Epilepsy in schools: parents’ experiences

Below are the initial findings from a survey of parents of children with epilepsy in mainstream education. Parents were asked about their experiences and perceptions of their child’s educational experience.

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The children ranged from age three to seventeen and had varying degrees of seizure control. For these results to be interpreted in a meaningful and representative way it will be necessary for the analysis to take account of these differences.

School procedures

• Ninety seven per cent of respondents had informed the school about their child’s epilepsy.
• Eighty seven per cent of respondents have discussed the possible effects of their child’s epilepsy on their education.
• Forty two per cent had regular meetings with school staff and had individual education plans for their child.

School work

• An average of forty eight per cent of parents felt their child regularly had difficulties completing classwork or homework because of their epilepsy.
• An average of seventy eight per cent of parents reported that their child had not been excluded from school trips or activities because of their epilepsy.
• Thirty one per cent of parents felt their child’s school attendance was significantly affected by their epilepsy.

Social effects

• Eight per cent of parents felt that their child had been stigmatised because of their epilepsy.
• Three per cent of parents felt their child had been bullied because of their epilepsy.
• An average fifty per cent of parents who felt their child had been stigmatised or bullied reported that this mainly carried out by other pupils.

Margaret Rawnsley, Epilepsy Action
30 November 2005