The educational counseling provided to parents was discussed in this study. A questionnaire survey was conducted with special needs education coordinators working in special needs education schools in Japan. The results indicated that attitudes towards parents were valued throughout the entire counseling period, such as attentive listening, acceptance, and empathy. Moreover, many respondents suggested that matters to be inquired of parents, and the parents’ main complaints, should be identified. Many coordinators also mentioned their methods, and the content of their advice. Parents were approached through their feelings, and by encouraging them to express their physical state and symptoms. Furthermore, there were various methods of approaching parents, such as methods common to all the parents, and different methods depending upon the parents. On the other hand, a few respondents stated that they considered it essential to get good results from counseling, and conduct assessments. It is deemed necessary to utilize assessment tools and promote cooperation with specialized agencies, for examining more concrete support methods and courses for students.
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