Support of growth and learning

In pre-primary education, children requiring intensive and special support are generally placed in the pre-primary education groups of day-care centres and schools. Pupils in pre-primary education groups may receive intensive or special support from the pre-primary teacher, group assistant and part-time special needs education. The pre-primary education groups of schools may also involve teachers of language and cultural groups, for instance. Pre-primary education for children requiring intensive or special support may also be provided in intensive support groups at day-care centres, which may also offer part-time special needs education.

It is important that the provider of pre-primary education is aware of the support required by each child before the beginning of pre-primary education. Organising the support for the child or continuing it in pre-primary education is planned multi-professionally in cooperation with the parents/guardians, any other necessary specialists and the pre-primary education personnel. A proposal on the support measures is prepared by the support workgroup for the early childhood education service area. The decisions on support measures are made by the early childhood education area director or specialist at day-care centres and the principal/head teacher at schools.

Intensive support is planned and implemented in practice in accordance with each child’s learning plan.

A special support decision and individual education plan are made for children who need special support for their learning. This plan includes the practical measures and pedagogical solutions used to provide the child with the required special support during pre-primary education.