Complete national overview - Sweden

Legal System

The basic principle guiding all Swedish education from child care to the transition period is 'a school for all' - access to equivalent education for all. This means that pupils in need of special support should not be treated or defined as a group that is any different from other pupils and their rights are not stated separately. The obligation for schools to attend to all pupils needs is, however, emphasised.

For all pupils in need of special support, an action plan of provision has to be drawn up by their teachers in consultation with the pupil themselves, their parents and specialist support teachers. This plan, which identifies needs and provision to meet them, is continuously evaluated and progress and changes of solutions are possible.

Pupils in need of special support have the right to specialist provision. All education corresponds as far as possible to the National curricula, but with the emphasis upon meeting individual learning needs. In a few circumstances, this provision is offered in special settings. Three national and five regional state-run special schools are available for pupils with visual impairment combined with additional disabilities (MDVI), deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities or severe speech and language disorders.

All pupils have the right to choose their school - either municipal or independent - as long as it can demonstrate that that school meets the pupils' educational needs.
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/574/a/21538

Curricula

The curricula of the pre-primary class, compulsory and upper-secondary education are partly consistent in order to make these activities a homogenous system. The curricula states the leading values, tasks and goals for the activities, but does not state the means to reach them. The organisation of child care and school activities is the responsibility of the local authorities that should therefore ensure the possibilities of reaching the goals and following the curricula. The pedagogical staff of each unit is responsible for the pedagogical means and specific organisation of the operation.

The pre-primary curricula cover the following areas: norms and values, development and learning, influence of the child, pre-primary and home and co-operation with school and leisure-time centres.

The curriculum of compulsory education covers: norms and values, development and learning, influence of the pupils, school and home and co-operation with leisure-time centres, assessment and grades and the responsibility of the school-board.

The upper secondary school curriculum covers norms and values, development and learning, influence of the pupils, assessment and grades, responsibility of the school-board and finally the area of future education, employment and social life.

Curriculum in English can be found at  http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/493

Early years education

The Education Act states that children are entitled to child care from the age of 1-12 (after entering compulsory school this takes the form of leisure time centres) if the parents work or study. Children in need of special support are entitled to child care whether their parents are occupied not. Activities should be based on individual needs and children in need of special support should receive care related to their needs.

Until 1998 child care was the responsibility of the National Board of Health and Welfare, but from that year all child care, pre-primary activities, leisure-time activities, compulsory education and upper secondary education are incorporated under the National Agency of Education.

Compulsory school

The nine-year basic compulsory school is for all children between seven and 16 years of age, but children can choose to start school at the age of six. The municipalities also have a duty to organise pre-primary activities from the age of five. In most municipalities these activities are integrated in the compulsory school.

Transition period

Upper secondary schools - gymnasia - are not compulsory, but attended by almost all pupils. Schools are free of charge and there are no fees for educational materials, food or health care. Pupils of upper secondary schools have the same right to special support as pupils of compulsory school.

For pupils in need of special support technical aid is available from the regional counties and adaptations of teaching materials are provided from the state. Schools and teachers are consulted by local resource centres which in their turn are consulted by the Swedish Institute for Special Needs Education.

Pupils of upper secondary education can choose from 17 national programmes according to their interest. Most pupils with disabilities attend these national programmes. Pupils who are deaf or have hearing disabilities attend special upper secondary schools. Pupils with physical disabilities also have this opportunity.

For those pupils who have not been able to reach the goals of the compulsory school and are not eligible to apply to a national programme there are possibilities of attending an individual programme. In this programme all pupils have their own study plan and it is possible to combine school with employment.

Municipalities have the duty to offer upper secondary education for all pupils, including pupils with severe learning disabilities. This is mostly done in a programme offering both theoretical studies and practical training.

National programmes for pupils with severe learning disabilities are among others programmes for tourism, trade, industry and arts. As for all pupils of upper secondary education individual solutions are possible.

See http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/2668

Financing

Local authorities are bound by law to provide a number of basic services among which the provision of compulsory education, upper secondary education, pre-primary and child care take a major part. Municipalities are free to use collected taxes and state funding for whatever services and systems are judged to be best for their respective areas. Many municipalities delegate budgets directly to individual schools.

An amount of money is granted and follows each pupil to whatever school they choose, either municipal or independent. A school that receives grants from the municipality is not entitled to collect school fees.

