Additional Support for Learning Implementation Group: year 1 report - October 2021

5. Year 1 ASLIG summary position

The following pages contain a thematic summary of ASLIG opinion on the status of progress against each recommendations of the 2020 Independently Chaired Review of Additional Support for Learning.

Children and young people participation

ASLIG is pleased to report that progress has been made on setting the groundwork for achieving this recommendation with the Inclusion Ambassadors. ASLIG will champion more engagement activity with children and young people which is now critical in securing the overarching recommendation.

Measurement framework

ASLIG are pleased with the progress being made against this, in partnership with NAIT. ASLIG is concerned about the lack of priority for pupils with additional support needs within the National Improvement Framework, and considers that associated funding opportunities/priorities are not yet being realised. ASLIG will write to the Cabinet Secretary to encourage adjustments to the NIF measurements, and influence the forthcoming 2022 review of the National Improvement Framework.

Integration of ASL in the Independent Review of CFE

ASLIG considers that OECD Report did not take sufficient account of those with Additional Support Needs. Moving forward, ASLIG will ensure that the recommendations from the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence takes more account of the needs of children and young people with additional support needs . ASLIG will prepare a response to the Education Reform consultation, and request a meeting with Ken Muir who is leading the review.

Scottish Education Council

ASLIG notes that the SEC was inactive during the pandemic, with CERG being the key group convened to shape the Education response. As such, the SEC had not met since early 2020. ASLIG understands that SEC was reconvened on 8 October 2021. ASLIG will re-establish its governance arrangements with the SEC.

Leadership and strategic planning

ASLIG considers that there continues to be a siloed approach to leadership learning across education health and social care. ASLIG will seek the opportunity to input into the Guidance around Children's Service Planning, and engage with the Care Inspectorate around the inspection of children's social care services as they relate to integrated delivery of additional support for learning. ASLIG will also reflect this within our response to the education reform consultation. We will recommend a focus on measures of where partnership and collaborative leadership and learning /planning for CPD are evidenced.

Fully integrated policy making

ASLIG considers that whilst there is some evidence of a degree of national cross policy discussions, and increased involvement of young people, parents and carers in the development of key policies and guidance, it isn't enough. This is not yet translating into meaningful and active consideration, impact and inclusion of children with additional needs in all policy areas which impact on their lives. ASLIG considers that in order to truly deliver the aims of the Additional Support for Learning Act, a national cross policy programme of work to promote and drive Inclusion for All, is required. This should go beyond simply focusing on a work programme to implement the recommendations of the Independently Chaired Review. The Group is watching with interest the progress of other initiatives such as The Promise with a view to considering how a similar scale of model may impact on inclusion. ASLIG will consider this at our next formal meeting with a view to making recommendations to the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Scottish Education Council in Year 2 of our work programme.

Audit Scotland

ASLIG has not had a direct engagement with Audit Scotland in year 1. Audit Scotland have not yet scoped their national audit of outcomes for pupils with additional support needs. In year 2, ASLIG will seek a confirmed timeline from the Auditor General on it delivery of a national performance audit on outcomes for pupils with additional support needs. ASLIG will ensure that this complements the work of NAIT in developing a national outcomes framework for pupils who have additional needs.

Role of Grant Aided Special School (GASS)

ASLIG have strong representation from the GASS sector, but considers that the opportunities for the GASS within the context of supporting more pupils to access additional support for learning still requires to be scoped out fully.

Teacher education and development

ASLIG is aware that the refreshed general teaching council for Scotland (GTCS) Professional Standards for teachers for use from August 2021, include a sharper focus on additional support needs, as a result of engagement with the findings of the Independently Chaired Review.

Beyond this, to date, ASLIG considers progress to have been limited in the area of teacher education and development. This largely being based around pre-existing activity, much of which rests with partner agencies, rather than being supported by additional government and/or local authority funded activity to support teacher education and development.

However, ASLIG is encouraged by specific agreements within the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party: draft shared policy programme - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) on this area as follows:

• work with the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to ensure there is appropriate career progression and pathways for teachers looking to specialise in Additional Support for Learning, with the intention that this will result in an overall increase to the 8 number of teachers who specialise in ASL in Scotland's schools, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the Lead Teacher structure delivers on this outcome.

ASLIG will now engage with the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers to establish the status of this work.

Pupil Support Assistants

The Pupil Support Staff Working Group (PSSWG) was set up in 2020.

The PSSWG is chaired by Scottish Government, and includes other members from Scottish Government, members from CoSLA, Children in Scotland, Education Scotland, UNISON, ASLO, AHDS, ADES, and Voice.

ASLIG has not received a formal update from this group. However, we understand it is considering three areas of work:

• job descriptions
• training
• standards.

ASLIG is encouraged by the specific commitment in the Scottish Government and Green Party: draft shared policy programme on this area as follows:

• Explore in collaboration with trade unions and other key stakeholders options for the development of an accredite qualification and registration programme for Additional Support Needs Assistants with final proposals to be brought forward by Autumn 2023.

ASLIG will now engage with the PSSWG to ensure that the proposals for Additional Support Needs assistants are on track to be delivered by 2023.

Relationships between schools and parents

ASLIG is not yet in a position to cite the evidence of positive change following the agreed actions on partnerships and relationships between schools and local authorities and parents and carers. Monitoring these actions will be a priority and focus as we move to post pandemic education recovery. ASLIG notes and welcomes the additional investment in the Enquire service.

Relationships and behaviour

ASLIG does not decide on the priorities or membership of the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools (SAGRABIS).

ASLIG has to date not received a formal update from SAGRABIS on the progress it has made in reviewing the remit of the group, in line with the recommendations of the Morgan review. ASLIG will request this.

ASLIG remains committed to ensuring that progress is made in the production of updated guidance on seclusion and restraint, commissioned by the Deputy First Minister in December 2019, and reflecting this in the new ASL measurement framework. We understand that a draft is due out for consultation in Autumn 2021.

Rights

ASLIG will consider whether a Children's Rights Impact Assessment should be carried out to make sure that implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Act fully meets the requirements of the UNCRC and upholds children's rights.

CSP Review

The report of the co-ordinated support plans (CSP) short-life working group will be published by the end of November 2021. ASLIG will publish a direct response to the CSP report after this time, and consider its implications in our future work programme.

Assurance mechanism

ASLIG is pleased to report that a progress report has been produced for Scottish Ministers and COSLA, in line with Recommendation 9.1.

ASLIG has gone further and is producing its own report for the stakeholders the Group members represent.

Education Scotland

ASLIG is encouraged by the impact of the Independently Chaired Review in the Regional Collaboratives to date. ASLIG will ensure further sustained engagement by partners within the Regional Collaboratives to ensure that inclusion, equalities and health and wellbeing is embedded and strengthened in their ongoing improvement activities.

ASLIG will submit this report to Scottish Ministers and COSLA, and circulate with our networks of parents, carers, young people, education staff, social care staff, GASS staff, and Allied Health Professionals. It will also be published on the ASLIG webpage.

We will use this report as a guide for a stocktake of current priorities at our forthcoming meetings. We will liaise with the SEC, Scottish Government, COSLA and other stakeholders as appropriate to continue in the delivery of our commitment to ensuring that every child and young person in Scotland gets the support they need, when they need it.