Irish and international policy emphasises parent–teacher collaboration and shared decision-making as being central to inclusive education for students with special educational needs (Department of Education, 2024). However, research suggests that such collaborative decision-making is unevenly enacted, with parental influence often constrained by power dynamics and professional dominance (Morris et al., 2022). Moreover, students with more significant needs have been identified as marginalised in educational policy and practice, often positioned within contexts of reduced academic expectations, and their parents have been described in research as having limited opportunities to engage as equal partners in educational planning and decision-making (Banks et al., 2016; Colley, 2018; Stroggilos & Xanthacou, 2006; Rendoth et al., 2024).

This study explored parents’ and teachers’ experiences of shared decision-making and educational goal-setting for students with moderate to severe/profound levels of intellectual disabilities and identified factors shaping these collaborative practices.

Participants comprised parent–teacher dyads recruited from special schools and classes across Ireland.

A qualitative phenomenological design, informed by a social constructivist epistemology and underpinned by Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Model of Human Development (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2007), was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents and teachers separately. Data were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2019).

Shared decision-making was variable and context dependent. While endorsed in principle, practices often reflected consultative or teacher-led approaches. Parents prioritised wellbeing and functional goals, while academic goals were typically positioned within teachers’ professional remit. Goal alignment was frequently partial or assumed. The Individual Education Plan served as the primary formal mechanism for shared decision-making, though its enactment varied. Trust, power dynamics, and educational stage shaped experiences.

Conclusions: Shared decision-making and goal-setting emerged as negotiated, relational processes embedded within organisational and systemic contexts. Greater clarity, consistency, and relational support are needed to strengthen these collaborative practices in special education contexts.