Support for early childhood education and preschool education

The role of early childhood education is to support the positive development of the child through dialogue between the guardian(s) and early childhood education staff.

We strive to identify a child’s need for support at the earliest possible stage and to offer  forms appropriate of support.

Early childhood education and preschool activities, as well as the learning environment itself, should be adapted to the child’s needs to promote the child’s opportunities for learning and development. The child’s positive self-image and successful learning experiences should be supported and reinforced with an encouraging learning environment.

Documenting the support

Every child attending a daycare or family daycare facility shall have an individual early childhood education plan drawn for them. The plan shall show how the child’s education, learning, teaching, and care are implemented. The plan should also record any potential need of support as well as support measures taken and the way they are conducted. There are three tiers of support: general, intensified, and special support. Providing adapted support to the child at an early stage contributes to the child’s development, learning and well-being. Early support also prevents the challenges faced by the child from becoming bigger and more complex and the child from becoming marginalized.

In preschool, an individual pre-primary education plan is drafted for each child. The plan shall show the objectives for the child’s growth, development, and learning. The child’s pre-primary education plan shall also record the need for support and any support measures taken within general support. Intensified support is granted when general support is not sufficient. Starting intensified support is based on a pedagogical assessment, and the support must be noted in the child’s learning plan. Special support should be given to children whose growth, development or learning objectives are not sufficiently achieved. Before proceeding to special support, a pedagogical examination should be conducted to assess and clarify the need for support. An individual education plan (HOJKS) should be drawn up for the child benefiting from special support.

Smaller group sizes and assistant services

If necessary, the size of a group of children can be reduced if there is one or more children in need of support in the group. Alternatively, an assistant can be hired for the group when possible.

Multi-professional cooperation

The staff in early childhood education and pre-primary education, together with guardians, co-operate with other experts such as child health service providers and family counselors, psychologists, physicians, therapists, and social services when planning and organizing the child’s need for support. The support services offered to the child should be integrated and the multi-professional network should cooperate to support the child’s overall growth, well-being, and development and to identify the need for support.

The City of Vaasa employs 15 special teachers of early childhood education (VEO). Each early childhood education centre has access to the services of one special teacher of early childhood education.

Special teachers of early childhood education

• monitor and observe the child’s development and learning.
• provide special needs education in small groups or individually.
• organize co-teaching together with the group teachers.
• assess the child’s need of support together with the guardians and the group staff.
• collaborate with guardians, early childhood education and care staff and other experts.
• provide support and guidance in the planning and implementation of child care, upbringing, and learning.
• instruct the assistants.