The role of educational counsellors in Kuwaiti secondary schools

Previous studies of educational counselling in Kuwaiti secondary schools have identified several concerns including inadequate facilities, a lack of clear role definition, and possible difficulties arising from the attempt to combine Western counselling models with Islamic values. To obtain information about the current state of educational counselling all 32 educational counsellors from Kuwait's credit course secondary schools were interviewed and were asked to complete checklists and time‐scale questionnaires. Analysis of the results suggest that development of the service has been uneven, and that role ambiguity, inadequate training and poor accommodation remain problematic. Recommendations for the remediation of these problems are made.     

Fathers' views of the effects on their families of children with Down syndrome

This study examined fathers' views about the effects of children with Down syndrome on themselves and their families. Taped interviews were obtained from 90 fathers of children aged from 7 to 14 years. Qualitative analysis of the interview data revealed 28 categories of comments made by fathers. The most frequent comment, made by 46% of fathers, was about the cheerful personality of their child with Down syndrome. About 42% of fathers talked about the initial trauma they experienced following the diagnosis; 43% of them bemoaned the restrictions imposed on the family, and 30% commented that the child had minimal effects on family life. The greatest concern expressed by fathers was the long-term provision for their children. More fathers commented on the positive effects on their marriage than on negative effects. The results of this study provide a somewhat different view of fathers' experiences to that found in the existing literature.     

Parent Involvement in Rural Elementary Schools in New Zealand: A Survey

We surveyed rural elementary schools in New Zealand regarding their practice of parent involvement (PI). Interviews were conducted at 22 schools using a schedule which focused on eleven aspects of PI: policy formation, acting as a resource, collaborating with teachers, sharing information on children, channels of communication, liaison with school staff, parent education, parent support, encouraging parents into school, involving diverse parents, and professional development for teachers. Analysis of data from the interviews identified several common weaknesses in PI provision: a lack of written school policies on PI; the ad hoc nature of the organization of PI; minimal parent education organized by schools; minimal focus on parent support; minimal use of home visits; limited ideas to involve diverse parents; a minimal focus on involving parents of children with special needs; and, limited professional development for teachers on working with parents. Implications for improving the practice of PI in rural elementary schools are discussed.