| Name of the reform | Zakon o usmerjanju otrok s posebnimi potrebami (ZUOPP) – The Placement of Children with Special Needs Act |
| Country | Slovenia |
| Year | 2000 |
| Educational level | ISCED 0-4+ |
| Kind / type | Special Education Reform |
| Coverage | National |
Summary
In 2000, Slovenia adopted the Placement of Children with Special Needs (SEN) Act, integrating SEN education into mainstream educational legislation. The reform promoted greater inclusion of children with SEN in education according to their abilities and transferred responsibility for identification and placement from the social welfare sector to the education system.
Agenda Setting
Context:
At the end of the 1990s, Slovenia sought to modernise its special education system and align it with emerging international principles of inclusion and equal educational opportunities. The previous system relied heavily on segregated special schools, while growing attention was being paid to integrating children with special educational needs into mainstream education.
Aim:
The primary aim of the Placement of Children with Special Needs Act was to establish a comprehensive framework for the identification, assessment and educational placement of children with special needs. The Act promoted their inclusion in mainstream educational settings whenever appropriate and ensured access to individualised support measures, professional assistance and adapted educational programmes.
Target Groups
Children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) from preschool to secondary education (and special education programmes).
Formulation and Implementation
Legislative documents:
Placement of Children with Special Needs Act (ZUOPP), 2000 (with subsequent amendments, including Official Gazette No. 58/2011); complemented by the Education Act.
Key actions / main measures:
The Placement of Children with Special Educational Needs Act (ZUOPP) introduced a comprehensive framework for identifying, assessing and supporting children with special educational needs. The main features included:
- Accurate and broader definition of SEN children and types of disorders/impairments
- Placement of SEN children in different education programmes and their definition
- Determination of the identification and placement procedure
- Determination of the responsible bodies and their tasks and obligations
- Determining the drafting of an individualised programme for each child
Evaluation and Sustainability
The reform contributed to a long-term shift towards a more inclusive education system in Slovenia. Following the adoption of the Placement of Children with Special Needs Act (2000) and its subsequent amendments, procedures for identifying, assessing and supporting children with special educational needs became standardised across the education system. Inclusive education has become the dominant model: according to recent data, more than 95% of learners with an official SEN decision are educated in mainstream settings for at least 80% of their learning time, while only a small minority attend separate special schools or classes (European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education 2022/2023 Data).
Individualised education programmes, additional professional support and multidisciplinary assessment procedures are now established elements of educational provision. Subsequent amendments, particularly ZUOPP-1 (2011), further strengthened inclusion and access to support across different levels of education.
Sustainability:
The reform has demonstrated strong sustainability, as the legal framework established by the Placement of Children with Special Needs Act (2000) remains the foundation of Slovenia’s special needs education system. Inclusive education practices, individualised support, adapted programmes, and structured procedures for the identification, assessment and educational placement of children with special educational needs have been institutionalised and continue to be implemented through regular education and support services. Ongoing policy development has further reinforced the principles of inclusion and equal educational opportunities for children with special needs.
Transferability Potential
The reform is relevant for countries that are moving from segregated forms of special education towards more inclusive educational models. By establishing common procedures for identifying, assessing and supporting children with special educational needs, it offers a transferable framework that can be adapted to different institutional contexts. Successful implementation, however, requires adequate specialist support services, inter-professional cooperation, and teacher training.