Navigating Early Childhood Special Education

An Analysis of School Counselors’ Professional Development Needs

Bibliographic Data

ID21975111
Authorsİbrahim Halil Diken (0000-0002-5761-2900, Anadolu University, corresponding author), Derya Atik Kara (0000-0002-6890-030X, Anadolu University), Ramazan Akdoğan (0000-0001-6715-0036, Anadolu University), Melike Kurtulus Uzlu (0000-0001-7548-5901, Kastamonu University), Osman Yasar (Eskişehir Osmangazi University), Gizem Turkoglu Boyvat (0000-0002-8614-1714, Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi), Gozde Tomris (0000-0001-9035-9110, Eskişehir Osmangazi University), Secil Celik Demirtas (Anadolu University), Özlem Diken (0000-0003-1676-7989, Anadolu University), Ozlem Toper (Bursa Uludağ Üni̇versi̇tesi̇), Ozcan Ozgur Dursun (0000-0002-5866-5748, Anadolu University), Cem Çuhadar (0000-0003-0190-5592, Trakya University)
Year2026
Volume15
Issue7
Pages439
Publication date2026-07-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2076-0760 • E-ISSN: 2076-0760
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/socsci15070439
OpenAlexW7166854197
LanguageEN
References cited22

School counselors working in preschool special education institutions undertake multidimensional responsibilities involving support for children with developmental disabilities, family guidance, interdisciplinary collaboration, and participation in individualized education program (IEP) processes. Despite the complexity of these responsibilities, limited research has specifically examined the professional development needs of counselors employed in early childhood special education settings. This study aimed to determine the professional development needs of school counselors working in preschool special education institutions and to explore the professional challenges they experience in practice. The study was conducted using a qualitative research design. Participants consisted of 19 school counselors working in preschool special education institutions across different regions of Türkiye. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicated that school counselors experienced substantial professional development needs related to autism spectrum disorder, behavioral intervention strategies, family counseling, crisis intervention, interdisciplinary teamwork, assessment procedures, and individualized education planning. School counselors also emphasized inadequacies in preservice education and reported a strong need for applied, field-specific in-service training opportunities. Furthermore, role ambiguity, institutional limitations, and insufficient supervision emerged as significant factors negatively influencing professional competence perceptions. The findings suggest that counselor education curricula and professional development policies should be restructured to address the unique demands of preschool special education settings more effectively. This study contributes to the literature by highlighting the necessity of specialized professional preparation for school counselors supporting young children with special needs and their families

Curriculum · Early childhood · Early childhood education · Professional development · Special education · Special needs · Thematic analysis · Collaborative Teaching and Inclusion · Counseling Practices and Supervision · Family and Disability Support Research

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