Inclusive or not so inclusive education: the experiences of a SEN child advisory group

This study critically examines dominant constructions of inclusive education in Türkiye, foregrounding children’s perspectives through a participatory approach. While inclusive education policies have been influenced by international frameworks, implementation has largely prioritised access, placement, and support for students with special educational needs, often overlooking broader dimensions of participation and belonging. Teachers are positioned as the primary agents of inclusion, marginalising students’ voices. Addressing this gap, the study asks: How do children conceptualise inclusive education when conducting their own research? Six middle school students formed a Child Advisory Group at a socioeconomically disadvantaged school. Through training and collaborative inquiry, students became researchers, designing and conducting a study on how schools could become places they ‘want to run to every morning’. Findings reveal that inclusive education is a relational and participatory process grounded in four themes: respect, belonging, voices, and enjoyment. Respect was redefined from hierarchical obedience to mutual recognition; belonging emerged through shared ownership and participation; children’s voices developed into collective advocacy; and enjoyment was linked to engagement and agency. The study demonstrates that inclusive education cannot be reduced to technical practices or placement alone but must recognise children as active contributors to the shaping of democratic and participatory school environments.