Publication details
Exploring the Perceptions of Early Childhood Experts in Preschool Autism Services Across Eastern and Southeastern Europe
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Peer-reviewed scientific article |
| Magazine / Source | ŠTÚDIE ZO ŠPECIÁLNEJ PEDAGOGIKY |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Keywords | Autism, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, preschool, kindergarten, primary school transition |
| Description | This study explores early childhood experts' perceptions of preschool autism services across six Eastern and Southeastern European countries: Czechia, Greece, North Macedonia, Cyprus, Croatia, and Ukraine. Using qualitative thematic analysis, semi-structured interviews with educators reveal significant challenges and promising strategies for supporting autistic children during their transition from preschool to primary school. The findings reveal significant barriers, including a limited access to autism-specific training for educators, infrastructure challenges, communication issues, and insufficient standardized assessment tools. Experts emphasized the importance of tailored interventions, early intervention programs, and collaborative strategies to ensure smoother transitions. Promising practices such as individualized transition plans, preparatory’ „excursion days" ‘and the use of alternative communication methods emerged as effective approaches. However, disparities in policy implementation, teacher preparedness, and resource availability remain significant obstacles. The study highlights an urgent need for structured, mandatory autism-specific training, standardized frameworks for transition planning, and improved collaboration between educational stages. This research is important as it addresses critical challenges and strategies in supporting autistic children's transition from preschool to primary education, which can lead to more equitable access to quality education and better outcomes for autistic children across Eastern and Southeastern Europe. |
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