The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 is clear that every looked after child or young person has additional support for learning needs, unless a Wellbeing Assessment clearly evidences, they are, or are likely to be able to benefit from school education without additional supports. If the child or young person requires support, this should be in line with Staged Intervention Level 4. This will include monitoring educational attainment and provision of a Wellbeing Assessment and an Action Plan, where appropriate.
The Wellbeing Assessment and Plan should reference and articulate the supports. A copy of this Wellbeing Assessment and any associated Action Plan must be held in the child or young person’s file. Consideration should be given to, and recorded, regarding the need for a Co-ordinated Support Plan.
Although children / young people who are previously looked after or living in non-looked after kinship placements are not assumed to have additional support needs, good practice would be to consider similar levels of support offered to those with a legal definition of care.
The Designated Manager (Martine Leitch, HT ) ensures that all members of the Senior Leadership Team are aware of which children or young people are care experienced. The Designated Manager should consider the other members of staff who need to know which children or young people are care experienced and communicate this to them. This should take into account the wishes of the child or young person and their parent or carer where appropriate.
The above takes consideration of UNCRC – right to privacy, but also consideration of what is in the “best interests of the child.”