The State, through the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools, offers pedagogical support for local authorities for the development of pedagogical resources in Special Needs Education. The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools also offers adaptations of teaching materials for pupils in need of special support. The National Agency runs three national and five regional special schools. The national schools cater for students with:

• visual impairment combined with additional disabilities (MDVI)
• deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities
• severe speech and language disorders.

Technical aid is accounted for by the regional counties.

Early years education

Child care is financed by locally collected tax revenues, state grants and parental fees.

There are no separate funds for special education. Municipalities decide upon allocations in the same way as for all child care, and parental fees vary. In 1998 the parental fees' average share of the municipal total costs accounted for about 17 per cent.

Pre-primary fees are linked to the family's income and how many hours the child attends pre-primary. From 2001 municipalities can adopt the system of maximum fee. This means that there is a ceiling for pre-school fees at about 1-3 per cent of the family's income, depending on how many children the family has.

Since January 2003, all children of four and five years of age are offered free schooling for at least 525 hours per year. The provision is mandatory for the municipalities, but the children participate on a voluntary basis.

Compulsory education

Municipalities are responsible for educational provision and the education system is financed with locally collected tax revenues. There are no separate state funds for special education.

Each school is provided with an amount of money based on the number of pupils of that school and responsible for allocating those means in a way that all individual needs are met.

Normally, students or their parents are not charged for teaching materials, school meals, health services and transport.

Many municipalities have resource centres that offer pedagogical support to schools and teachers.

Transition period

Upper secondary education is free of charge. Financial assistance from the State is available for adults attending most post-compulsory school education in the form of personal subsidies and loans.

Identification of Special Needs

The local municipalities are independent in terms of organisation and there are different ways of dealing with the work of identifying and investigating individual needs for special support.

75% of all children aged 1-5 attended organised child care in 1999, either municipal or independent, and the need for special support can often be identified before the child enters school age.

There are regular health-checks for all children. Health service and psychologists are available for staff in child care and schools, pupils and parents to consult.

Parents must give their approval when more long-term or detailed investigations need to be completed.

If teachers consider that they themselves have problems meeting the needs of a specific pupil a conference has to be held with the staff involved to find a solution to the difficulties. The schools have a pupil-welfare team made up of a representative of the local school-board, the pupil welfare staff, i.e. a nurse, psychologist, counsellor and SEN teachers. A plan of what is being done to meet the needs of the specific pupil has to be stated.

Municipal childcare, pre-primary activities, compulsory schooling, after-school centres and youth centres are often part of the same organisation with a common school-board. Several of these activities are often integrated with the staff organising joint work together. This facilitates a complete view of each pupil. It is common practice to provide for the pupils' needs in close co-operation with their parents. The National Curriculum states the importance of the parents' participation in the planning of pupils' education.

Special Needs Education within the Education System

Information is available at the website of the Swedish National Agency for Education:
http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/345/a/819.

The Swedish Education Act may be found at: http://www.sweden.gov.se/content/1/c6/02/15/38/1532b277.pdf

For detailed information regarding the organisation of education services in Sweden, please visit the Eurydice information service at:
http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/Eurydice for information in English.

The National Curriculum states the leading values, the responsibility of different aspects of school activities and the educational goals. Within those limits each municipality sets up a plan for its educational system. Each school is accordingly bound by the national goals and leading values, but is free to organise its means to reach those goals as it chooses and there are very different ways of doing this.

If teachers consider that they themselves have problems meeting the needs of a specific pupil a conference has to be held with the staff involved to find a solution to the difficulties. The schools have a pupil-welfare team made up of a representative of the local school-board, the pupil welfare staff, i.e. a nurse, psychologist, counsellor and SEN teachers.

Development plans are set up for each pupil in need of special support in co-operation with teachers, parents and the pupil concerned. Those plans indicate the responsibility of each partner in the development of the pupil's abilities and knowledge.

There are regular health-checks in childcare and schools. Health service and psychologists are available for staff, pupils and parents to consult.

Co-operation with services other than the educational system, such as healthcare and training has to be approved of by and involve the parents of the child concerned.

Municipal childcare, pre-primary activities, compulsory schooling, after-school centres and youth centres are often part of the same organisation with a common school-board. Several of these activities are often integrated with the staff organising joint work together. This facilitates a complete view of each pupil. It is common practice to provide for the pupils' needs in close co-operation with their parents. The National Curriculum states the importance of the parents' participation in the planning of pupils' education. See http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/493.

