Identification of special educational needs - Sweden

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