significant difference was observed in Australia. Parents of children in special schools were less likely to report considering changing schools, particularly in England and Norway. Higher pupil support needs were significantly associated with parents’ willingness to change school across the combined sample. These findings suggest that parental satisfaction with their child's education and their preferences regarding school placement may be shaped by both school type and how well pupils' support needs are perceived to be met. Discussion and conclusion The role of parents as key stakeholders in developing inclusive education systems, consistent with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) is emphasised. While parents in special schools in three of the four countries reported higher satisfaction, the reasons for this remain unclear. Understanding the factors shaping parental satisfaction is essential for developing inclusive and responsive learning environments. These findings offer a starting point for future research on how education systems can better align policy commitments with families’ lived experiences.