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Quality and Costs of Extensive Special Educational Assistance in Ribe County, Denmark

by Jill Mehlbye and Tina Honoré Kongsø, April 2003

Report available in Danish

General Conclusion

It can be concluded that the centre model (i.e. that of providing many different types of special educational assistance within one assistance centre) caters well for children who require extensive special educational assistance – in terms of both quality and economy.

In terms of economy the average gross expenditure per child taught is lower under the centre model in Ribe county than under the center model and the special education schools in Vejle County. In addition, certain expenditure items, such as rental costs per pupil, are considerably lower in Ribe County compared with the corresponding items in the other two counties.

In terms of quality the centre model fosters the development of highly specialised units offering a high degree of professionalism, where interdisciplinary cooperation between special assistance providers and schoolteachers of small groups of assisted children allows a range of professional approaches to the work.

To optimise the centre model, it is suggested that the following topics should be discussed:

  1. How could the Centre’s administration and management be improved?

  2. With utilisation of common facilities in mind, how can optimum advantage be derived from the children’s belonging to ordinary Danish schools?

  3. How can the teaching staff’s scope for continuing training be enhanced?

  4. Would it be worth considering having other staff than special assistance providers and schoolteachers undertake the more care-intensive tasks in connection with severely disabled children, i.e., is the staff composition optimal in the light of the children’s disabilities?

  5. How can the service provided by consultants and experts be improved so as to benefit the performance of the special educational assistance? This is said with special reference to the psychologist service. Would it be possible to enhance the County’s resource of consultants and pool its professional expertise in a joint County-wide educational-psychological advisory scheme?

  6. Would it be possible to reduce the expenditure on transport? – It is relatively high compared with the other counties in the study.

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