“‘We’re not troublemakers’”

: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis exploring the experiences of Black parents and carers of SEND children in secondary education

Abstract

The aim of this research was to add to the limited literature of Black parents and carers of CYP with SEND whilst simultaneously exploring their interactions, communication and their child’s inclusion within their respective educational settings. The study used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to better understand the experiences shared by the participants. Semi structured interviews of five self-identifying and self-selecting Black parents and carers participated, sharing their personal journeys, experiences of processes and interactions of their child’s educational setting.
Five general experiential themes (GETs) were created using IPA, these themes covered culture, race and the construction of SEND, being an informed parent or carer, educational processes, social emotional mental health (SEMH) and the expectations and perceptions of Black parents their CYP and White staff in the learning environment.
Communication between the participants and their child’s educational staff was regularly a point of contention for the parents and carers, with several of them expressing disappointment in this area. The lack of racial understanding from several participants CYP’s educational settings emphasised a need for school staff to develop their cultural awareness. Most participants implied the lack of understanding of SEND and educational processes for staff, which had implications for their child’s educational journey. There were differences in expectations held by several participants and school staff about Black learners. Participants regularly initiated communication with their child’s school, some of which related to how staff appeared to actively avoid talking to the participants. Recommendations are made for secondary schools to develop their cultural and racial awareness in order to better work with Black families. There are further considerations for schools to consider their current approaches when collaborating, decision-making and communicating, with Black families. There is room for educational professionals to also incorporate cultural competencies to further support school staff. This would be in addition to opportunities for continuous professional development (CPD) for school staff by EPS on SEND policies and facilitating conversations with staff.

Date of Award	9 Dec 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Tom J Porter (Supervisor), Jak L Lee (Supervisor) & Amanda J Gaulter (Supervisor)