The Ministry of Education and Science has prepared information for parents or people who care for children from Ukraine with special educational needs and directors of Polish education system units. The material concerns the support of this group of children / students.
The child’s parents – refugees
Children / students with special educational needs can benefit from psychological and pedagogical help in Polish kindergartens and schools, regardless of whether they have additional documents in this matter.
The child’s parent or the person who takes care of the child on a day-to-day basis may hand over to the headmaster of the kindergarten or school:
- information about the child, e.g. his or her health condition, developmental dysfunctions or disabilities,
- documents specifying forms of assistance that should be provided in a kindergarten or school, if the child has them.
This information will help you to provide your child with adequate support and assistance.
The principal of the kindergarten or school, in consultation with the child’s parent or the person in charge of the day-to-day care of the child, organizes education and support for the child.
In the case of children with disabilities, you should ask the head of the kindergarten, school or psychological and pedagogical counseling center for help in preparing an application for a certificate on the need for special education. These decisions are issued by public psychological and pedagogical counseling centers.
In the Polish education system, special education covers children
- deaf
- hard of hearing,
- blind,
- visually impaired,
- with motor disabilities, including aphasia,
- with mild, moderate or severe intellectual disability,
- with autism, including Asperger’s syndrome,
- with multiple disabilities.
Children with a severe disability are covered by rehabilitation and educational classes on the basis of a decision on the need for rehabilitation and educational activities issued by public psychological and pedagogical counseling centers.
Having a certificate does not affect what kindergarten or school the child attends. Children with disabilities learn in kindergartens and mainstream, integrated or special schools. Parents decide about choosing a kindergarten or school.
Principals of kindergartens, schools and educational institutions
Principals, admitting a child with special needs to a kindergarten, school or institution, organize education and psychological and pedagogical support tailored to the abilities and needs of the child.
Funds received for the organization of additional specialist classes in the field of psychological and pedagogical assistance can be allocated to psychological and pedagogical support for children coming from Ukraine.
Psychological and pedagogical help may also be provided to parents of children / students.
In the case of suspicion of a child’s disability, the head of the kindergarten or school informs the child’s parents about the possibility of submitting a written application (in paper or electronic form) to the adjudicating team in a public psychological and pedagogical counseling center for a decision, e.g. about the need for special education.
- The head of the kindergarten, school or facility should support the child’s parents in submitting an application for a judgment.
- The team issues a decision for children and students attending kindergartens and schools located in the clinic’s area.
- In the case of children and adolescents not attending kindergarten or school, the decisions are issued by teams operating in clinics competent for the child’s place of residence.
In the case of special schools and institutions, the condition for admitting a child is to have a decision on the need for special education or a decision on the need for rehabilitation and educational activities.
Directors of public psychological and pedagogical counseling centers
The principals inform the child’s parents of what should be included in the application for a ruling and also assist in completing it correctly.
Parents of children from Ukraine cannot be burdened with the necessity to attach documents that are not necessary for the diagnosis and issuance of the judgment.