Not clear how vulnerable students will receive support – Norrköping

It has now been three years since the Council of Education decided to end the municipal resource groups for children in dire need of support. Instead, all students would benefit from the support they needed in their regular school. Parents worried about how this would happen.

"The idea was to build new structures before making major changes, but that may not be true," says Olle Johansson (S), chairman of the board of education, who believes the time is right come for an agreement.

Resource groups have been removed. The way schools have been able to accommodate students varies. As a result of the regulation, the cost of student aid soared last year.

At the last board meeting, a proposal from the Education Office was presented on how support can be organized in the future. The case was referred to the office by a single board.

"It's a good survey, but we want to consider other suggestions," Olle Johansson said.

The survey proposes flexible local solutions with the possibility of creating schools in a region that, where appropriate, merge to organize support.

"First of all, support should be as close as possible to the student, but not all students may be in this pattern," said Olle Johansson.

Some options with groups or resource schools at the municipal level are not included in the proposal.

– That's what we want you to monitor. I think we will get where we need it, but its appearance and costs need to be investigated.

The survey showed that local and flexible support solutions were based on the availability of appropriate facilities, knowledge and skills.

Is it everywhere?

– No, it does not work today. We have come a long way in many places, you work very well, but access to the premises and group rooms is fundamental if you are able to divide the students into smaller groups and this does not look like today to all our schools, "he says.

There is also no cost calculation in the survey and he thinks it is also necessary.

We do not know when the question will be asked again in committee. In a few weeks, the city council will appoint new members to committees for a term until 2022. Olle Johansson will not remain on the education council, but it is proposed that Kikki Liljeblad (S) assume the presidency .