- 2023Design
- 2024Legislative process
Background
In VET, a student may receive special needs support if, due to learning difficulties, disability, illness or other reasons, they need long-term or regular special needs support for learning and studying. In the case of severe learning difficulties or a severe disability or illness, they have the right to receive individual, comprehensive, and diverse intensive special needs support. Intensive special needs support is provided by vocational special education institutions.
Special needs support and intensive special needs support are offered to ensure that the students are able to achieve the vocational competence requirements or learning objectives in accordance with the national qualification requirements.
According to the 2021 assessment of the Finnish Education Evaluation Centre, special needs support in VET should be more suitable for different forms of qualifications, qualification units and learning environments. In 2023, around 5% of new VET students needed special needs support. Not all students in need of the special needs support always receive it.
The government programme that came into effect in 2023 aims to make the support for learning clearer and unify the chain of support from early childhood education and care to upper secondary education. The aim is also to support completion of qualifications and to decrease the number of early leavers in VET. Different forms and levels of support is to be developed in cooperation with VET providers, vocational special education institutions, the Finnish National Agency for Education and the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Objectives
The reform of the support for learning aims to:
- clarify and unify the chain of support for learning from early childhood education and care to upper secondary education;
- clarify the relationship between special needs support and other forms of support for learning;
- strengthen the cooperation between special education teachers, vocational teachers and other guidance staff, and increase the competence in special needs support;
- make the identification of special needs support faster and more effective.
Description
The reform of the support for learning is based on the government programme that came into effect in 2023. The reform covers all levels of education from early childhood education and care to upper secondary education. The reform requires legislative changes, and the implementation is supported by the Finnish National Agency for Education. The implementation is also supported by government grants to help VET providers to develop special needs support in their own organisations and in collaboration with other VET providers.
The legislative changes in support for learning in VET are planned to come into effect in 2026.
In September 2023, the Ministry of Education and Culture appointed a working group to prepare the reform of support for learning in general upper secondary and VET. The working group was represented by the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, and the Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI). The group collaborated with the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities.
The working group created guidelines for the reform by consulting different experts and stakeholders.
In December, EDUFI issued EUR 10 million in government grants to 63 projects that aim to develop the support for learning from different viewpoints. The development projects represent VET providers from all around Finland. The project outcomes can be applied nationally.
In 2024, the working group prepared drafts of the needed legislative changes. The drafts were circulated for comments during the summer, and the government proposal for new law sections was prepared taking into consideration the comments from stakeholders. In October, the proposal was submitted to the Parliament.
The development projects that received funding in 2023 were launched in spring 2024. The government also supported additional 18 projects (approximately EUR 3 million) to develop support for learning. During the year EDUFI organised webinars and meetings to support the project implementation.
The projects supported expanding and targeting the currently limited intensive special needs support in vocational special education institutions. The initial findings from the projects showed that some VET providers have already achieved this objective.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education and Culture
- Finnish National Agency for Education (EDUFI)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Learners with disabilities
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET promoting equality of opportunities
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Reform of support for learning: Finland. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/46841