SEN Support for Kids in Cyprus

Summarise this page 7 key points · 1 minute

How does special educational support work in Cyprus public schools?Public provision is run by the Ministry of Education's Special Education department under the special education laws of 1999 (113(I)/1999, as amended; the Ministry lists them as "113(I)/1999 to 2025").
How do you ask for an assessment?Parents, headteachers, doctors, psychologists and social workers can all notify the committee.
Is the law changing?The government has promised a reform towards more inclusive education.
What do international and private schools offer?Private schools set their own admission rules and are not bound by the committee system, so provision varies.
Does GESY cover speech therapy, occupational therapy and psychologists?GESY lists speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and dietitians as allied health providers.
What allowances and parent support exist?Press reports say the monthly disability benefit for children under 18 is being raised from €848 to €935, with increases paid automatically to existing beneficiaries and back payments due in the last quarter of 2026 (Politis,…
What about the early years?Raise them with your paediatrician or personal doctor, who can refer you to GESY therapists, and tell the nursery.

Quick answer

In Cyprus public schools, a parent can ask the District Committee of Special Education to assess a child using the Ministry of Education's referral form. A multidisciplinary team then assesses the child and the committee decides on support, from extra help in a mainstream class to a special unit or special school. International schools run their own learning support departments, which you arrange directly with the school, and GESY covers speech therapy, occupational therapy and clinical psychology only with a referral from a personal doctor or specialist.

Public school route: any parent can refer a child to the District Committee of Special Education using the Ministry of Education form; the committee must hold its first discussion within two weeks of being notified.
The committee can place a child in a mainstream class, a special unit, a special school or home education, and can add therapy, equipment, free transport or classroom assistants.
If you disagree with the decision, you can ask the District Committee to review it and then appeal to the Central Committee of Special Education within 30 days.
GESY covers speech pathologists, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists by referral only, with a yearly cap on visits; private therapy without a referral is paid out of pocket.
A bill to reform the 1999 special education law had not been submitted to parliament as of February 2026, so the 1999 law, as amended, still applies.

If your child learns differently, the first step in Cyprus is to decide which route you are taking: the public system, where the Ministry of Education assesses and funds support, or a private or international school, where you deal with the school directly. Therapies sit alongside both, through GESY or privately.

How does special educational support work in Cyprus public schools?

Public provision is run by the Ministry of Education's Special Education department under the special education laws of 1999 (113(I)/1999, as amended; the Ministry lists them as "113(I)/1999 to 2025"). The law covers children whose learning or adjustment is seriously affected by a physical or mental condition, or who lag well behind their age group.

The decision-maker is the District Committee of Special Education. It includes a Ministry chief education officer as chair, a special education teacher, an educational psychologist, a clinical psychologist, a social worker and a speech pathologist. Every school has a special education coordinator who carries out the committee's decisions and links parents, school and Ministry.

Most pupils with special needs stay in an ordinary class at their local school, with adjustments. Beyond that the options are:

Option	What it means
Mainstream class with support	Classroom assistants or special education teachers work with your child in class
Resource room	Extra teaching for set periods each week
Special unit	A small group, usually up to six pupils, inside a mainstream school with adapted teaching
Special school	For children with serious difficulties; therapy is provided on site
Temporary home education	Only where the committee decides it is needed

Each child gets an Individual Educational Programme (IEP), written by a multidisciplinary group together with you. Cabinet approved 290 new school assistant and escort posts in July 2026, bringing the total to 1,875 (FastForward, 6 July 2026), though how fast schools fill them varies.

How do you ask for an assessment?

Step 1: Get the referral form

Parents, headteachers, doctors, psychologists and social workers can all notify the committee. As a parent you can do it yourself. The form is available from any public school, the District Education Office or the Ministry's referral page. Your child does not have to attend a public school to be referred.

Step 2: Submit it and wait for the first meeting

The committee must hold a preliminary discussion within two weeks of being notified. It then picks a team of specialists from the public or private sector, and each one assesses your child separately. The Ministry gives no deadline for finishing the assessments, so ask the coordinator or District Office for an expected timeline.

Step 3: Take part and read the decision

You can attend the assessment, alone or with an expert of your choice, and add your own information. You may read the committee's minutes but are not entitled to a copy. The decision can cover the placement, therapeutic help, equipment, free transport and auxiliary staff, and changes to school buildings.

Step 4: Appeal if you disagree

You can ask the District Committee in writing to review its decision. If you still disagree, you can appeal to the Central Committee of Special Education within 30 days of receiving the final assessment report; you can bring a specialist.

Is the law changing?

Possibly, but not yet. The government has promised a reform towards more inclusive education. On 5 February 2026 the President said a bill would be submitted during 2026, while Ministry officials told parliament's education committee the day before that consultations had only just begun. Teacher unions and the disability confederation KYSOA said consultation had been thin (Politis, 7 February 2026). No bill had been tabled by early November 2026, so plan around the current rules and check the Ministry's legislation page.

