Do you disagree with school about extra help or placement at another school? If so, engage the school in conversation. There may be several reasons why you find something different, such as:

• You see your child at home, see how they feel and listen to what they say about school. The teacher sees your child only at These situations may be different.
• Also, you and the school may think differently about what to do with your child

Try to discuss what you see and what the school sees. What do you think is going on? And what does the school think? Listen to each other. Realize that you both want the best for your child.

Discuss your points as calmly as possible. Try to figure out together how to move forward. Sometimes it helps not to talk about the disagreement, but rather about how you can reach a solution together.

It may help to ask the school’s internal supervisor (IB’er) or principal to join the conversation next time. Or another expert. Also, feel free to bring someone you trust who can think with you.

Still can’t figure it out? If so, SPPOH can mediate. If even that doesn’t help, you can still see an
educational consultant
to help think of a solution. Or you can file a complaint with the school board.

Each school has a complaint procedure. The school guide usually tells you how to file a complaint and who is on the complaint committee. They must respond to your complaint within 4 weeks. The school is under no obligation to follow their advice.

Do you have a serious disagreement with the school board? Can’t come to a solution together? If so, you can sometimes turn to the
Disputes Committee

Appropriate Education (gpo).
For example, if:

• The school your child (who needs extra help)
• Your child is removed from
• There a serious disagreement is about the development perspective plan (OPP) of your child.

The committee investigates the report. Then they make a statement. The school board is not obliged to follow this advice.

You may disagree with the school about help for your child. Or about which school is appropriate when transferring to another school. You may then have to deal with the compulsory education officer (lpa), the youth doctor or the municipality.

Perhaps your child is temporarily unable to attend school (every day). But children in the Netherlands are required to go to school. If they are (temporarily) out of school, the school sometimes asks the municipality, the school attendance officer and/or the youth doctor to help think of a solution.

Each municipality employs at least 1 compulsory education officer. He or she checks to see if children are attending school. Parents can apply to the lpa for exemptions and waivers in some cases.

Are there problems with going to school? Then the lpa can help a student, parents and the school find solutions. The lpa can also file an official report if a student is truant or not enrolled in a school at all. Here you can contact an lpa in The Hague, Rijswijk or Leidschendam-Voorburg.

The school and parents can contact the youth doctor if a child is not doing well. The pediatrician can also think along if…

• A child goes to special (elementary) education.
• A child is temporarily unable to attend school (every day).

The pediatrician thinks with you and gives advice. If your child has a private practitioner, the pediatrician can contact them. The pediatrician has professional confidentiality. He or she shares information about your child with the school only with your permission.