Children with Special Needs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Their Needs and Rights Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Leicester By Ahmad Al rubiyea, BA, MA, School of Social Work University of Leicester April 2010 Dedication wife "q'o my CJ>arents, and Chi(drert' II Abstract Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in the process of developing and modernising its organisations to meet and cope with the challenges posed by national and international changes. Child and family issues have become an integral part of the Kingdom strategies, vision and policies. There is a lack of comprehensive research that focuses on children with special needs rights and needs in Saudi Arabia and the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in meeting and protecting their rights. This research represents the first research in this area. The research aims to examine the rights and needs of children with special needs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Extensive quantitative and qualitative data collected from Saudi Arabia children special needs sector using semi-structured questionnaires, focus groups and in depth interviews. The collected data analysis with outcome of the literature survey used to discuss the main outcome of the research. A number of conclusions have been drawn from this research. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has taken several steps towards ensuring children with special needs rights and needs such as the introduction of inclusion of children with special needs with the main stream primary school education. However, the child with special needs in the Kingdom is still in its early stage in the Kingdom. The Saudi parents with children with special needs under stress due to a lack of appropriate policies and guidelines for there children with special needs. The research has identified social barriers as one of the main obstacles for children with special needs rights and needs. The research also provides practical recommendation for prompting children with special needs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. III Acknowledgments I wish to express my great and most sincere thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Kwame Owusu-Bempah, for his valuable guidance, encouragement and moral support throughout the course of the research. Further, I thank Professor P J Aldgat (External Examiner) and Dr. E Anderson (Internal Examiner) for their invaluable comments and continuous encouragement. I would like to extend my thanks to the administrative staff of the Department of Social Work for their help and care during the period of my research, particularly Mrs. Christina Cazalet, Michelle, W, and Mrs. Ann Ketnor. Special thanks are due to my family members, wife, and children for their constant encouragement, support, patience and help during the course of the research. N List of Contents Dedication I Abstract " Acknowledgments III List of Contents IV List of Figures XI List of Tables XIII Chapter One: Introduction 1 Introduction 2 Research Aims and Objectives 3 Importance of the Research 4 Research Questions 5 Research Methodology 5 Structure of the Thesis 7 Chapter Two: Literature Review 9 Introduction 10 Culture 15 Child Development 20 Child Development Theories 22 Ecology of Human Development 23 Microsystem and Human Development 26 Mesosystem and Human Development 26 The Exosystem and Human Development 28 The Macrosystem and Human Development 29 Children with special Needs and Politics 32 Disability Models 33 Medical Model 34 Social Model 35 v Children with Special Needs and the State 38 The Family 41 Family Structure and Children with Special Needs 44 Family Structure in Saudi Arabia 46 Religion and the Family 51 Shifts in Cultural Values 51 Society and the Family as Systems 51 System Boundary 52 Closed Social Systems 53 Open System Societies 56 Conclusions 57 Chapter Three: Research Background: The kingdom of Saudi Arabia 58 Introduction 59 The Saudi family 60 Family Size 61 Marriage and Divorce 63 Education 66 National Commission for Family Affairs 67 H~~ ~ Islamic Perspectives towards Disability 69 Provision for People with Special Needs in Saudi Arabia 71 Definition of People wi~ Special Needs in Saudi Arabia 72 The Rights of People with Special Needs in Saudi Arabia 73 The Right to Work 74 The Right to Education 75 The Right to Care 75 Social Welfare in Saudi Arabia 77 Institutional Welfare Programmes for People with