Preschool

All pedagogical activities should be related to the needs of all children, and children in need of special support should as far as possible receive that care in its original child care group.

Most child care centres are organised in groups of 15-20 children with three employees to work with them. Where children in need of special support attend a group, extra staff can be allocated.

Health care, social care, fostering and teaching are the major tasks stated in the pre-primary curriculum. The social development of children takes place in groups. Consequently, the group has an important educational function in child care, and both the individual child and the group are focal points in pedagogical programmes. Diversity is considered as a general standard in this social development and all children should as far as possible, irrespective of their needs, be a part of such a group.

All pupils in needs of special support have written plans of development set up in co-operation with the pupils themselves, parents and professionals involved. See: http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/374/a/1267 .

Due to the large degree of independence of the municipalities, Special Needs Education can be organised in different ways. Support could include variations of the following options:

• the teachers of the pupil are supported by a resource centre at the local level;

• a specialist teacher works with the pupil concerned within the frames of the activities of the larger group; this could be a permanent work or organised for longer or shorter periods;

• the pupil leaves the larger group for limited periods to work with a specialist teacher;

• resource centres at the local level may be supported by an advisor at the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools.

Compulsory education

The majority of pupils in need of special educational support are educated in general basic compulsory classes. If this is not possible, then the school must indicate very clearly why other educational options for pupils should be considered. This is an important philosophical standpoint for child care organisation and operation. Earlier debates focused upon prerequisites for mainstreaming. Now the focus has shifted to the need for justification for segregated options to be considered for pupils. The concept of mainstream education is not used. See http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2063/a/21953 .

The National Curriculum states the leading values, the responsibility of different aspects of school activities and the educational goals. Within those limits each municipality sets up a plan for its educational system. Each school is accordingly bound by national goals and leading values, but is free to organise its means to reach those goals as it chooses.

This leaves a free choice concerning use of staff, groups of pupils according to age and levels and to a large extent the content of subjects. This is presented in a school-plan which every school is bound to set up and evaluate.

According to the National Curriculum all compulsory education will be organised in such a way that individual solutions are possible for all pupils. This is a way of strengthening the pupils' influence and personal responsibility, but also a way of taking into account all pupils' needs and individuality.

Within this development the organisation of school activities and educational environments is important. Local projects are now run to investigate the possibilities of abandoning national timetables and make compulsory education even more goal-oriented. The goals of a certain subject shall be achieved by each pupil, but the ways to reach them and the time spent can vary.

A pupil who, for one reason or another, encounters difficulties can receive various forms of support within this organisation. Due to the large degree of independence of the municipalities, Special Needs Education can be organised in different ways.

Support could include variations of the following options:

• all pupils in needs of special support have written plans of development set up in co-operation with the pupils themselves, parents and professionals involved;
• the teachers of the pupil are consulted by a specialist teacher;
• a specialist teacher or assistant helps the teacher or works with the pupil concerned for longer or shorter periods within the frames of the activities of the larger group;
• the pupil receives teaching materials adapted for his or her needs;
• the pupil leaves the larger group for limited periods to work with a specialist teacher;
• a classroom assistant works with the pupil in need of special support or in the class of the pupil concerned;
• the pupil in need of special support works in a group for pupils with similar needs for longer or shorter periods within the same organisation;
• teachers are supported by a resource centre at the local level;
• resource centres at the local level may be supported by an advisor at the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools.

Pupils with severe learning disabilities

In the Swedish compulsory school there are special programmes for pupils with severe learning disabilities, 'särskola'. Since 1996 the municipalities have taken over the control and operation of these programmes from the counties and special programmes for pupils with severe learning disabilities are now more closely linked to, or included in, general compulsory schools. See http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/673 .

Transition period

Upper secondary schools - gymnasia - are not compulsory, but attended by almost all pupils. Schools are free of charge and there are no fees for educational materials, food or health care.

Pupils of upper secondary schools have the same right to special support as pupils of compulsory school.

For pupils in need of special support technical aid is available from the regional counties and adaptations of teaching materials are provided from the state. Schools and teachers are consulted by local resource centres which in their turn are consulted by the Swedish Institute for Special Needs Education.

Pupils of upper secondary education can choose from 17 national programmes according to their interest. Most pupils with disabilities attend these national programmes. Pupils who are deaf or have hearing disabilities attend special upper secondary schools. Pupils with physical disabilities also have this opportunity.

