Children could need very different help. Such as:

• Help with planning and organizing schoolwork;
• Extra practice of the material;
• Small-group explanations in reading or math;
• Gym class help;
• A custom chair

There are two types of help: basic support and extra support.

The school investigates what your child needs in terms of extra help. Among other things, they do this in consultation with you as a parent. Such a conversation is called a multidisciplinary consultation (MDO). After this, the school will make a plan for your child. This is called a developmental perspective plan (OPP).

Is your child already in school? Then the school uses information from the teacher about how things are going in the classroom. But the school may also ask for information from your child’s health care providers. Or information from a previous school or daycare.

The school always asks your permission for this first. Without this permission, they may not consult with others outside the school about your child. The school must also ask permission to read a report of an investigation.

Sometimes it turns out that a school for special (elementary) education is best for your child. This requires an admission statement (TLV).

MDO stands for multidisciplinary consultation. This means: a discussion with more parties. The school organizes such a consultation if help is needed for your child from outside the school. Or if your child is frequently absent (not coming to school).

In the MDO, the school consults with you as a parent and with people from outside the school (the chain partners). The SPPOH counselor and the school social worker also always attend these consultations.

Other people who are sometimes invited are:

• A compulsory education officer;
• Someone from youth health care;
• The family coach, consultant youth or

The school will tell you in advance who will be at the interview. They ask you for permission to do so. Together you look at what is appropriate help for your child.

During the MDO, you make a plan together. This contains how you will help your child learn and feel well. Often, one of the chain partners of the MDO goes to help with this.

Sometimes the MDO asks if there are things you as a parent can do to help as well. Other times, as a parent, you actually get help. Just what is needed for you and your child. Either way: as a parent, you help think about the plan and give your consent.

After the consultation, the school writes down exactly what is needed. And how your child is going to get this help. They make a (digital) file of this. They apply for money from SPPOH to implement the extra support.

The school support profile (SOP) is a document. This lists what support (help) the school can give you and your child.

The SOP states what basic support and extra support the school provides. The school produces a new SOP every 4 years. You can find it in the school guide or on the school website.

Can’t find the SOP? Or is it older than 4 years? Then request it from the school.

In the partnership SPPOH, all schools in the municipalities of The Hague, Rijswijk and Leidschendam-Voorburg work together. They ensure that there is appropriate education for every child.

SPPOH’s support plan contains the agreements that apply in the region for extra support.

No. It is not necessary to have a diagnosis (such as ADHD or autism) before the school can provide extra help. So feel free to think about whether you want your child examined and by whom.

On the other hand, sometimes a diagnosis does help the school know what help your child needs. And a diagnosis like dyslexia sometimes does require special aids and extra time on tests.

Any school can help a student with questions that are common – such as reading and math problems. That is basic support. Some schools also offer a special kind of help. The school’s school support profile (SOP) states what basic support and what extra support they provide and how they do it.

Does your child need basic support? Then that is written down in a student file. This states what basic support your child receives, how often and how things are going. It also states whether your child is making progress.

As a parent, you may always have a say in basic support. Make arrangements with the school about how you will let each other know how things are going. Feel free to ask all your questions. And also tell how things are going at home.

For example, does your child proudly tell you at home that he or she is doing well? Or does your child actually indicate that he or she finds the extra help difficult? Or perhaps you notice your child fretting and feeling insecure. You can discuss this with your child.

Discuss with school what the best help is for your child. And tell them if the school’s basic support is helping your child. Or that other help is needed after all. Or conversely, that the support is no longer needed.

Sometimes a child needs more help than basic support. If so, your child may receive additional support. The support plan of SPPOH contains the agreements on basic support and extra support in the municipalities of The Hague, Rijswijk and Leidschendam-Voorburg.

Sometimes your child needs help that the school itself cannot provide. Then your child can receive an arrangement. This pays for additional support. You can think about extra help in the classroom or bringing in experts.

Extra support is deployed by the school, often in conjunction with SPPOH. Every arrangement is different. Because every child and every situation is different. Also, the situation may change again after a while.

Usually the teacher and internal supervisor (IB’er) indicate what extra support is needed. So that the child can develop well at school.

