Short-life Working Group on Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs): Final Report

Barriers to CSP implementation and recommendations

The SLWG identified a range of barriers to effective implementation of CSPs. These are summarised through the themes below. The SLWG has made recommendations which seek to address the identified barriers and has considered what the expected outcome of these recommendations may be. Further detail of the actions related to the recommendations is included in the table in section SLWG recommended actions relating to identified barriers.

General Issues identified by the SLWG

The SLWG acknowledges that the legislation and policy in relation to inclusive education in Scotland is commendable and well-intentioned. However, there is a widely held view of a significant gap between policy and practice, which requires to be bridged if meaningful outcomes for children and young people with multiple and/or complex needs are to be delivered within the ASN planning process.

The SLWG agree that there must be consistency and a common understanding of the language used in relation to CSPs. The group acknowledges that there is detailed guidance available for professionals on CSPs within the Statutory Supporting Learners Code of Practice (the Code), however, notes that this guidance and the language used within it are complex. For parents, carers, children and young people information and guidance is also available through Enquire, the Scottish Advice and Information Service on Additional Support for Learning.

The SLWG highlight the importance of early engagement with families in promoting effective implementation of ASN planning processes and the consideration of CSPs, before a child reaches school age. Health visitors and, where appropriate, social workers, were viewed as central to this process. More detailed information about this Early Intervention approach is considered in the sections below.

Recommendations

The SLWG agree that more needs to be done to ensure that information on CSPs is available, accessible and shared at the earliest possible stage. The SLWG recommends that information is revisited regularly to promote awareness, increase confidence and knowledge to foster good relationships between the child, young person, their parent or carer, schools and others who are involved in supporting the child or young person. This may include social work and health. To support this, the SLWG group recommend that a set of tailored 'key messages' are developed and widely shared with children and young people, parents and carers and professionals across agencies.

The SLWG also recommends that the upcoming refresh of the Code is used to consider the accessibility of the guidance and to ensure that the guidance fully explains the complex legal duties on education authorities and other agencies with regard to CSPs. The Code should also clarify the relationship between CSPs and ASN planning and other agency plans, such as the Child's Plan or Healthcare Plan.

Expected outcome

Professionals will have a common understanding of the purpose of CSPs and the language used in relation to them. This will build confidence in their knowledge and understanding of the use, application and purpose of CSPs; and their professional role within the ASN planning process.

Professionals will be able to access information and guidance, seeking to increase their confidence in supporting children, young people, parents and carers to engage with the CSP process.

Children, young people, parents and carers will have confidence in their knowledge and understanding of CSPs, including their legal rights to challenge decisions made about the CSP and feel empowered to engage within the ASN planning processes involved.

Theme 1: Knowledge and understanding

The SLWG acknowledges that there is variation in awareness and understanding of the legislation. This includes the complexities of the statutory criteria (set out at page 6 of this report) and the variable interpretation of what 'significant additional support' means when considering whether a CSP should be opened.

The group also acknowledges that children, young people, parents, carers and professionals have different levels of awareness and understanding of the purpose of a CSP; the role of those who are involved in preparing and implementing a CSP; and the relationship between a CSP and other education and wellbeing plans.

Recommendations

To support all those involved to develop a common understanding of the legislation, the language and their role in the CSP process, the SLWG recommends the development of national professional learning resources which could be cascaded and delivered locally on a multi-agency basis, involving children, young people, parents and carers where appropriate.

The SLWG also recommends working with partners, including Enquire, to develop further accessible information and guidance on CSPs for children, young people, parents and carers. These resources should be co-produced and made widely available through a range of appropriate sources.

The SLWG recommend that the planned refresh of the Code, guidance on the staged intervention approach and appropriate elements of the refreshed policy and practice guidance on Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC), include further clarity on the relationship between the CSP and other children and young people plans within a staged intervention model. This should take place alongside broader work towards a 'one child one plan' approach (see recommendation on page 12).

Expected outcome

With sufficient time and resource given to professionals to engage with the professional learning resources and to embed learning into practice, these resources will promote relational approaches through collaboration, collegiality and a shared ownership of the ASN planning process. This will provide a clear focus on delivering educational outcomes for children and young people.

Clarity of the relationship between the CSP and other children and young people plans will also support coordination of ASN planning as well as dispelling fears about the statutory process and challenging misunderstandings, misperceptions and myths.

Children, young people, parents and carers will have confidence in their knowledge and understanding of CSPs and feel empowered to engage with the process. They should also have confidence in their understanding of their legal rights related to CSPs, including their rights to challenge a decision made about entitlement to a CSP, its content or review.

Theme 2: Culture and relational approaches

Effective implementation of CSPs is rooted in strong collaborative working for all involved to support a child or young person within the Scottish inclusive culture and when planning to identify and support need. This includes actively and meaningfully listening to and involving children and young people and their parents and carers.