For those pupils who have not been able to reach the goals of the compulsory school and are not eligible to apply to a national programme there are possibilities of attending an individual programme. In this programme all pupils have their own study plan and it is possible to combine school with employment.

Municipalities have the duty to offer upper secondary education for all pupils, including pupils with severe learning disabilities. This is mostly done in a programme offering both theoretical studies and practical training.

National programmes for pupils with severe learning disabilities are among others programmes for tourism, trade, industry and arts. As for all pupils of upper secondary education individual solutions are possible.

State and regional support

The technical aid that is needed is provided from the regional counties.

In order that pupils in need of special support are given an equal quality of educational experiences as their peers, the State through the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools offers a special pedagogical support service to authorities, services and schools.

This acts as a complement to support services and provision by local authorities, but the aim is to develop the local resource centres in order to be able to provide more support at a local level.
The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools also includes a number of teaching material production units which develop, produce and distribute specialist teaching aids and certain technical aids. See: http://www.spsm.se

State-run special schools and resource centres

Specialist provision for learners with physical disabilities, hearing and visual impairments exists mostly in general classes, but in some cases within separate settings. All education corresponds as far as possible to the learner's non-disabled peers and the National Curriculum, with the emphasis upon the meeting of individual needs. According to the National Curriculum, students with deafness will have the ability to communicate in both written Swedish and sign language, but sign language is stated as their first language.

The State offers support by The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools who runs three national and five regional special schools. The national schools cater for students with:

• visual impairment combined with additional disabilities (MDVI)
• deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities
• severe speech and language disorders.

The regional schools offer education for students with deafness or hearing loss that corresponds to compulsory schooling.

The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools also run four national Resource centres with specialized knowledge of students with:

• visual impairment with or without additional disabilities
• deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities
• congenital deafblindness
• severe speech-language disorders.

The resource centres offer assessments of children and young people, and training programmes for educators and parents.  

Pupils who are blind or have visual impairments, but with no other impairments, have been educated in general classes since 1988. Support is provided via resource centres. The teaching materials used in their classes are adapted for their needs by the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools, and technical equipment by the regional counties.

Teacher Training - Basic and Specialist Teacher Training

In the Nineties the teacher training programme was reformed gradually and in 2001 a new programme was introduced. The teacher training programme of 2001 includes all categories of teachers in a single programme with individual possibilities to specialise in subjects, age groups or other aspects of education, i.e. Special Needs Education.

The aim is to move away from categories such as subjects and age levels and focus more on the general concept of learning and, more importantly, on the social aspects of school activities. More focus will be placed on Special Needs Education for all teachers.

Ideas such as the teacher as a counsellor and individually planned education are also important in the construction of the new teacher training programme. Information on the teacher training programme of Stockholm is available in English at http://www.su.se/pub/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=9222 .

During the last ten years, the role of specialist teachers has changed. There are still specialist teachers who work with individual pupils or groups of pupils, but more and more the role of the specialist teacher has changed into a consulting function towards other teachers who work with pupils in need of special support in their groups.

In the teacher training programmes introduced in 2001, all teachers have some training in Special Needs Education. There are possibilities to specialise in Special Needs Education within the basic teacher training programme.

There will also be programmes of Special Needs Education that train specialists to work as consultants to teachers. The new specialists will also be trained to work in co-operation with the school boards to ensure good educational environments and the support necessary for an equal education. See: http://www.hsv.se/2.539a949110f3d5914ec800056285.html .

Links to universities offering teacher training programmes can be found at the Contacts section of this website. Most universities have general information in English, but lack English versions of specific information on teacher training and Special Needs Education.

Development of Inclusion

Views of integration

The Swedish educational system is based upon the philosophy that all pupils have the same right to personal development and learning experiences. This right is stated in para. 1 of the Education Act. The inclusion of all pupils within this principle is crucial and the rights of pupils in need of special support are not stated separately. The current curriculum for compulsory schools does not use the word or concept of mainstreaming, but promotes the given that all pupils will be educated in general classes or child care groups. If this is not possible, then the school must indicate very clearly why other educational options for pupils should be considered.

This is an important philosophical standpoint for school organisation and operation. Earlier debates focused upon prerequisites for integration. Now the focus has shifted to the need for justification for segregated options to be considered for pupils. See http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2063/a/21953.

