The responsibility for the technical, statutory and financial aspects of special schooling for disabled children and young people, and for the associated special educational measures, has been fully delegated by the Swiss Confederation to the Swiss Cantons, as of the beginning of 2008. The Swiss federal disablement and invalidity state insurance scheme withdrew, as of that date, from the co-financing aspect and the management of the coordinated measures. The Swiss Cantons then laid down a nationwide Swiss framework for the more important measures in the area of special education, by means of an inter-cantonal Concordat. The core aspect of the Concordat is represented by a Swiss nationwide instrumentation in the areas of terminology, quality standards for the recognition and approval of services providers, as well as for standardised investigatory procedures for the ascertainment of individual case needs.

 

Under the Concordat, all disabled children and young people resident in Switzerland (from the ages of birth to 20) have a right to special educational measures commensurate with their special educational needs. The provision of such measures is laid down by the individual Swiss Cantons, and includes the following services

 

The Concordat becomes law in 2011. Before that date, the Swiss Cantons are to elaborate a special schooling concept, in which they bind themselves to uphold the framework conditions laid down in the Concordat.