Organization of educational guidance services in preprimary and primary education

Abstract

Organisation of educational guidance in Pre-Primary and Primary Education in Spain has traditionally responded to the provision of services external to the schools. In this study, we analyse and compare the regulations governing educational guidance in Pre-Primary and Primary Education in the seventeen Autonomous Communities and the two Autonomous Cities, Ceuta and Melilla through the qualitative methodology of documentary analysis (n = 51 documents). The results of this research confirm those of previous studies that indicate that most common educational guidance services are general services directed to students from 6 to 12 years, those of specialized character directed to students with specific need of educational support and, to a lesser extent, Early Care Teams (to students from 0 to 6 years). As a novelty, internal guidance units have emerged at schools, and also services whose main functions are promoting coordination, doing research and elaborating resources. In conclusion, in spite of the predominance of an organizational model of educational guidance by means of external services, educational guidance is evolving towards a model that guarantees tutoring at class level, guidance departments or units at school level, and the existence in the region of services with a greater technical specialization, together with the necessary creation of structures to promote coordination of guidance agents.