Specialized school and childcare policy
Give children and families the peace to grow
Status
All children have the right to a good childhood characterized by security, well-being and development. For most children, this development takes place within the familiar framework of primary schools and childcare services, but some children with special needs require more specialized support. These children must receive the right support to be able to thrive and develop in a service that is adapted to their needs.
When children do not receive the right support, it affects not only the child, but the entire family and society. Parents may find it difficult to work, teachers and educators are forced to compromise on their professional standards, and classmates are affected by disruptions in the classroom.
Odense Municipality has a vision for a good childhood, which is reflected, among other things, in the June Declaration from the summer of 2024, but for many families with children in specialized services, it is difficult to see their children's needs reflected in the current political framework.
Needs and challenges
Families with children in specialized schools and childcare services need the peace to grow. For these children, stability and the right support environment are crucial for their development and well-being. Therefore, there is a great need for a number of things, including.
- Physical facilities that meet the children's needs
- Equal rights for children in specialized services and children in mainstream schools
- Funding that follows the child and ensures sufficient support
- Sufficient and qualified staff, which also includes as little staff turnover as possible.
- Knowledge sharing and collaboration across institutions
Summary
Liberal Alliance believes that Odense Municipality must provide children with special needs the best possible conditions to develop and thrive. All children must have equal opportunities to experience well-being, play and development.
This requires a long-term strategy that ensures stable and professionally qualified services adapted to the needs of each individual child.
We want to ensure that these children have the same rights as children in mainstream schools and receive sufficient support to develop in safe and specialized environments.
We must create a system where the individual child is at the center, in close dialogue with the parents, and where the necessary resources and frameworks are in place to ensure a good childhood.
Political proposals for specialized schools and childcare services
- Long-term strategy for physical facilities: A long-term plan for the physical facilities in the special needs area must be developed. This must be done in collaboration with relevant stakeholders and focus on ensuring stable, modern and adapted facilities for the group of children. Pavilions and temporary solutions must be replaced with permanent facilities that can support children's development and well-being.
- Expansion of political visions to also include children with special needs: Odense's political vision for a good childhood must be expanded to also include children with special needs who cannot immediately be included in mainstream schools. A council consisting of professionals, interest organizations and parents must be established to ensure that children with diagnoses and special needs have the same rights and opportunities as children in mainstream schools.
- The funding must follow the child: A system must be created where the funding follows the child, making it possible to adapt resources according to the individual's needs. Today, specialized services receive a basic rate that does not necessarily cover the actual needs. It must be examined whether this system can be improved so that the child receives the support it needs, regardless of which service it attends.
- Assessment of the child's support needs: The support needs must be identified in close dialogue with parents and professionals, so that the right staffing and necessary resources are provided. Today, services are often adapted to the existing school system, but we believe that services should be adapted to the needs of the individual student rather than requiring the child to adapt to a fixed framework.
- Professionally specialized teams and staff retention: Professionally specialized teams must be developed within specialized services to create small, close and stable professional environments. In addition, there must be a focus on staff retention, so that there are no major staff changes that create uncertainty and disrupt the continuity that is so important for children's development. Stability among staff is crucial for both well-being and professional quality in specialized services.