Children excluded from school trips over behavioural difficulties

Examples have emerged of children with behavioural difficulties or neurodevelopmental disorders being prevented from joining school trips or other school events, mbl.is reported. Salvör Nordal, Iceland’s ombudsman for children, discussed the issue on the Dagmál programme this week.

She said children who struggle with emotional or anger regulation may be excluded because schools lack the conditions to support their participation.

“We have heard examples of children who are struggling, who have difficulties with emotional regulation or anger management, being prevented from attending various events organised by the school,” Nordal said. “The child is therefore excluded from trips and visits because the circumstances at the school do not allow the child the opportunity to take part as well. This is an enormous rejection for the child.”

Nordal said the goal of inclusive education was to uphold children’s right to learn on their own terms. However, she said inclusion must not result in children being segregated within schools.

“We must not move segregation to a new setting,” she said.