All children and young people are entitled to personal support so that they are able to develop their skills and reach their full potential.
One of the priorities of the Luxembourg Government is to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs are able to attend school in the 'regular' system and use childcare and youth activity structures whenever such inclusion is possible and wanted by the parents. In the Grand Duchy, the percentage of pupils attending specialised centres is less than 1%, which indicates a high degree of inclusion.
A child or young person with specific needs finds learning harder than most pupils of the same age, or has specific deficiencies or difficulties. They cannot be cared for using the resources normally available to their teachers or education workers. Their needs may fall within the areas of motricity, sight, language, hearing, cognitive development or behaviour.
If a child with specific needs is in difficulty, for example in keeping up with the normal pace of classes at school, various types of assistance may be proposed. The assistance is tailored to the child's individual needs and learning difficulties.
In crèches (nurseries) and maisons relais (childcare centres) and during activities for young people (in maison des jeunes - youth centres, holiday and leisure activities for children and young people), particular attention is paid to the specific needs of the children and young people attending them.
The inclusion of children and young people with specific needs involves a wide range of areas, including:
- education and training (elementary and secondary school, vocational training, higher education, music lessons, adult learning);
- education and childcare services (crèches and maisons relais);
- activities for young people (e.g. at maisons des jeunes – youth centres, holiday and leisure activities);