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Educational opportunities for disabled children

Last modified 15.04.2025 | Text by Ministry of Social Affairs

It is important to know that disability is always linked to special needs, but special needs do not necessarily mean disability.

All children, regardless of disability, have the right to education and the opportunities to access education. Educational institutions support children’s academic progress and outcomes. The support provided in educational institutions does not depend on the existence of a disability, but on the child’s actual need for support.

Preschool

Children with physical, speech, mental or intellectual disabilities and children who need special assistance or care (children with special needs) are provided with opportunities for development and growth in the childcare institution of their place of residence by the municipality or city. Children with special needs are placed in integration groups with other children to support their growth.

If it is impossible for an integration group to be formed in the preschool of residence, the rural municipality or city government forms a group for children with special needs or establish a preschool for children with special needs Groups for children with special needs and integration groups are smaller than mainstream groups to enable teachers to devote more time to each child. A child is admitted to a preschool for children with special needs (group for children with special needs) on the basis of a written application from a parent and a recommendation of the extracurricular counselling team.

School

Learning is compulsory for school-age children. It is the responsibility of the state and local governments to ensure that everyone in Estonia has the opportunity to attend compulsory schooling and continuous learning. For people with physical, speech, sensory or mental disabilities, and for people with special needs, the local government will ensure that they have the opportunity to study in the school of their place of residence. If this is not possible, it is up to the state and local governments to ensure that learning opportunities are provided in the educational establishments set up for this purpose.

In general, children with disabilities are taught in a mainstream classroom or in a special school if necessary. Children with special educational needs are provided with the necessary support services in both regular and special schools. Many schools employ social workers, psychologists, and speech therapists as support specialists.

All counties and cities have counselling committee, which are responsible for:

  • determining the appropriate curriculum or form of study for a child with special needs;
  • with the consent of the parent (guardian), referring a child with special needs to a school or class for pupils with special needs;
  • deciding, at the request of a parent, on the postponement of compulsory school attendance.

Special schools are designed for children with speech, hearing, visual, mobility, and intellectual disabilities, as well as pupils with mental disorders.

Home education is allowed for pupils in grades 1 to 9 whose physical health does allow them to attend school. Home education is assigned to a child with a severe chronic somatic illness or severe functional impairment and disability. A description of the student’s state of health is provided by a family physician or a medical specialist at the request of the parent (guardian). The decision whether to grant home educating to a student and implement an individual curriculum for them is made by a teacher’s council on the basis of an opinion of a family physician or medical specialist. Home educating is applied to a student only with the approval of a parent.

Parents can contact kindergartens, schools and local education departments or authorities with questions about the education of children with disabilities.

For more information on supporting the development of children with special educational needs, see the article ‘Students with special educational needs’.

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