Bylaw on Additional Educational, Health and Social Support for Children and Pupils is a document that regulates the conditions for assessing the needs for additional educational, health or social support to children and students.
It is created through joint efforts and legislation of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Policy.
Additional educational, health or social support can be provided for children and pupils from vulnerable groups in the cases of:
The Law on the Education System Foundations in 2009 placed the special education needs under the frame of the mainstream education system. Accordingly, all children, regardless of the severity of their disability have the right to participate in regular preschool, primary and secondary school programmes, if their parents decide so. Teachers and other school specialists – psychologists, pedagogues, pedagogical assistants etc provide additional support to such children.
Based on psychological assessment, a special team made of school specialists and parents (inclusion team) may create an Individual Education Plan (Individualni obrazovni plan – IOP) for a particular child/pupil/student. The purpose of this plan is to eliminate all teaching, learning, communication, physical and other barriers and provide conditions for an unobstructed learning process. It may involve the adjustment of:
Special education schools are available for parents who prefer their children to attend a school of this type. This is usually the case with severe conditions of disability or learning difficulties.
A legislative framework for the career guidance and counselling system was established in 2010, with the Strategy for Career Guidance and Counselling in the Republic of Serbia and its corresponding Action Plan. The 2013 changes of educational laws emphasize the importance of career guidance in the educational sector.
The changes of the Law on the Education System Foundations introduced a provision that special attention should be given to career guidance and education of teachers, students and adults.
The Law on Primary Education states that schools, in cooperation with institutions which provide professional orientation, should help parents and students in the choice of secondary schools and future careers, based on the interests and competences of students. A major development in career guidance in primary education has been the Professional Orientation Project, which is currently being implemented in all primary schools. Professional orientation teams are compiled of teachers and professional associates (pedagogues and psychologists).
The Law on Secondary Education recognizes career guidance and counselling as part of school activities, and introduces a career guidance programme alongside the role of career guidance teams within schools. Development of a career guidance programme and career guidance teams is currently under way.
At university level, career guidance for students is provided through university and faculty career development centres. Almost all universities have career centres which organize career workshops, provide counseling and offer internships to students.
The Law on Adult Education includes similar provisions, stating that career guidance provides support to adults in personal/professional development and employment.
Furthermore, there are several strategies which recognize the importance of career guidance, such as the Strategy for the Development of Vocational Education in the Republic of Serbia and the Strategy for the Development of Adult Education in the Republic of Serbia.
The National Employment Service (NES) provides career guidance services primarily to adult individuals, through a network of 34 offices across the country. The NES has also established three centres for professional rehabilitation and employment of people with disabilities. NES Counsellors provide assistance to school-age children in terms of professional orientation and publish guides for primary school children.