Residential special education for children with severely challenging behaviours: the views of parents

Information was collected, through follow‐up interviews with parents, on the impact of residential special education on forty‐four children who attended a behaviourally‐oriented school for children with severe learning disabilities and severely challenging behaviours. Parents noted significant improvements in self care and communication skills and reductions in challenging behaviour during their stay at the school. The majority also noted positive changes since their child left the school, although one in five parents noted a deterioration in challenging behaviour since placement ended. Postiive change at the school was attributed to behavioural programmes, staffing ratios and skills, consistency and intensity. However, since leaving, positive changes were attributed by parents to maturity. Accounts of parents are used to illustrate the variable patterns of overall change seen in the forty‐four children.