Agresja rówieśnicza wobec uczniów ze specjalnymi potrzebami edukacyjnymi w relacjach pracowników poradni psychologiczno-pedagogicznych

Abstract

The article presents the results of a research carried out among fifteen employees of psychological and pedagogical counseling centers from the Łódź area. The study examined the level of their knowledge on the subject of spreading the forms of peer victimization towards children with special educational needs. The analysis of the partially structured interviews clearly indicates that the respondents were aware of a high number of such incidents, yet their knowledge is mostly acquired informally or indirectly, while they were working on other educational challenges. It is clear that instances of peer victimization are rarely reported officially to the counseling centers. The range of supportive actions that were implemented is mostly limited to and focused on the victims. The respondents appeared pessimistic as to their assessment of the effectiveness of the preventative and prophylactic measures implemented by schools and counseling centers. The results presented in the article map out the direction the counseling centers should take in order to support schools in their efforts to prevent peer victimization. Undoubtedly, there is a clear need to shift to a more proactive role in diagnosing the school situation of children with special educational needs and to precisely assess the risk of their victimization. The respondents emphasized a need for more complex and systematic measures in this area.