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Special Education Assistance for Children

In Brief

Children who have not yet started school can also receive help with, for example, language or social skills. This is called special education assistance for preschool-aged children.

Description

Are you concerned that your child is not developing as expected? Your child can receive support for their development and learning even before starting school, whether they attend kindergarten or not. The purpose of special education assistance is to provide early support in development and learning, particularly in areas such as language and social skills. Special education assistance can be provided individually or in groups. Parental counseling is also part of the service.

Target Group

Parents as well as kindergartens or health centers.

Criteria

Some reasons for concern may include:

  • Delayed language development
  • Social or emotional difficulties
  • Lack of expected motor or cognitive development

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Regulations

This is a legally mandated service. See:
Barnehageloven § 31

Laws

Regulations

Practical Information

Guidance - how to obtain or receive the service

The municipality must:

  • Involve and consult with parents before making decisions regarding the child
  • Assess whether the child needs special education assistance
  • Request an expert assessment from the Educational and Psychological Counseling Service (PP-tjenesten) if parents, the municipality, or the kindergarten believe the child requires special education assistance
  • Issue an official decision stating whether the child will receive special education assistance and what the assistance will include
  • Provide the child with special education assistance as described in the official decision
  • Ensure that a written report on the child's special education assistance and development is created once a year
As a parent, you can:
  • Request that the municipality assess whether your child needs special education assistance
  • Be involved and provide consent before the municipality asks PP-tjenesten to evaluate your child
  • Be involved and provide consent before the municipality decides that your child will receive special education assistance
  • Receive a written report once a year on the assistance provided and an evaluation of the child's development
  • Appeal if your child does not receive special education assistance
  • Appeal the content, implementation, or organization of the assistance

Case Processing

If you, as a parent, are concerned, you can request an expert assessment of your child from the municipality or ask for special education assistance directly. If someone other than the parents, such as kindergarten staff, reports concerns to the municipality, the municipality must obtain parental consent before referring the child for an expert assessment by PP-tjenesten. The municipality will then refer the case to PP-tjenesten. PP-tjenesten will involve the parents and conduct an evaluation, which will conclude with a recommendation. The municipality will issue an official decision and send it to the parents.

Right to Appeal

Parents have the right to appeal both a denial of assistance and the content of the decision, the case processing, or the failure to implement the decision. Appeals should be sent to the municipality. The County Governor (Statsforvalteren) is the appeal authority.


2025 KF (Kommuneforlaget AS), Oslo, KF Tjenestekatalog.
Tjenestebeskrivelsene i KF Tjenestekatalog viser lovpålagte kommunale tjenester til innbyggere og næring. Beskrivelsene blir oppdatert fortløpende ved endringer i lover og sentrale forskrifter.
Tjenestebeskrivelsen er automatisk oppdatert 27.02.2025

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