Additional support for learning: action plan (updated October 2021)

3.2 Fully integrated policy making

Recommendation

Children and young people with additional support needs must be proactively and fully considered in policy making and appropriate cross-Government links made at the earliest stage.

Response

Accept

Actions to be taken forward - Oct 2020

The Scottish Government will continue to engage, as appropriate, across Government at the earliest stage to ensure that children and young people are actively considered in policy making and development, in line with the guiding principle of children and young people participation.

The Scottish Government will seek to raise the profile of children and young people with additional support needs through a programme of internal engagement and awareness raising.

We will also enhance the information that is available on the Scottish Government web pages to ensure that it accurately reflects the cross-cutting nature of this policy.

Delivery Timescale

As set out at 9.1, as part of its on-going commitment to monitoring progress of the ASL Action Plan, ASLIG will review the reporting cycles and provide an update in Spring 2022.

Status Oct 2021

Ongoing / partly delayed by Covid-19

Progress made:

Since October 2020, the Scottish Government's Additional Support for Learning policy team has continued to engage with colleagues across Government to ensure that children and young people with additional support needs are considered as part of policy development. This has included significant engagement on matters related to Covid-19 educational recovery, including Continuity in Learning guidance and Reducing Risks in Schools guidance to support the continuation of learning and mitigate the risks of Covid-19 and Educational Continuity Directions to protect learning and support for children and young people. The policy team also worked in partnership with ASLIG to develop supplementary guidance on supporting children and young people with complex additional support needs in mainstream schools, units and special schools during the Covid-19 pandemic. Engagement has also been undertaken by the Additional Support for Learning policy team on a range of other matters including the refresh of the GIRFEC policy and practice guidance; updated home education guidance; actions set out in the National Improvement Framework; and work to progress implementation of the Autism Action Plan.

The pandemic has significantly limited opportunities to develop a programme of internal awareness raising, however, there has been specific consideration of the needs of children and young people with additional support needs throughout the response to Covid-19, which has increased awareness of the specific considerations required for these pupils. However, working with Education Scotland, the Scottish Government is developing a session for Learning Directorate on additional support for learning and it alignment to other areas of policy, particularly GIRFEC and the Promise.

Work to enhance the information available online about additional support for learning is underway.

3.2.1

Recommendation

Children and young people and parents and carers must be partners in the development of key policies and guidance across the system.

Response

Accept

Actions to be taken forward - Oct 2020

In line with UNCRC incorporation and our guiding principle, the Scottish Government will work with Local Government to continue to involve and value the contribution of children and young people and parents and carers in the development of key policies and guidance.

Parents and carers will continue to be represented across a number of stakeholder groups, including ASLIG and the working group considering the refresh of the Additional Support for Learning Act Code of Practice.

In delivering this, COSLA and Scottish Government will seek to ensure that parents and carers' contributions are fully and carefully considered in addition to enhancing the participation of children and young people in policy making and the development of key guidance.

COSLA's Children and Young People Board will continue to receive presentations and input from children and young people and parent and carer representatives.

Delivery Timescale

As set out at 9.1, as part of its on-going commitment to monitoring progress of the ASL Action Plan, ASLIG will review the reporting cycles and provide an update in Spring 2022.

Status Oct 2021

On-going / on track

Progress made:

Aligned to the progress set out under sections 1, 6 and 8 in this updated action plan, the Scottish Government continues to engage with children and young people and parents and carers in the development of additional support for learning policy and guidance.

As a key guiding principle, the Scottish Government always seek to create opportunities to ensure that children and young people and parents and carers are fully involved and listened to in additional support for learning policy development. Children and young people and parents and carers are represented in all of our stakeholder groups, including at ASLIG, the short-life working group on Co-ordinated Support Plans and the re-established Code of Practice working group. The Scottish Government recognises that children and young people and their parents and carers are key partners in policy development. As Scotland recovers from the pandemic, it has never been more important to continue to ensure they are fully represented across stakeholder groups have the opportunity to inform policy development.