Physical intervention in schools: guidance

Universal and targeted support

21. All school staff have a responsibility to identify and respond to the needs of the children and young people in their care, to promote and support their wellbeing and their readiness to learn. This forms the basis of the universal and targeted school-based support provided in mainstream and specialist education settings.

22. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (“the 2004 Act”) and the accompanying statutory Code of Practice place duties on education authorities to identify, provide for and review the support that children and young people need to benefit from their education. This legislative framework is complemented by Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) policy. The GIRFEC values and principles, the National Practice Model and the SHANARRI wellbeing indicators provide the policy framework that supports the delivery of safe, positive, nurturing learning environments where all children and young people are included, engaged and involved. This legislative and policy framework enables the joined-up needs-based assessment, planning, implementation and review of children and young people’s support, and helps prioritise early and staged interventions to support their wellbeing.

23. Education providers also have duties to make reasonable adjustments for children and young people with disabilities under the 2010 Act. The reasonable adjustments duty under the 2010 Act requires forward planning based on what may be needed for the child or young person. The Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) (Scotland) Act 2002 also includes duties for education authorities to develop and publish accessibility strategies to increase children and young people’s access to the curriculum, access to the physical environment of schools and improve communication with children and young people with disabilities.