PROMOTING MUSICAL LEARNING IN CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY: PARENTS' PERSPECTIVES

To promote the attendance of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP) at Arts Education Programmes of Music (AEPM), we initiated an action research project in 2018. Our work included providing initial awareness training for music education teachers, characterising the child with CP who inspired the study, and conducting three literature reviews to examine current knowledge in this area. As a continuation of this work, this study aimed to understand parents' perspectives on music education for children with CP, identify existing barriers to participation in music education, and determine the necessary resources and adaptations required to create truly inclusive musical learning environments. To this end, we conducted interviews with 14 parents of children with CP between January 2021 and January 2022. All participants provided informed consent for the audio recording and processing of their interviews. The interviews were transcribed and validated by the participants. The content was analysed using webQDA software. The analysis revealed several key findings from the parents' perspectives: (i) social and structural barriers continue to limit full access and attendance for children with CP in the AEPM that offers Artistic Schools; (ii) children whit CP demonstrate strong interest in and capacity for musical engagement; and (iii) teachers have little knowledge about the specific needs of children with CP and are unaware of up-to-date technologies, methodologies and strategies that facilitate the teaching-learning processes of children with CP in the AEPM. Ultimately, the results underscore two key needs: the need for enhanced teacher training in this area and the reform of educational policy to make AEPM truly inclusive for all students.