Children & school
Support for Children with Special Educational Needs
What special educational needs support means in Lithuania
Lithuanian schools are required to ensure that every child, including children with disabilities or learning difficulties, receives appropriate educational support. This applies to all children living in the country, regardless of their parents' nationality or residence status.
Support can include adapted teaching methods, additional specialist sessions, assistive resources, or a personalised learning plan tailored to your child's needs.
How a child's needs are assessed
If you or the school think your child may need extra support, the usual path is:
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Talk to the class teacher or school administration. This is always the first step. Explain your concerns and ask what support the school can offer directly.
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Request a referral to the school's special education support team. Most schools have a special education teacher (specialusis pedagogas) and often a speech therapist (logopedas) or psychologist on staff or shared between schools.
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Contact the Pedagogical-Psychological Service (PPC). Each municipality has a Pedagogical-Psychological Service that carries out formal assessments of children's learning, developmental, and behavioural needs. The school can refer your child, or you can approach the PPC directly as a parent.
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Receive a recommendation. After assessment, the PPC issues a recommendation outlining what type and level of support your child needs. The school uses this to put a support plan in place.
Your rights as a parent
- You have the right to be involved in all decisions about your child's education plan.
- You may request an assessment at any time if you have concerns about your child's development or learning.
- Assessments and recommendations are provided free of charge.
- You can ask for information in a language you understand — if interpretation is needed, ask the school, municipality, or a support organisation to help.
- You have the right to disagree with a recommendation and seek a second opinion.
Practical tips
- Bring any previous assessments, medical reports, or school records from your home country — even if not in Lithuanian, they can give specialists useful background information.
- Ask the school whether they have experience supporting children from migrant or refugee backgrounds, as this can affect how communication and support are arranged.
- Organisations such as IOM Lithuania and Caritas Lietuva can help you understand the system and communicate with schools or services.
Where to find help
Contact your local municipality's Pedagogical-Psychological Service for assessments, or speak with your child's school administration. The Ministry of Education, Science and Sport website provides general information on inclusion and special educational needs in Lithuanian schools.