Local solutions - 'särskola'

For pupils with severe learning disabilities there is a special programme - 'särskola'. This programme was previously the responsibility of the regional counties, but since 1996, the local school boards in each municipality have had full responsibility for this programme. The programme is now closely linked to or included into general school activities. See http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/354/a/ .

Action plans of development

For all pupils in need of special support, an action plan of provision has to be worked out by their teachers in consultation with the pupil themselves, their parents and specialist support teachers. This plan, which identifies needs and provision to meet them, is continuously evaluated and progress and changes of solutions are possible.

Teachers' Education

All teachers educated in the new teaching training programme will be educated in Special Needs Education to make them better prepared to meet the needs of all pupils within mainstream education. Specialists of Special Needs Education are educated to advise teachers and to co-operate with the managers of schools to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. Information on the teacher training programme of Stockholm is available in English at http://www.su.se/pub/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=9222.

Abandoning of timetables

Local projects are now run to investigate the possibilities of abandoning formal school timetables and making compulsory education even more goal-oriented. The goals for a certain subject must be achieved by every pupil, but the ways to reach them as well as how much time is spent on reaching each goal can vary. This would further facilitate an organisation where all pupils' specific needs are met.

Resource centres and special schools

Specialist provision for learners with physical disabilities, hearing and visual impairments exists mostly in general classes, but in some cases within separate settings. All education corresponds as far as possible to the learner's non-disabled peers and the National Curriculum, with the emphasis upon the meeting of individual needs. According to the National Curriculum, students with deafness will have the ability to communicate in both written Swedish and sign language, but sign language is stated as their first language.

The State offers support by The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools who runs three national and five regional special schools. The national schools cater for students with:

• visual impairment combined with additional disabilities (MDVI)
• deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities
• severe speech and language disorders.

The regional schools offer education for students with deafness or hearing loss that corresponds to compulsory schooling.

The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools also run four national Resource centres with specialized knowledge of students with:

• visual impairment with or without additional disabilities
• deafness or hearing impairment combined with learning disabilities
• congenital deafblindness
• severe speech-language disorders.

The resource centres offer assessments of children and young people, and training programmes for educators and parents.

Resource centres and knowledge of Special Needs Education are developed at the local level with the support of The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools. The intention is that the provision of support will be done at a local level, to make individual solutions more adapted to the pupil concerned.

Pupils who are blind or have visual impairments, but with no other impairments, have been educated in general classes since 1988. Support is provided via resource centres. The teaching materials used in their classes are adapted for their needs by the National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools, and technical equipment by the regional counties. The Resource Centre Vision offers information in English: http://www.spsm.se/Startpage/Resource-centres/

Quality Indicators for SNE

The Swedish educational system is based on goals. National goals are set up by the government, and the municipalities, schools, individual staff and pupils are to make the goals concrete in their own environment and make their own plans for their activities reach the national goals. Quality indicators must therefore stem from educational plans on several levels of the educational system.

Apart from stating the goals of the operation, the National Curriculum also states who has the responsibility for the different assignments of school operation and the fulfilling of the national goals. 

In a similar way as goals are set up, a system of evaluation is operating on several levels. The school board, staff and pupils do their own evaluations and support the school board with the results and other information necessary. Each school board evaluate their school operation and use the material for the planning of the coming operation and report to the municipalities. The municipalities who are responsible for the operation of Swedish education report to the National Agency for Education who in their turn report to the government. Documents are official and should be easily available.

The National Agency of Education has launched a website where results, quality reports and other important documents and plans from all municipalities concerning school operation are available to the public and may be easily compared. The website SIRIS is available in Swedish only.

The National Agency of Education is responsible for the supervision of Swedish education. Each individual school is not supervised, but the Agency do supervisions of a few matters each year where a selection of schools is supervised concerning that specific matter.

Individual schools can also be inspected after complaints. Parents, pupils, teachers or whoever concerned may complain to the National Agency of Education who can, if the matter cannot be solved by the specific municipality, investigate and advise the school in the matter. See: http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/397..

At grades 5 and 9 national compulsory tests are conducted in the subjects Maths, English and Swedish. These tests are the basis for individual evaluations as well as for school plans and national comparisons.

Grades are given to pupils from year 8 of compulsory school. See: http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/354.

View the SNE data for Sweden

For more information about the education system in Sweden you can access the new Eurydice database