Additional Support for Learning review: action plan - November 2022 update

Complete

The vision statement sets out how the inclusion ambassadors think schools can help pupils feel more included and supported and was published in August 2021.

The vision statement by the YAI remains the driver behind our work to engage young people and have them participate fully in policy development.

1.1

March 2023

The Scottish Government continues to provide increased funding of £30k to the Young Ambassadors for Inclusion project in the 2022-23 financial year. This increased investment has supported the group to continue to meet more frequently, to consider further opportunities to support delivery of the ASL Action Plan and inform additional support for learning and inclusion policy.

Following the creation, publication and promotion of their Vision Statement for Success in 2021, the YAI have this year developed and launched the "Success Looks Different" awards. This allowed schools to share how they support and celebrate the achievements of their pupils with additional support needs, demonstrating the diversity of success. The group have also published podcasts on the impact of pupil support staff and their views contributed to a short campaign on supporting transitions run by partners at Enquire and My Rights, My Say.

This year, to help schools across Scotland reflect and build upon the inclusive ways they involve and celebrate pupils with additional support needs, the Young Ambassadors for Inclusion have collated a resource pack for Education, Learning & Support that aims to help schools support meaningful participation of children and young people who access additional support. This provides examples of good practice and aims to support practitioners and decision makers to develop their practice.

Building on the work they have carried out so far, in 2022-23, the YAI team will be running a series of free webinars, delivering practice support sessions for practitioners as well as working directly with a number of local authorities across Scotland. They will share how the resources can be actively used to improve inclusion and accessibility for those with additional support needs in education settings.

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Ongoing

The Scottish Government and COSLA have continued to seek opportunities to promote the message of the vision statement for success and raise the profile of children and young people with additional support needs.

Building on the work of the Additional Support for Learning Implementation Group (ASLIG), with support from the ASL Network, the Project Board will oversee delivery of the communication plan to ensure that stakeholders, including children and young people, are informed of additional support for learning policy and have the opportunity to be involved in continued work to deliver this action plan.

Work is continuing to develop a national measurement framework, as per LI 9, which will provide further opportunity to celebrate the success and achievement of all children and young people.

Education Scotland have incorporated the vision statement into a number of professional learning programmes including a General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) professional recognition programme for dyslexia and inclusive practice, the Into Headship Programme and Regional Professional Learning opportunities.

1.1.2

Ongoing

ADES will consider how best to promote these resources and how to encourage schools and authorities to establish participation in local additional support for learning implementation.

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Ongoing

Professor Emeritus Louise Hayward is undertaking an independent review of qualifications and assessment. As part of this, Professor Hayward is committed to ensuring that children and young people with additional support needs, their families and those who support them are actively involved. This will include the Young Ambassadors for Inclusion.

The Professor Hayward's Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment public consultation opened in October 2022 and will close in December 2022.

2.1

2.1.1

Complete

The Scottish Government has established the ASL Network. Membership includes third sector groups covering autism, dyslexia, gypsy/travellers and service children in addition to mental health and allied health professionals. The network met informally in May 2022 to consider this action plan. They broadly supported the actions and highlighted areas they felt needed additional focus, including better connections with health and better use of ASN data. The network Terms of Reference will include specific requirements to engage children and young people as part of their work.

The network will hold a formal meeting to agree their terms of reference and consider priority actions by November 2022.

1.1.2

3.2.1

Complete

The COSLA Children and Young People Board seeks to include the views of children and young people. They have previously invited groups of children and young people, and their representative organisations, to speak directly to Board Members at their meetings. This is something COSLA will continue to do in the new Local Government term. This, in addition to participation and engagement work undertaken at the local level by individual Councils, ensures that the views of stakeholders help inform Board Members' decisions.

3.2

Ongoing

As a key guiding principle, the Scottish Government always seek to create opportunities to enable children and young people to be involved fully and listened to in additional support for learning policy development.

