Review of the Additional Support for Learning Act Adding Benefits to Learners

In May 2009, the Minister for Children and Early Years, gave a commitment to Parliament to establish a working group to report on how the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (the Act) is affecting children and young people who:

• are looked after;

• are young carers;

• have mental health disorders1; and

• have sensory impairments.

We were asked to lead the review. In carrying out this task, we set up a working group with colleagues from the Scottish Government, education authorities and voluntary organisations including National Deaf Children’s Society, Royal National Institute of the Blind, Who Cares? Scotland and the Princess Royal Trust for Young Carers.

This report, Review of the Additional Support for Learning Act: Adding Benefits for Learners, considers how the Act is working now for children and young people with additional support needs relating to being looked after; being a young carer; having mental health disorders and having sensory impairments. It also makes recommendations aimed at securing better learning outcomes for these children and young people.

The presentation includes David Watt, HM Inspector, Louise Morgan from Princess Royal Trust for Young Carers and other representatives of the voluntary groups who worked together to consider the evidence, draw on witness sessions from parents, carers and young people and evaluate how well the needs of different groups are being supported by legislation and practice.

David Watt, HM Inspector, Education Scotland

David Watt is Lead Inspector for additional support needs. He has been an HM Inspector since 2002, previously working in Glasgow in support for learning. He has been working with colleagues recently on provision for young people who are ‘Out of site, out of Mind?’ as well as considering approaches to mental and emotional health and wellbeing and the progress with the Additional Support for Learning Act and five groups of young people.