Identification of special educational needs - Finland

Early Education

In ECEC, the child’s need for support is assessed by considering both the parent’s and the staff’s observations, or based on the child’s earlier established need for special support. The child may need support in the physical, cognitive, emotional or social areas of development or in the development skills for varying periods of time. The need for support may also arise in situations when the child’s health or development is endangered or is not adequately fostered by developmental conditions. On assessing the child’s need for support, it is important to identify and define the child’s individual opportunities to act in different environments and in different educational situations and to also define related need for support and guidance. The aim is to prevent the child’s need for support from accumulating and becoming prolonged.

Pre-School Education and Compulsory Schooling

If a child cannot cope in mainstream education due to disability, illness, delayed development, emotional disorder or some other similar reason, s/he may be admitted to special education during pre-primary education and upon commencement of compulsory education or s/he may also be transferred to special education later during comprehensive school.

A psychological, medical or social examination of a pupil and her/his growth environment may be conducted as early as during early childhood education and care and also, where necessary, later during pre-primary and basic education. In addition it is possible to obtain statements from different therapists, other experts and the child’s teachers.

The decision on the transfer to special education is made by the public authority, which is defined on the rules and regulations of the pupil’s municipality of residence. According to the Basic Education Act, admission or transfer of pupils to special education always require consultation with their parents or other guardians. Where the decision on transfers to special education is made against the consent of a parent or guardian, the parent or guardian may appeal against the decision to the Provincial State Office.