In addition to our collaboration with the Young Ambassadors for Inclusion, the Scottish Government has developed further opportunities for engagement with children and young people. In the 2022-23 financial year we have provided funding for research into the educational experiences of Gypsy/Traveller children and young people, to improve their engagement and participation in school life. This work is underway with a full report due in March 2023.

The Scottish Government is funding the ADES National Educational Officer (NEO) to help facilitate engagement and participation of children from Armed Forces families. The NEO will be working with Napier University to understand this group's barriers to engagement and how to overcome them.

In 2022-23, the Scottish Government is undertaking primary research on improving the experience of children and young people with complex additional support needs and this will include direct participation of children and young people.

The Scottish Government has also engaged with children and young people in the development of the draft Physical Intervention in Schools Guidance.

3.2

3.2.1

June 2023

As part of the communications and engagement plan the ASL Project Board will work with partners to complete this exercise.

1.1.2

November 2023

Following completion of the mapping exercise, the Scottish Government will work with Education Scotland to develop a programme of internal engagement and awareness raising with colleagues in the Learning Directorate and wider government.

Where appropriate, we will seek direct engagement by children and young people with additional support needs.

1.1.2

1.1.4

Ongoing

In line with our key guiding principle, the Scottish Government's Supporting Learners' team continue to engage across government at the earliest stage, seeking to ensure that children and young people with additional support needs are actively considered in policy development. Over the last year, this has included: work with health policy teams on the implementation of the neurodevelopmental specification and alternate CAMHS pathways; the Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodiversity Bill, the British Sign Language action plan, NHS Lothian Audiology Services improvement and the See Hear Strategy.

3.2

December 2025

The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 ('the 2004 Act') provides the legal framework which underpins the system for identifying and addressing the additional support needs of children and young people who face a barrier to learning. It already embeds certain UNCRC articles and empowers children and young people by giving them a number of rights that enable them to influence decisions about their education and support including the identification, planning and review of their needs.

We have considered the impact of the incorporation of UNCRC on the 2004 Act, as well as additional support for learning policy, practice and guidance. We will continue to engage with key stakeholders through the ASL Network and other partners to consider this work further and ensure that children's rights are embedded and effectively underpin implementation of additional support for learning policy.

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3.2.1

8.1

December 2025

ADES will continue to promote this work through their networks ensuring that UNCRC is reflected in all aspects of strategic planning for children and young people's education.

COSLA is engaging with the development and implementation of UNCRC legislation, and are seeking to ensure it allows for children's rights to be embedded and appropriately planned for.

8.1

Ongoing

To support individual young people, the Scottish Government continues to fund and support the Children's Service - My Rights, My Say. This service supports children aged 12-15 to access advice and support to enable them to be fully involved in decisions about their education and exercise their rights under Additional Support for Learning legislation. Funding for the advocacy and legal representation part of the service increased by £80,000 in the 2021-22 financial year and by a further £10,000 per year from 2022-23 to 2025-26. This increase will ensure that the service continues to support children and young people who require advocacy support and legal representation.

Between April 2022 and June 2022 My Rights, My Say supported over 130 children to exercise their rights through independent advocacy, legal representation and the seeking children's views service.

The Scottish Government has continued to fund Enquire to provide advice and information. Enquire also promotes awareness of children's rights and the My Rights, My Say service with parents, carers, professionals, children and young people. In addition to their core work, in 2022-23, Enquire will continue to work with the My Rights, My Say partners to ensure children are fully supported to exercise their rights under the 2004 Act and referred to other parts of the service as appropriate. In order to increase the service's reach to children and young people, Enquire also plan direct engagement with schools and other people working with them.

Enquire will continue to update and develop the Reach website for children and young people. This includes new online resources about children's rights, My Rights, My Say and the views of children and young people themselves. New posts on promoting the Young Ambassadors for Inclusion work programme will also be made available.

As part of their awareness raising campaign, Enquire will also deliver social media awareness raising campaigns, develop a transition resource in partnership with the other parts of My Rights, My Say and create a number of short videos for children and young people to use on social media (TikTok, Instagram).

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6.1.3