1. Your child needs extra support. You will discuss this with the teacher and the internal supervisor (IB’er) of the
2. The school makes a plan. The plan states what kind of help your child They also discuss this with you as a parent. And – depending on age – with your child.
3. We discuss the plan. Did the plan work? You discuss this with the teacher and the IB’er. Is the plan not working enough? If so, additional support may be needed Here, SPPOH helps.
4. Conversation about additional support. You will discuss with the teacher, the IB’er and a counselor from SPPOH whether additional support is needed. Sometimes others also speak up, such as someone from school social work or another school.
5. Plan for additional support. The school makes this plan and discusses it with you as a parent. The plan states what extra support your child needs – and how this is arranged The school also creates a (digital) file. And asks SPPOH to contribute financially.
6. Perform arrangement. Your child receives additional support. This is called an arrangement. Usually your child will receive this support at their own school.
7. Possibly special (elementary) education. Sometimes the school cannot provide the support your child needs. Then a school for special (elementary) education may be better. This is always discussed with you first as Sometimes there will be an examination of what is best. Is the recommendation indeed special (elementary) education? Then two outside experts review whether they agree – for example, a psychologist and a remedial educationalist. Together, they apply for an eligibility statement (TLV) from SPPOH. This allows your child to attend special (elementary) education.

There are three types of arrangements:

1. You get help with learning. This help takes place in their own class or a special class.
2. Your child is receiving youth services and/or care.
3. A combination. Your child gets help with learning and/or care.

Does the school think your child needs extra help? Then the school will talk to you. You then talk to the internal supervisor (IB’er) or the teacher, for example. Or with a psychologist, pediatrician or speech therapist.

We often call these conversations a multidisciplinary consultation (MDO). As a parent, you may always attend an MDO. You help discuss the plan for additional support. After all, you know your child best and you know how things are going at home.

Together you will find a solution that suits your child. Sometimes the school also wants a healthcare provider from the district to be present at an MDO. Or a youth doctor or compulsory education officer (lpa). The school asks you as a parent for permission.

You can then ask the school why it is necessary for these people to be at the consultation. Perhaps it would be good if your child himself or herself attended (part of) the consultation. You may also bring someone with you. If so, tell the school in advance.

Sometimes additional research is needed by someone outside the school. This could be a psychologist, for example, or a speech therapist. He or she examines what extra help your child needs. That, too, is discussed in an MDO.

For additional research, you as a parent must always give permission first. You can also ask questions about this, such as:

• Why does the school feel the survey is necessary?
• Who will do the research, where and when?

Also, if someone from school does the examination, you as a parent will be the first to read the report. You decide whether the school may also read it. In your child’s file, the school keeps track of how the extra help is going. At least once a year, the school discusses with you the developmental perspective plan (OPP) for your child. You then discuss:

• Whether the school still feels the same way about how your child is developing;
• Whether the help is still needed

The OPP may be modified after such a conversation with you.

Different people. The teacher is especially important. Because he or she is in the classroom with the students every day and therefore quickly sees if a child needs help. If necessary, the teacher engages the in-house counselor (IB’er).

The IB’er is a teacher with special duties. He or she ensures at school that children receive appropriate help. The IB’er assists the teacher and other supporters in this process, such as a remedial teacher.

If your child needs more help and/or extra support, consult with the teacher and the IB’er. The IB’er also makes a plan with you that includes:

• What help your child gets and how
• When and how you are going to see if this

The IB’er arranges for the help to arrive. He or she also sometimes consults about your child with SPPOH or with the principal of the school. This is because the school and school board are responsible for ensuring that your child receives an appropriate education.

The school boards in the municipalities of The Hague, Rijswijk and Leidschendam-Voorburg work together in SPPOH. People with knowledge of education and child development, such as appropriate education consultants, work here.

Each school is supervised by an advisor. He or she advises the school on options for extra help. This is how SPPOH helps the school. SPPOH also funds arrangements for educational support. They also issue certificates of admissibility (TLVs), which allow children to attend special (primary) education. Together, we ensure that each student can develop to the best of his or her ability.

Sometimes the school fails to provide the extra help your child needs. Often conversations then ensue about how to proceed. Perhaps your child can temporarily attend school less or not at all. But your child will still be entitled to an education.

The school’s duty of care means that they must provide education until, for example, another school is found. The school may not deregister your child until he or she is enrolled in another school.

A school will make a plan for your child: a developmental perspective plan (OPP). You can always ask for this as a parent. Perhaps there is another school that is a better fit for your child. A school that can give your child the right help.

This may be another elementary school or a school for special (elementary) education. This becomes clear from the OPP. And the school and parents must agree on this. For placement at a school for special (primary) education, an admission statement (TLV) is requested from SPPOH.

Sometimes a school fails to provide an appropriate education for your child. Then the school cannot give your child the right help.

Sometimes the school then says your child can no longer attend. Or you yourself see that your child is failing (for a while) to attend school. The school then still has a duty of care. Your child must be able to continue to develop.

Together with the school, you can look for other options. Sometimes it does not work out well together. Then it may help, for example, to bring someone with you to the conversation. You can also ask others for advice.