The research field of psychological testing has a strong tradition and a knowledge base, both of which have been employed in relation to decision-making concerning children who may be experiencing difficulties. Rarely, however, is the knowledge gained in psychological testing discussed in connection with the practical application of psychological test knowledge in relation to inclusionary efforts. In this presentation, a dialectic theoretical framework will be outlined enabling a discussion of the two fields and practices of testing and inclusion in connection with each other. The point of departure for the discussion will be an empirical case study, in a national Danish context, focussing on the professional cooperation necessary in the process of referring children who are experiencing difficulties to educational psychology consulting or psychiatric services. The empirical case shows how different kinds of knowledge, that is, test knowledge and everyday knowledge, interact in the process of decision-making concerning inclusion or exclusion of a child. The empirical case points towards the potential for conflict between psychiatrists and teachers related to the differing knowledge held by these two professional groups, which can lead to problems in understanding and deriving solutions in their work on inclusion. This raises the question of relevance concerning how the knowledge gained from psychological tests can be applied to the work on inclusion. While psychological testing focusses on the individual person, the work on inclusion takes as its point of departure work accomplished within the community. To overcome these conflicts, this presentation will draw on thinking related to the concept of the conduct of everyday life and structure blindness to suggest new ways of working with what is known as “structure relevance” in the procedures of assessing troubled children.

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