Support and consultation within pre-primary education
Children participating in preschool education are covered by the support for learning and school attendance provided for in the Basic Education Act. In preschool education, this support is referred to as support for learning and participation in preschool education.
A child who has difficulty participating in the instruction provided in preschool education is entitled to receive group-specific forms of support and child-specific support measures. The organization of support is based on the strengths and learning and developmental needs of each child and group of children.
Group-specific forms of support and child-specific support measures are organized in accordance with inclusive principles, meaning primarily within the child’s own preschool group. Both an early childhood special education teacher and a school special education teacher work in preschool.
The principles of providing support
In Tampere, nearly all pre-primary education groups work in school premises, and cooperate with both early childhood education and care and basic education services to organize support measures. Support for growth and learning as well as pupil welfare services are part of the upbringing and educational work undertaken by pre-primary education. The support will be provided for the child primarily in their own pre-primary education group. The broad-based special needs education teacher for basic education also works with the pre-primary education group(s).
When assessing the need for support, the first measure is to take stock of the methods, teaching arrangements, and learning environments used by staff and gauge whether they are appropriate for the child. Based on this assessment, they evaluate whether changes to these factors might better support the appropriate pedagogic solutions.
If the child makes use of other early childhood education and care services besides pre-primary education, pre-primary education and other early childhood education personnel will collaborate in issues related to support for the child’s growth and learning. it is vital that as much information as possible on the child’s need for support and the support they have received in preschool is communicated to basic education proper.
Special needs teachers for early childhood education
A special needs teacher for early childhood education (Finnish abbreviation VEO) assists other pre-primary education personnel in observing and identifying supportive measures appropriate for each child as well as each child’s need for support. The special needs teacher for early childhood education provides special education and consults both other pre-primary education personnel as well as the child’s parents. They also serve as the point of contact in organizing additional support and related measures. The special needs teacher for early childhood education works as part of a broader cooperative network in pre-primary education.
You can find the contact information for special needs teachers in early childhood education where the daycare centre’s contact information is provided.