In the Danish Folkeskole (primary and lower secondary school), the concept of inclusion prevails. Inclusion implies that children with special educational needs to the greatest extent possible should be taught together with other school children in regular classes with the necessary support and remedies.

The work with inclusion in the Folkeskole is in line with Danish as well as international agreements and principles. Among others, Denmark has signed the Salamanca Declaration, which calls on governments to facilitate Inclusive Education. This is reflected in the way special needs education is organised in Denmark.

In most cases, the pupil in question remains in a mainstream school class and receives special education in one or more subjects as a supplement to the general teaching. In some cases, the pupil will receive special education which substitutes his or her participation in the ordinary education in one or more subjects. Alternatively, the pupil may be taught in a special class either within the mainstream school or within a special school. Finally, a combination is possible in which the pupil is a member of either a mainstream school class or a special class, but receives education in both types of classes.

The provisions of the Folkeskole Act (regarding aims, curricula, evaluations, tests, school leaving exams etc.) apply to all pupils. Accordingly, pupils with special needs are in principle met with the same expectations as all other pupils. Special needs education includes differential teaching, counselling, technical aid and personal assistance.

Main provisions governing this area are:

• Bekendtgørelse om folkeskolens specialundervisning og anden specialpædagogisk bistand [Ministerial Order on the folkeskole’s special educational teaching and other kinds of specialist pedagogical assistance], BEK nr 693 af 20/06/2014
• Bekendtgørelse af lov om folkeskolen [Consolidation Act on the folkeskole], LBK nr 1510 af 14/12/2017.

In relation to guidance, the Consolidation Act on Guidance covers guidance in the Danish education system. The Consolidation Act on Guidance supports the government’s declared goals that by 2015, 95 % of all young people should complete a youth education programme and that by 2020, 60 % should complete a higher educational programme.

Guidance is regarded as a continuous process that should help young people become more conscious of their abilities, interests and possibilities, thus enabling them to make decisions regarding education and employment on a qualified basis.

The government wants to make it easier for citizens to make realistic decisions about learning opportunities and careers - for the individual’s own sake and for the benefit of society as a whole. Thus, the Consolidation Act on Guidance aims to develop a transparent guidance system with easy access to high quality guidance services.

The Danish guidance system consists of the following key elements:

• Youth guidance centres that provide guidance services for young people up to the age of 25 years, focusing on the transition from compulsory to youth education, or, alternatively, to the labour market.
• Regional guidance centres that provide guidance for students in youth education programmes and young people and adults outside the education system who wish to enter a higher education programme.
• eGuidance which can be reached by e-mail, chat, phone or text message seven days a week from morning to evening. eGuidance is for all citizens – young persons and adults. eGuidance was launched in January 2011.
• The national guidance portal: www.ug.dk is an ICT-based careers information and guidance portal. The portal helps people to find information that enables them to make qualified decisions about education, training and careers.
• Adult educational centres which provide guidance for adults in the field of further adult education.

  The Consolidation Act on Guidance defines seven main aims of guidance. According to these aims, guidance related to choice of education, training and career must:

• help to ensure that choice of education and career will be of greatest possible benefit to the individual and to society and that all young people complete an education, leading to vocational/professional qualifications;
• be targeted particularly at young people who, without specific guidance, will have difficulties in relation to choice and completion of education, training and career;
• take into account the individual’s interests and personal qualifications and skills, including informal competencies and previous education and work experience, as well as the expected need for skilled labour and self-employed individuals;
• contribute to limiting, as much as possible, the number of dropouts and students changing from one education and training programme to another and ensure that the pupil or student completes the chosen education with the greatest possible academic/vocational and personal benefits;
• contribute to improving the individual’s ability to seek and use information, including ICT-based information and guidance about choice of education, educational institution and career;
• help to ensure coherence and progression in the individual’s guidance support;
• be independent of sectoral and institutional interests. Therefore, guidance shall be provided by practitioners with an approved guidance education or recognised competencies at the same level.

The last objective is to raise the quality level in Danish guidance, including an improvement of guidance counsellors’ qualifications and competencies.

The Ministry for Children and Education and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science are responsible for guidance. These ministries have a controlling and coordinating role in relation to the guidance system.

More information about inclusion and special needs education can be found here: Additional Information, Inclusion and Special Needs Education.

Information about the Danish National Inclusive Counseling Unit can be found here.