Understanding Early Identification and Inclusive Support in Albanian Schools
A systems analysis of how additional learning and developmental needs are recognised, understood, supported and referred.
Why Albania?
Every Child Thrives Education's first research programme focuses on Albania — a country undergoing significant reform in its education system, with growing commitment to strengthening inclusive practice at school level.
Albania has a developing legislative and policy framework for inclusive education, a committed teaching workforce, and a genuine openness to understanding what more can be done to support children with additional learning and developmental needs within mainstream schools. It is a context where early-stage, independent research can make a meaningful contribution.
Our aim is not to evaluate or critique the Albanian system, but to understand it — to listen carefully to the professionals working within it every day, and to identify where opportunities exist to strengthen earlier, classroom-based identification and support.
What we want to understand
This research explores what happens from the moment concerns about a child's learning, development or participation first emerge — through to the point at which effective support is put in place. We are interested in the full journey: what is noticed, how it is understood, what is tried, and what happens when classroom-based responses are not sufficient.
Early recognition
How are concerns about a child's learning, development or participation first noticed and raised within schools? What prompts a teacher to act, and what happens in the immediate aftermath of that concern being raised?
Understanding needs
How do schools and professionals build a picture of what a child is experiencing? What frameworks, tools or conversations are used to understand a child's strengths, needs and the barriers they face?
Classroom-based support
What support is available and used within the classroom before a child is referred for specialist assessment or intervention? How is that support planned, delivered and reviewed — and how is its impact understood?
Referral and specialist pathways
When and how are children referred for specialist support? What are the barriers and enablers to accessing that support, and how does it connect back to the child's day-to-day experience in the classroom?
System-level factors
What structural, resource or cultural factors shape how schools respond to children with additional needs? Where do professionals experience the greatest barriers — and where do they see the greatest opportunities?
How we are conducting the research
This is an independent, qualitative research programme. We are conducting structured conversations and consultations with education professionals working in Albanian schools — including classroom teachers, school leaders, support staff, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and those working in advisory or specialist roles.
We are not testing a hypothesis or seeking to prove a particular outcome. We are listening. Our aim is to build a rich, grounded understanding of how the system currently works — from the perspective of those working within it — and to identify where practical improvements may be possible.
The research is conducted in accordance with established ethical principles for independent educational research. Participation is entirely voluntary. All contributions are treated with complete confidentiality, and no individual, school or institution will be identified in any published output without explicit consent.
Phase 1
Scoping conversations with education professionals across a range of school settings, roles and regions — to map current practice and identify key themes
Phase 2
In-depth consultations exploring the themes identified in Phase 1 in greater detail, with a focus on barriers, enablers and opportunities for change
Phase 3
Analysis, synthesis and development of findings — leading to practical, evidence-informed recommendations
An independent programme
Every Child Thrives Education is an independent organisation. This research is not commissioned by, affiliated with, or funded by the Albanian government, any school authority, or any international body. We have no institutional interest in a particular outcome. Our only interest is in understanding the system as it is — and in contributing to thinking about how it might be strengthened.
Could you contribute to this research?
We are looking to speak with education professionals working in Albanian schools — teachers, school leaders, support staff, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, and others involved in supporting children with additional learning or developmental needs.
Participation involves a single conversation or consultation, conducted at a time that suits you. All contributions are treated with complete confidentiality.