School bells are ringing, but can parents attend? Responses from employed parents of children with SEND

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between (a) employed parents' work-family conflict, (b) their children with disabilities' support needs, (c) their children's age, and (d) those parents' levels of school engagement.Design/methodology/approach -Data were collected from 193 U.S. parents of children with disabilities who completed a survey regarding work and family strain as well as school engagement. Descriptive statistical and correlational analyses are used, followed by hierarchical moderated regression analysis.Findings -Results indicate that higher levels of work-family conflict have a negative impact on parents' school engagement. Similarly, children with disabilities' increased needs for parental support have a negative impact on school engagement. Moreover, the age of children with disabilities holds a moderating role in the relationship between support needs and school engagement.Originality -These innovative findings contribute to theoretical underpinnings in work and family strain research as well as conservation of resources theory, given the lack of previous empirical work specific to children with disabilities and their employed parents.Practical implications -Human resource managers can acquire information regarding employed parents of children with disabilities' increased support needs and formalize flexible policies leading to supportive workplace cultures that support parents' unique needs. School 2 personnel can instigate a range of options that facilitate parents' school engagement, such as maximizing use of technology via virtual meetings and activities.