Sometimes, after investigating the help your child needs, the school finds that another school is a better place for your child. This can be when you apply, but also when your child is already at school. For example, the school might say that it cannot provide the extra help your child needs. Or the school may think that a smaller, quieter class would be a better place for your child. Exactly what help your child needs must be laid down in a development perspective (OPP). The school will always discuss this with you. Read more about this under the question 'What is a developmental perspective (OPP)?'.

The action section of the development perspective then states that your child would be better off attending another school and why. As a parent, you must also agree with the action section of the development perspective. This is called the right to consent. Together with you, the school will look for the best place for your child. Your child remains enrolled at the school until there is another school where you have enrolled your child. The school has a duty of care until you register your child at another school. Read more about this under the question 'What is duty of care?'.

Special primary education (sbo) or special education (so) may be the best place.Or a primary school that can provide other extra help. If your child goes to special (primary) education, the school must apply to the partnership for an admission statement (TLV). The partnership decides whether your child is 'admissible' to special education. The new school ultimately decides whether your child will be admitted. Read more about this under the question 'What is an admission statement (TLV)?' and 'Can I register my child with a special (primary) education school myself?'

The school your child came from must give information about your child to the new school. That new school may be another regular school, specialised education or the secondary school. The school provides the information by making an educational report (OKR). The educational report contains five sections of information. These sections are:

• Administrative data, such as name and date of birth
• Learning outcomes and school advice
• Social and emotional development and behaviour
• Guidance information
• Whether your child often failed to attend school

The school makes the educational report. But you may ask the school to include your comments. Read more about this under the question 'Who can the school discuss information about my child with?'.

Special primary education and special education are not the same thing. Special primary education falls under the same law as regular primary school. Therefore, what children learn in special primary education is the same as in primary school. Special education falls under a different law. Therefore, special education has different learning objectives (what children should be able to do at the end of school).

Special primary education is for children with mild learning difficulties, such as problems with concentration or motor skills. It is intended for children who need more extra help than the primary school can give. Classes are usually smaller, so there are fewer stimuli and there is more extra help. The learning objectives (what children should be able to do at the end of their schooling) are the same as in a regular school.

Special education is for children with more severe learning difficulties and/or behavioural problems. For example, children with physical disabilities, children who cannot hear or see well, or children with psychological problems.

Special education schools used to be divided into four types. These were called 'clusters'. Now that is no longer the case. But even so, sometimes those clusters are still called that. Therefore, we explain here what the different clusters are.

For cluster 3 and 4, the partnership determines whether your child receives an admission statement (TLV). Cluster 1 and 2 have different rules. Whether it is better for your child to go to special education or to special primary education (sbo) must become clear from the development perspective (OPP). This plan is discussed with you as a parent.

For placement in special (primary) education, the school has to apply for an admission statement from the partnership. If you disagree with the request for an admission statement, or if you disagree with the decision on the admission statement, you can lodge an objection via an objection procedure. The partnership may have its own (objection) advisory committee. Or it may be affiliated with the National Objection Advisory Committee Admission Statement. The advisory committee issues a recommendation to the partnership. The partnership must then make a decision on the objection. There may be a waiting list for special (primary) education. Until the moment your child can be placed there, the duty of care remains with the school your child came from and that school must continue to provide education. Except if your child is already enrolled at the new school for special (primary) education. In that case, that school has a duty of care. This ensures that your child always has the right to education.

More explanations can be found in the questions: 'What is duty of care?', 'What is an admissibility statement?', 'What is a partnership' and 'What is a developmental perspective?'

If your child goes to special (primary) education, the school where you have registered your child will apply for an admission statement (TLV) with the partnership. The partnership decides whether your child can be admitted to special education. The partnership has to ask advice from two independent experts. Experts are, for example, an remedial educationalist or a psychologist and a child or adolescent psychologist, an educationalist, a child psychiatrist, a social worker or a doctor. The admission declaration also states what help and how much help your child needs. And what the partnership gets extra money from the government for to arrange appropriate education for your child. The school board of the school for special (primary) education will then decide whether to admit your child. Usually, the school board has a Guidance Committee for this purpose. The school carefully examines whether the help your child needs fits in with the education provided by that school. And whether the school your child attends now can do anything extra.

Usually, the school and parents agree on the placement in special education or special primary education. If you disagree with the application for the admission statement (TLV), or if you disagree with the advice on the admission statement, you can lodge an objection. You submit that objection (by letter or by e-mail) to the partnership's objection committee. Or to the national advisory committee on objections. The advisory committee will give its advice to the partnership. The partnership must then make a decision on the objection.

Yes you can. If the school, you and your child feel that is the best fit. The school your child attends now can help you find a school that can provide the help your child needs. Each school has its own school support profile which tells you what help a school can give. Read more about this with the questions 'What is a school support profile?' and 'What is a partnership?'

A specialised school is often a bit further away from your home. Therefore, children attending specialised schools can often use pupil transport. Your child is then picked up and brought back from home by a driver in a van or taxi. Pupil transport must be requested from the municipality.