ABSTRACT:

This study aimed to explore the experiences of Portuguese elderly couples with education and institutionalization of their children with Down Syndrome (DS). The study was developed through oral history method, with the participation of fourteen couples. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed based on content analysis. The results of this study showed that, at the time, the conditions of service and support to children with special needs were precarious. Almost all the children faced exclusion from school, due to the lack of school structure and lack of preparation of teachers to handle the needs of children. Institutionalization was a source of satisfaction and contentment for some couples, as they offered opportunities for development and professional support. However, they showed concern for the poor and tardy investment in the cognitive learning of their children, which hindered their development in this respect. In this sense, the lack of educational policies in Portugal hampered these young people's intellectual development, limiting them and preventing them from enjoying a future of labor to which they are entitled and to fully exercise their citizenship.

KEYWORDS:
Special Education; Down Syndrome; Schooling; Institutionalization