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 a special educational needs teacher in early childhood education and care and special educational needs teacher in comprehensive education work in pre-primary education.
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 comprehensive education to organize support measures. Support for growth and learning as well as student welfare services are part of teaching and education. Children receive support primarily within their own pre-primary education group.
When pre-primary education staff assess what kind of support the children in their group need, they first examine the staff’s working methods, teaching arrangements, and learning environments, as well as their suitability for the children. Based on this review, the staff evaluate whether modifying these aspects would allow them to provide pre-primary education that is better suited to the children.
When a child participates in both pre-primary education and supplementary early childhood education, the staff provide support throughout the day according to the child's needs. When a child starts school, the pre-primary education staff must share information about the child’s skills and the support provided during pre-primary education with the comprehensive education staff.
Special educational needs teachers in early childhood education and care
A special educational needs teacher ECEC assists other pre-primary education staff in observing and identifying the support measures necessary for the child, as well as the child's support needs. Special educational needs teacher ECEC provides special education and consults with both other pre-primary education staff and the child's parents. They also serve as contact people regarding the organization of support and related matters. The special educational needs teacher ECEC is also part of a broad pre-primary education collaboration network. In Finnish a special educational needs teacher ECEC is also known as VEO (shortened from varhaiskasvatuksen erityisopettaja).
You can find the contact information for special educational needs teachers ECEC in the early childhood education and care centers' contact information.