Additional Support for Learning Act
Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004
A child may require additional support for a variety of reasons. These may include those who are being bullied, are particularly gifted, have experienced a bereavement, or are not attending school regularly, as well as those who have behavioural or learning difficulties, mental health problems, or specific disabilities such as deafness or blindness. The legislation will have an impact wider than education and has significant implications for professionals working in health, social work and a range of other agencies.
What education authorities will do
Under the Act, education authorities will have a duty to establish procedures for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of every child for whose education they are responsible. They must keep those needs under review. Other agencies will have a duty to help education authorities meet their duties. Such agencies may include a local authority’s social work services, any health board, any other local authority or other agency specified by Scottish Ministers, such as Careers Scotland or further education colleges.
Education authorities will be under a duty to provide mediation services and they will be required to have arrangements in place for resolving disputes. Parents will be able to request assessments where they or the authority think(s) that that their child has additional support needs.
Co-ordinated support
The new framework of support includes arrangements for children or young people who have enduring, complex or multiple barriers to learning and require a range of support from at least one service from outwith education. A new statutory Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) will be drawn up for such children and young people. A new Additional Support Needs Tribunal will be set up to deal with any disagreements relating to CSPs.
Summary Handout on the Additional Support for Learning Act
SEED has published a Summary Handout on the Additional Support for Learning Act that explains some of the important changes in the law following the Scottish Parliament's approval of the new Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. The legislation aims to modernise and improve the current system for identifying and addressing the needs of all children and young people who may face a barrier to learning and need additional support.
Sharing practice across sectors, across Scotland
This document on the Scottish Executive website supports the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 by sharing information about practice as widely as possible.
It features practice examples that were chosen by the 700 delegates from education, social services, health, the voluntary sector and parents' groups who attended ten Additional Support for Learning 'sharing practice' seminars across Scotland in October and November 2006.
How you can contribute
Practice is continually evolving, with new and innovative ideas introduced to improve practice. This is therefore a live document and readers are invited to update existing practice examples and add new practice examples by emailing the ASL Act programme (ASLAct@scotland.gsi.gov.uk).
Presentations to support ASL professionals
These presentations, from the Sharing Practice seminars, comprise a quiz on the Additional Support for Learning Act and a document which places the policy in context. (Answers to the quiz can be seen when viewed with the 'notes' facility in PowerPoint.)
Additional Support for Learning Act quiz from 'Sharing Information' seminars (870 KB)