There are several ways in which concerns about your child’s progress can be followed up. This may involve the input of other educational professionals such as Specialist Teachers, Inclusion Specialists, Impairment Specialists and Educational Psychologists.

This may include a request for assistance to the Supporting Learners Service or to the Care Experienced Education Team for support from a Care Experienced Teacher or Care Experienced Officer.

It may also involve your child being referred onto staff in external agencies such as Health staff (Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist etc.). As a parent you will be closely involved in the process and your views sought throughout.

If, after discussion with all concerned, and agreed as appropriate your child will have an educational plan which will identify how they are to be supported. This plan would likely be either an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Child’s Plan.

Your child’s progress will be kept under review and any plans and support will be changed as agreed with you. As a parent you will be closely involved in any review process.

A small number of children will require a more detailed planning process which co-ordinates the input of education and other agencies to fully support the child. This plan is called a Co-ordinated Support Plan. The Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) process is overseen by the Supporting Learners Service with responsibility for Additional Support for Learning. Any additional support needs of your child will first and foremost be addressed by access to excellent classroom teaching.

Further information on the above is available from the school or on the Council webpage Additional Support for Learning (ASL), or from the following sources:

• Enquire – the Scottish advice and information service for additional support for learning, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC003527.
• Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC033576.
• Scottish Child Law Centre, a charitable body registered in Scotland under registration number SC012741.
• Parents may also access further support through mediation services provided by Common Ground Mediation.

Advocacy support is available from the following sources:

• Let’s Talk ASN Scotland is a free service that helps parents and carers of children with additional support needs handle education disputes. Children aged 16 or 17 years old with additional support needs can also use the service directly.
• My Rights, My Say is a free support service for children and young people aged between 12and 15. It offers advice and information, advocacy support, and legal representation. It also gives children a chance to share their own views about their support.
• Parents Inclusion Network (PIN) is a charity based in Dumfries and Galloway who enable parents and carers of disabled children, to come together and support each other through shared experiences.
• Dumfries and Galloway Advocacy Service is a registered charity and voluntary organisation who offer a free, confidential and personal independent advocacy.