# A Comparative Analysis of the Protection of the Rights of Childhood Cancer Survivors to Education Under Special Education Law

## TL;DR

This paper compares how eight countries protect the education rights of childhood cancer survivors and highlights barriers to accessing school support.

## Contribution

The paper identifies gaps between disability legislation and practice for childhood cancer survivors in accessing in-school supports.

## Key findings

- Children treated for cancer face barriers in accessing formalized in-school supports.
- There is a gap between disability legislation and the actual provision of educational support for cancer survivors.
- The study highlights the need for policy changes to improve access to educational services for this group.

## Abstract

Access to equitable education for children treated for cancer is of growing international concern across education, medicine, and related fields. Neurocognitive late effects of childhood cancer and treatment are well established. This impact on cognition results in difficulties with thinking, learning, peer-relationships, and quality of life. Formalized In-School Supports (ISS) can ameliorate the negative impacts of neurocognitive late effects, yet the literature suggests that children treated for cancer often have difficulty accessing these services. This paper reviews the ISS legislation of eight countries regarding protections offered to children treated for cancer and evidence of access to ISS within the literature. The purpose of this review was to look for common barriers for children treated with cancer accessing educational support through ISS. This review identifies gaps between ISS student-focused disability legislation, and practice to inform positive policy change.