Identification of special educational needs - Malta

Early intervention

The Child Development Assessment Unit (CDAU), part of the Ministry of Health cater for children when still babies, assesses the needs of children in a trans-disciplinary way.

Pre-Primary – Kindergarten

Pupils can be assessed by the educational psychologists of the Directorate for Educational Services in order to identify the particular educational needs of each pupil and recommend the service and whether support is needed. The Statementing Moderating Panel ensures that appropriate provision is made for each pupil with special needs.

Compulsory School

The State’s School Psychological Service can provide a psycho educational assessment and intervention service for pupils and pupils with special needs due to physical, mental, perceptual, emotional and behavioural difficulties. These collaborate with CDAU on the assessment and identification of pupils with special needs.

Compulsory School for Students with Special Educational Needs and Provisions at Special Schools

Services available in mainstream schools are also available in special schools and for the pupils attending these schools. However, generally these schools cater more for pupils who have more demanding needs and more severe difficulties.

Statementing Moderating panel

Pupils with special needs may be assessed by the Statementing Moderating Panel (SMP), a specialist panel that identifies the specific needs of each pupil and advises on the special provision required within the mainstream education system. The SMP is the State recognised body empowered to develop a statutory assessment of the support required in order to ensure a quality education for pupils with an impairment. The work carried out by the SMP is based on the Inclusive Education- Policy regarding pupils with a disability.

When a student is assessed the needs are identified as there is no legal definition of special needs. Broadly speaking one may consider the following broad classification of disabilities as documented in the Education Act.1988:

• Pupils with a physical disability;
• Pupils with sensory impairment (such as hearing or visually impaired);
• Pupils with psychological difficulties;
• Pupils with intellectual difficulties.

However, it is being recommended that the following categories for statistical purposes are to be used in the near future: Intellectual Disability, Specific Learning Disability, Communication Difficulties, Sensory Difficulties, Physical Disability, Multiple Disability, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties.