Educational support for returning children
Pupils who are successfully integrated into the education system − academically, emotionally and socially − are more likely to reach their potential. However, children with direct migration experience face many challenges that affect their continuous learning and development. They face challenges related to the phenomenon of migration itself, such as the inevitable change in the home environment, the need to communicate in a new language, and adapting to new rules and routines. Children also face challenges at school, such as proper assessment of their achievements and needs, the complexities of learning another country’s language, and lack of social and emotional support.
To help returnee children integrate better, a network of schools ready to receive them has been set up, along with guidance for the schools, methodological material, workshops, and funding for the positions of teacher and pupil assistants/helpers.
The general educational plans include organisation of the education of pupils who have returned from abroad. It requires the school to appoint a person to help the pupil integrate smoothly into the school community, to draw up an individual learning plan, to provide a period of adaptation during which the pupil is not graded, etc. The returning pupil may have their learning time redistributed between subjects, e.g., fewer foreign language lessons and more Lithuanian lessons. Returning children receive 30% more in state funding for their “student basket”. Some schools in different municipalities have the possibility to organise catch-up classes and/or mobile catch-up groups for returning children. Some schools also offer remote learning.
The network of educational institutions with experience in properly integrating returning children currently consists of 69 schools. The network of schools does not include all the schools in Lithuania that currently work with returnee/immigrant children. A family arriving from abroad can apply to any Lithuanian school to enrol their child.
Schools with experience in welcoming returning children:
(For more information on schools and other relevant information for returnees, click on the links for each municipality)
