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

CSP Short-life Working Group and their role

The SLWG was established following on from the ASL Review in early 2021. The work of the SLWG was to identify key issues and barriers to effective implementation of legislation related to CSPs and to work collaboratively to identify proposals to address and overcome them; making recommendations for change to the Additional Support for Learning Implementation Group (ASLIG) where appropriate.

The SLWG was comprised of representatives from children and young people's advocacy groups, parent and carers groups, education, health, social work and justice, national and local Government, professional associations representing teachers and other staff in schools who are involved in planning and delivering the support that children and young people need in order to benefit from their education. A full list of membership is available online.

The Terms of Reference set out the remit of the SLWG. These can be found online.

The SLWG divided into three sub-groups to consider specific areas:

1. Planning

2. Multi-agency Partnership Working

3. Information and Communication

The SLWG and its subgroups considered the application of legislation and policy in relation to CSPs and focused on the range of identified factors which create barriers to effective implementation taking account of the perspectives of children, young people, their families and professionals. The SLWG considered the following points:

• The wider additional support needs planning context
• Raising awareness and understanding of the purpose of the CSP with all stakeholders (these are children, young people, their parents and carers and professionals)
• The importance of adequate resourcing, including the provision of early access to information and support materials for children and young people and their parents and carers, and time for professionals to plan, engage and develop relational approaches
• Consideration of wider communication and early access to information, support materials and guidance
• Clear roles and responsibilities within the additional support for learning /CSP planning processes
• The importance of children and young people, their parents and carers and professionals being involved in the design and development of resources and information.