What do international and private schools offer?

Private schools set their own admission rules and are not bound by the committee system, so provision varies. Read the written SEN policy and ask who delivers support and whether it costs extra. None of the three schools below states a fee for support on the pages we read.

School	What its own pages say	Link
American Academy Larnaca	Learning Support Department with an SEN coordinator and an educational psychologist; referral form, withdrawal sessions and daily after-school support (policy dated September 2022)	Learning support policy
The Heritage Private School, Limassol	Early identification, possible formal testing by an educational psychologist, IEPs mainly in early years and primary, exam access arrangements in secondary (2022 prospectus)	School website
International School of Paphos	Enhancement Centre giving extra help for diagnosed learning difficulties, English as an additional language and gifted pupils	Enhancement Centre

Be open about your child's needs at the admissions stage and bring any reports. For broader school comparisons, see our guide to international schools in Cyprus.

Does GESY cover speech therapy, occupational therapy and psychologists?

Partly. GESY lists speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, clinical psychologists and dietitians as allied health providers. Access is by referral only, from your child's personal doctor or an outpatient specialist, and the diagnosis must be one GESY covers. With a referral you can choose any contracted professional and switch between them. There is a yearly cap on visits; the GESY page does not state the number, so ask the provider or the Health Insurance Organisation. These professionals cannot refer you onwards.

Coverage is a live issue. In April 2026 the Cyprus ADHD Association called for occupational therapy for children with ADHD to be included in GESY (Politis, 6 April 2026), which suggests some families still pay privately. Our GESY guide explains how to register and choose a personal doctor.

For speech and language, the Cyprus University of Technology clinic in Limassol assesses and treats babies, toddlers and children, and accepts referrals from parents as well as doctors and teachers. Its page lists no fees, so ask through its contact page.

What allowances and parent support exist?

Press reports say the monthly disability benefit for children under 18 is being raised from €848 to €935, with increases paid automatically to existing beneficiaries and back payments due in the last quarter of 2026 (Politis, 2026). The mobility allowance also rose by a third. Ask the Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities about eligibility, residency conditions and documents before you assume you qualify.

For peer support and advice on rights, KYSOA is the umbrella body for disability organisations. Parents' groups for autism, ADHD and dyslexia also exist, and your child's school or paediatrician can usually point you to the current ones.

What about the early years?

Concerns often start before school. Raise them with your paediatrician or personal doctor, who can refer you to GESY therapists, and tell the nursery. Our guide to nurseries and kindergartens covers how to choose one, and you can refer a child to the committee regardless of age or school.

What to do next

Ask your personal doctor or paediatrician for a referral if you want GESY therapy.
Download the Ministry referral form if you are considering public school.
Read how enrolment works in our guide to enrolling your child in a public school.
If you prefer private, request the SEN policy from two or three schools and compare it with our international schools guide.
Keep copies of every report and decision letter, as they matter for appeals and school transfers.

Frequently asked questions

How do I ask for my child to be assessed in a Cyprus public school?

Fill in the Ministry of Education referral form for the District Committee of Special Education. You can get it from any public school, the District Education Office or the Ministry website, and parents can submit it themselves.

Can an international school in Cyprus support my child with dyslexia or autism?

Several have learning support teams, for example the American Academy Larnaca, The Heritage Private School in Limassol and the International School of Paphos. Provision, entry criteria and any extra charges differ, so ask the school for its SEN policy before you apply.

Does GESY pay for speech therapy and occupational therapy for children?

GESY covers speech pathologists, occupational therapists and clinical psychologists, but only with a referral from your personal doctor or an outpatient specialist and for diagnoses it covers. There is a maximum number of visits a year.

Is there a new inclusive education law in Cyprus?

Not yet: as of early November 2026 no bill had been tabled. In February 2026 the government said a bill would be submitted during 2026, but consultations were still at an early stage. The special education laws of 1999, as amended, remain in force.

Is there a disability allowance for children in Cyprus?

Yes. Press reports in 2026 say the monthly disability benefit for children under 18 was raised from €848 to €935. Eligibility rules apply, so confirm the conditions and how to apply with the Department for Social Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities.

Useful links

Ministry of Education – Referral to the District Committee of Special EducationReferral form, parents' rights and appeals
Ministry of Education – Assessment of childrenWho sits on the District Committee
GESY – Nurses, midwives and allied health professionalsReferral rules for speech, OT and psychology
American Academy Larnaca – Learning Support Policy (September 2022)
The Heritage Private School (Limassol)Ask for the SEN policy and IEP practice
International School of Paphos – Enhancement CentreSEN, EAL and gifted support inside the school
Cyprus University of Technology – Rehabilitation and Speech-Language Therapy Clinic (Limassol)Speech and language assessment for babies and children
Cyprus Confederation of Disability Organizations (KYSOA)Umbrella body for disability groups

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