Understanding Rehabilitative Education: Professionals' Conceptions in Finnish Upper-Secondary Vocational Education

Mental health difficulties increasingly affect young people's participation in education, creating new demands for educational support systems. In Finland, the concept of rehabilitative education has recently emerged in policy discussions as a potential response, particularly within upper-secondary vocational education, where support structures for students with mental health difficulties remain limited. This study adopted a qualitative phenomenographic approach to examine how professionals in upper-secondary vocational education conceptualise rehabilitative education. Based on eight focus group interviews with professionals (N = 41) working in vocational education and student welfare services, four qualitatively distinct but interconnected conceptions of rehabilitative education were identified: (a) supporting students' individual resources, (b) pedagogical arrangements, (c) multiprofessional collaboration, and (d) structural solutions within the education system. Together, these conceptions form a multi-layered understanding that spans from individual support to broader institutional conditions. Interpreted through Amartya Sen's capability approach and Nancy Fraser's theory of social justice, the findings suggest that rehabilitative education can be understood as a way of expanding students' opportunities to participate meaningfully in education. The study contributes to the emerging conceptualisation of rehabilitative education by clarifying its nature and its role in addressing mental health-related barriers to participation. Although situated in the Finnish context, the findings contribute to international discussions on how education systems can respond to students experiencing mental health difficulties.