European Trade Union Committee for Education

The two year project aims to identify and promote successful joint approaches of social partners in ensuring the full inclusion of persons with special needs in education systems and education policies (focusing on education personnel and leadership of education institutions), as well as to evaluate the current policies and practices, resulting in a concrete set of proposals and recommendations for national member organisations, employers in education, education authorities and governments. The initiative is carried out by the ETUCE and EFEE in partnership with education trade unions and employer organisations from Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Moldova, Germany, Ireland, and France.

• Context
• Research
• Training seminars
• Final Conference
• Joint practical guidelines
• Films of good practices

The project study would consist of three phases: 

1. Desk research:  

• to identify and evaluate the existing legislation, special programmes and measures undertaken at national, regional, local or institutional level as regards the inclusion of persons with special needs in the education system and education policies,  

• as well as assess the impact of the EU policies on inclusion on the national educational and employment policies,  

• identifying challenges (e.g. special needs teachers shortage, additional support needed) and potential solutions;  

2. Online survey among ETUCE and EFEE member organisations (October – November 2024): 

• collect their views on the state-of-art of inclusion of persons with special needs in their national education systems;  

• identify the joint approaches, practices and strategies of social partners in education to ensuring the full inclusion of persons with special needs in the education system and education and employment policies;  

• address the relevant professional needs of school leaders, teachers and other education personnel, challenges linked to working and learning conditions (including digital and sustainable education), initial and continuous professional development, recruitment and retention, and other areas;   

3. Study visits:  

• On 5 September 2024 in Solingen, Germany; 

• On 6 February 2025 in Bucharest, Romania  

Focus group discussions and school visits organised with the participation of local social partners with a view to complement the desk research and online survey with a more in-depth knowledge and qualitative data.