Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities: A Comparison of Nigeria and Czech Republic

Joy Sade IGONI

Master's thesis

Abstract:

Early intervention do not only reduces the effect of disabilities or prevents the occurrence of learning and developmental problems later in life, but also helps to provide support and needed assistance to family's as well as maximizing the child's intervention and the family benefit to the society at large. Making sure that a well-coordinated, highly effective early intervention services and programmes are available in every society, policy maker, government, professionals, parents, and the society at large need to be involved. This study adopted mixed research methods that include literature review, questionnaire, and unstructured interview. This study described how Nigeria and Czech Republic carry's out their early intervention for children with disabilities, focusing on the practice of early intervention, government policies/legislations/Act for early intervention, and parents' attitude and involvement in early intervention of children with disabilities. The participants were mainly professionals involved in the practice of early intervention for children with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. A total of 57 female and 36 male participated in Nigeria while 40 female and 23 male participated in Czech Republic. The simple descriptive statistic was used to analyze the data. The findings from the descriptive data revealed that in Nigeria, the practice and provision of early intervention is not obtainable for many. The resources for the practice are not adequate and there is no structure for identification, referral, and practice of early intervention. There is no law/legislation/Act that legalized the practice of early intervention. There is no financial support and other needed support from government to enhance early intervention practice. And lastly, parents' attitude shows rejection to intervention of their children as early as possible. Also, the findings from the descriptive data shows that in Czech Republic, there are adequate resources available for early intervention and there is a structure put in place for identification and practice of early intervention. There is well established law/legislation/Act that promotes the practice of early intervention for all children with disabilities from birth to seven years of life. There is financial support and other needed support for smooth running of early intervention of children and their respective family's. Finally, parents' attitude seems positive, acceptable and encouraging to their children intervention. Based on the findings, some recommendations were proffered and suggestions were made for further studies in the area.

Abstract:

Early intervention do not only reduces the effect of disabilities or prevents the occurrence of learning and developmental problems later in life, but also helps to provide support and needed assistance to family's as well as maximizing the child's intervention and the family benefit to the society at large. Making sure that a well-coordinated, highly effective early intervention services and programmes are available in every society, policy maker, government, professionals, parents, and the society at large need to be involved. This study adopted mixed research methods that include literature review, questionnaire, and unstructured interview. This study described how Nigeria and Czech Republic carry's out their early intervention for children with disabilities, focusing on the practice of early intervention, government policies/legislations/Act for early intervention, and parents' attitude and involvement in early intervention of children with disabilities. The participants were mainly professionals involved in the practice of early intervention for children with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities. A total of 57 female and 36 male participated in Nigeria while 40 female and 23 male participated in Czech Republic. The simple descriptive statistic was used to analyze the data. The findings from the descriptive data revealed that in Nigeria, the practice and provision of early intervention is not obtainable for many. The resources for the practice are not adequate and there is no structure for identification, referral, and practice of early intervention. There is no law/legislation/Act that legalized the practice of early intervention. There is no financial support and other needed support from government to enhance early intervention practice. And lastly, parents' attitude shows rejection to intervention of their children as early as possible. Also, the findings from the descriptive data shows that in Czech Republic, there are adequate resources available for early intervention and there is a structure put in place for identification and practice of early intervention. There is well established law/legislation/Act that promotes the practice of early intervention for all children with disabilities from birth to seven years of life. There is financial support and other needed support for smooth running of early intervention of children and their respective family's. Finally, parents' attitude seems positive, acceptable and encouraging to their children intervention. Based on the findings, some recommendations were proffered and suggestions were made for further studies in the area.

Keywords

Early intervention, Practice of early intervention, Children with disability, Government policy/legislation/Act and support, Parents attitude, Nigeria, Czech

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 31. 7. 2014

Accessible from:: 31. 7. 2014

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 1. 9. 2014
• Supervisor: Prof. PhDr. PaedDr. Miloň Potměšil, Ph.D.

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY IN OLOMOUC

Faculty of Education

Master programme / field:
Special Needs Pedagogy / Special Needs Counselling