Parental and teacher values and beliefs permeate the care and socialization practices of children and are expressed in the daily activities that children engage in with their various caretakers. This study describes the values and beliefs of 10 families and 10 teachers in relation to some aspects of the development of children with and without Down syndrome, such as motor development, academic performance, preparation for work, social and intimate relationships and expectation for the future. The families were composed of both parents and their offspring; five families had one child with Down syndrome and the other five had all children with typical development. The data were collected in the families' homes and the parents participated in semi-structured interviews and answered a questionnaire about the characterization of the family system. The teachers were interviewed in their workplace. The results showed some differences in the values and beliefs reported by the parents of children with and without Down syndrome, particularly in relation to the child's motor development. The teachers reported changes in the children's academic performance as well as in their social relationships. While the teachers of children with special educational needs expect long-term academic performance advances from the children with Down syndrome, the teachers of children with typical development expect more immediate advances from them. The results indicate some similarities between the parents' and the teachers' beliefs; both groups understand that family support and involvement is crucial to the development of the children with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome; special education; values; beliefs; family
