The Demand for Specialists in Working with Children with Developmental Disorders in Kindergarden and Early School Education

Abstract

Bearing in mind the importance of the full development of preschool and early school pupils, close attention should be paid to the tasks of specialists in this area. Psychologists, educators, speech therapists, and therapists employed in psychological and pedagogical counseling centers play a key role. The need was noticed to conduct diagnostic pedagogical research to determine the demand for specialists who work with children at preschool and early school age with disabilities or developmental disorders. The goal was achieved through document analysis conducted in district psychological and pedagogical clinics located in the Biała Podlaska district. The subject of the research was the content of both the certificates stating the need for a special education program and the official opinions on the need for early support of child development issued during the 2021/2022 school year. The research aimed to identify the most common types of disorders among children with disabilities and developmental abnormalities, and to determine what specialists are needed to alleviate these disorders within inclusive education. As research results have shown, the greatest demand is for psychologists, special educators, educational therapists, speech therapists, and sensory integration specialists.