The SLWG agree that there is variation in the experience of those involved in requesting, compiling and reviewing a CSP within the wider ASN planning process. While early consideration of a CSP and engagement with families is key, the process can sometimes be lengthy and cause stress and frustration to all involved. It is recognised that this may result in difficulties in establishing or maintaining positive, collaborative relationships. This can be further impacted by professionals not having sufficient time and resource to devote to early intervention, to engage in collegiate professional practice; and to promote good communication and quality engagement of all involved.

The SLWG acknowledges that there are examples of good practice and a commitment from professionals across education and other agencies to support the needs of learners. However, there is inconsistency in how education and other agencies work together to identify, deliver and review the support required as part of a CSP within the ASN planning process. There is also variation in the information and guidance available to professionals in other agencies.

The SLWG consider the role of health visitors as central to the ASN planning process before a child reaches school age. Health visitors play a key role in building relationships with families, in fostering openness and trust and in signposting support. Liaison between health visitors and staff in ELC settings is not new but requires these professionals to have sufficient time and resource to implement it effectively. The role of GTCS registered teachers in Early Years also helps to build on those foundations. As the bridging professionals, teachers assist, through their understanding of the Early Level curriculum, in identifying where additional support is required and in helping children make effective transitions to school. In some circumstances, social workers will also play a key role, particularly for looked after children and young people.

Recommendations

The SLWG recommend that ASLIG give further consideration to the time and resources needed to enable professionals to further promote the development of this relational approach in practice.

The SLWG recommend that professionals within other agencies, including health visitors and social workers are allocated time to access appropriate professional learning resources to support them to proactively provide families with the information they require about CSPs within the wider ASN planning processes and, where appropriate, support effective liaison between families and education staff.

Opportunities, for example multi-agency professional learning events, or online resources, should also be developed to alert education and health professionals including health visitors to promote early relationship building and collaborative planning.

Expected outcome

Strong collaborative working practices underpinned by a multi-agency approach will support the delivery of positive outcomes for children and young people.

Collegiate practice between health visitors and education will build a solid foundation of the ASN planning process for a child who requires it as they enter Early Years education and beyond.

Ensuring professionals in education and other agencies have sufficient time to plan, prepare, assess, reflect and liaise will help to ensure that planning meetings and engagement with children, young people, parents and carers is meaningful and accessible for all.

Theme 3: Information and support

There is variation in the availability and accessibility of information and guidance for children, young people, parents, carers and professionals about CSPs, their purpose and the different roles of the professionals involved in the process.

Recommendation

The SLWG recommend that children, young people, parents, carers and professionals are able to timeously and easily access clear, age appropriate and accurate information as early as possible, using a variety of mediums. Improvements should be made to signposting of the information already available and any information developed in future. This should include ensuring that clear and appropriate signposting is available on local authority web pages. As noted in the knowledge and information section, 'key messages' should be produced alongside the development of further information and guidance to remove barriers to effective engagement.

Expected outcome

Children, young people, parents, carers and professionals will have confidence in their knowledge and understanding of CSPs within the wider ASN processes and feel assured of their role.

Theme 4: Resourcing

The SLWG acknowledges that sufficient resource is needed to provide time for genuine collaboration and multi-disciplinary planning and to support the delivery of agreed outcomes for children and young people. Resourcing should also be sufficient to support the development of a relational approach, to promote shared understanding and ownership of the ASN planning process; the development of national and contextualised information and guidance; and participation in and reflection on professional learning opportunities.

The SLWG noted the changing and increasing complexity of needs of children and young people, not least in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the additional impact that this has had on children and young people with additional support needs and the plans to support them.^[8]

The SLWG acknowledges that education and wider partner agencies, such as Health require sufficient resourcing and training to support the delivery of the interventions and support identified within CSPs to deliver agreed outcomes for children and young people.

Recommendations

The SLWG highlight the importance of streamlining planning processes, avoiding duplication and in reducing bureaucracy to support the delivery of positive outcomes for children and young people. The SLWG recommends that this should be considered as part of ASLIG's response to this review, alongside related work on planning for the child, including the next phase of the refresh of the GIRFEC policy and practice materials which will focus on the Child's Plan, with the aim of moving towards a 'one child one plan' approach.

The SLWG recommend that as part of their future work plan, ASLIG consider the issue of resources, having due regard to the rising complexity of need and the need to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of appropriately trained staff to provide support. ASLIG should also engage fully with the Scottish Government and Local Government to support the planned audit of outcomes for children and young people with additional support needs undertaken by Audit Scotland.

Expected outcome

Strengthening guidance around a single planning process to support children, young people, parents, carers and professionals to ensure that learners get the right support, at the right time from the right people, with the aim of also reducing bureaucracy and duplication.

The inclusion of consideration of resources as part of ASLIG's future work plan will maintain the focus on this important issue and allow it to be considered within the wider context of delivery of the ASL Action Plan. Audit Scotland's planned audit of outcomes for children and young people with additional support needs, provides the opportunity for an expert and legitimate analysis of the resource and financial dimension of Additional Support for Learning, including CSPs.