Special Needs 79 Social Welfare Policy in Saudi Arabia 82 Welfare System in Saudi Arabia 84 VI Ministry of Education 84 Ministry of Social Affairs 88 Ministry of Health 90 The Saudi Care Association for Children with Disabilities 91 Prince Salman Centre for Disability Research 91 Concluding Remarks 92 Chapter Four: Research Methodology 93 Introduction 94 Research Philosophy 94 Research Strategies 95 Research Sample and Design 97 Research samples 97 Parents and Care Professionals Samples 102 Questionnaire Samples 102 Interview Samples 106 Focus Groups Samples 107 Research Method Design 107 Semi-structured Questionnaire 108 In-depth Semi-structured interviews 111 Parent of Children with Special Needs Focus Group 113 Documentation 114 Data Analysis 115 Pilot Study 115 Chapter Five: Quantitative Data Analysis 118 Introduction 119 Characteristics of the Sample 120 Parents' Gender 120 Professionals' Gender 120 Parents' Age 120 Professionals' age 120 VII Parents' Martial Status 120 Parents' Employment 121 Professionals' Professions 121 Professionals' experience 121 Regions and Disabilities 122 Number of Children in the Family 122 Number of children with special needs receiving care in the family 123 Children Receiving Care, by age 124 Time Spent in Receiving Care 125 Frequency of Attendance at Care Agency 126 Reason, for taking the Child to the Care Agency 127 Rights of Children with Special Needs 128 Welfare Policy meets children needs 128 Care agency staff helpful of children with special needs 129 Care agency has high values 130 The relationship between the parents and the agency 131 Care Agency and Children's Needs and Satisfaction 131 Care Agency Meets and Satisfies the Needs of Parents 133 Equal Opportunity in Education 134 Equal Rights in Health 135 Children's Views and the Care Agency 136 Children's Right to Proper Care 137 National Policy and the Rights of Children with Special Needs 138 Care agency puts its values into practice 139 The Authorities Play an Important Role in Promoting the Rights of 140 Children with Special Needs Childcare Authorities and Policies on the Rights of Children with 141 Special Needs Parents play an important role in Ensuring the rights of children 142 with Special needs Family Stress 143 Main Problems and Obstacles 144 VIII Responses to the Open Ended Questions 146 Concluding Remarks 153 Chapter Six: Qualitative Data Analysis 154 Introduction 155 Analysis of Focus Groups of Parents of Children with Special Needs 155 Children with Special Needs: Needs 156 Educational Needs 156 Health Needs 157 Social Skills Needs 158 Daily Care Needs 159 Children with Special Needs: Rights 160 Equal Opportunity Rights 160 The Right to be Respected and Valued 160 The Right to Education 160 The Right to Appropriate Care 161 Rights to Participate in Society 162 Roles of the Kingdom, Parents and Society 162 Role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 163 The Role of Parents 163 The Role of Society 164 The Role of the Authorities 165 Children with Special Needs: Problems and Obstacles 166 Social Barriers 166 Stress to Parents 168 Financial Issues 170 Abuse and Prejudices 172 Interviews with Authorities for Children with Special Needs 173 Children with Special Needs: Needs 174 Children with Special Needs: Rights 178 Children with Special Needs: Roles 185 IX Children with Special Needs: Problems and Obstacles 189 Future Plans 192 Chapter Seven: Discussions 194 Introduction 195 Saudi Families with a Child Receiving Care 196 Saudi Family Structure 196 The Saudi Family and the Culture of Society 199 Children with Special Needs: Their Needs 204 Recreational Needs 205 Educational Needs 207 Health Monitoring Needs 208 Need for Social Skills 209 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Skills 210 Appropriate Care 210 Transport 211 Financial Needs 212 Stress on the Saudi Family 212 Social Barriers for Children with Special Needs in Saudi Arabia 214 Children with Special Needs Rights 218 Rights of Children with Special Needs: Education 219 Equal Rights in Health Care 220 Children's Views: the Right to be Respected and Valued 223 Right to Proper Care 225 National Policy 227 Social Accessibility Rights: Integration/Inclusion Policy 229 Role of the Kingdom in Protecting the Rights of Children with Special Needs and 230 Meeting their Needs Role of the Parents in Protecting the Rights of Children with Special Needs 231 Attitudes towards the Rights of Children with Special Needs 232 Family 233 Care Professionals 233