How do caregiver narratives around school experience reflect the broader challenges and supports faced by children with DLD in mainstream education?

This project analysises caregiver narratives of school experience among children with and without Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Data is drawn from the Engage with Developmental Language Disorder (E-DLD) cohort survey.
The study focuses on primary school-aged children (5–11 years) and compares open-ended caregiver responses to the question: “Can you tell us more about how [child’s name] is doing at school?” Children with DLD are matched to typically developing (TLD) peers by age (within one month) and gender.
An inductive qualitative content analysis approach (Elo & Kyngäs, 2008) is used to identify recurring themes related to academic experiences, peer relationships, emotional wellbeing and perceived school support. The project was preregistered prior to analysis to enhance transparency and reduce analytic flexibility.
The research aims to contribute to understanding how school environments shape the lived experiences of children with DLD and how caregiver narratives reflect broader structural challenges and supports within mainstream education.