Whose role is it anyway? Paraprofessionals' conceptualisations, actions and challenges in promoting social participation

Abstract Paraprofessional support is considered a key resource for promoting the inclusion and social participation of students with special educational needs. Despite ongoing debates surrounding its effectiveness, little is known about how paraprofessionals themselves conceptualise social participation, or whether they view its facilitation as part of their professional responsibilities. This exploratory study examines the experiences of paraprofessionals working in Germany. A total of 25 semi‐structured interviews were conducted and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four themes emerged from the interview data, reflecting paraprofessionals' conceptualisations of and approaches to promoting social participation. These themes were subsequently analysed deductively in relation to existing research on social participation and inclusive education. The four themes reflect the considerable variation in paraprofessionals' experiences. The current study provides new and valuable insights into paraprofessionals' perceptions of their role in supporting students' social participation and discusses various starting points for further development. The results highlight the crucial role of teachers in guiding and supporting paraprofessionals to promote social participation effectively and sustainably.