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. The National Curriculum can be found at http://www.skolverket.se/sb/d/345/a/819 .