ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS (Getting It Right for Every Child)
St Gerard’s Primary School complies with the Education (Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as amended by the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009.
North Lanarkshire Council’s policy is contained within “Support for Learning Policy into Practice 2”, a copy of which is available in the School. The school has a Support for Learning Policy, available from the school on request, which is consistent with North Lanarkshire Council guidelines.
Looked After Children i.e. children who are cared for directly or whose care is supervised by the local authority is deemed to have Additional Support Needs unless assessment determines otherwise.
Almost all children at some stage experience learning difficulties. It is our policy to involve parents and to identify and remedy problems as soon as possible. Most children overcome their difficulty by being given some extra input from the class teacher and/or through liaison between home and school. It may be that a programme may be implemented by the Additional Support for Learning Teacher in consultation with class teacher. When a difficulty persists, help would be sought from the NLC Learning and Leisure Services. The process of identifying and initiating support follows the staged intervention process as indicated below. Parents will be kept informed at all stages.
Level 1 – Universal Support, where education staff identify that a child needs support or planning which can be met within the existing classroom or playroom setting.
Level 2 – Additional Support, where education staff identify that a child needs support or planning from within the school or early years establishment.
Level 3 – Intensive Support from within Education & Families services, where it is identified that the child requires support or planning from beyond the school or early years setting but within educational services.
Examples of Additional Support Needs that pupils may require assistance for:
- English as an additional language.
- Social Emotional or Behavioural needs
- Absence due to long term illness
- Specific named conditions for learning such as dyslexia or dyscalculia.
Parents can request an assessment at any time to establish whether a child or young
person has additional needs and/or requires a Co-ordinated Support Plan.
Planning
Getting It Right For Me (GIRFMe) enable staff to plan effectively for children and young people when interventions are required to support their learning and improve outcomes. Parents/carers and pupils are an essential part of the assessment; planning and review processes and their views will be actively sought.
Some children and young people may require significant support from education and at least one other agency, such as health, social work and/or voluntary agency to help them meet their learning targets. Where this support requires a high level of co-ordination the opening of a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) may be considered. A CSP may be initiated by the school or another agency.
Parents/carers and young people can, if they wish, request that a CSP be considered and would be involved in the process.
Parents/carers will receive letters from the Education Authority throughout the CSP process.
Parents/carers and young people will be invited to take part in multiagency meetings and their views will be recorded in the plan.
Where more intensive support for a child or young person needs to be planned for, usually when a number of agencies are involved in supporting their wellbeing then a Child’s Plan may be developed. The plan will tell you what actions need to be taken and who will help with each action. It will usually be someone called a ‘Lead Professional’ who will have the job of making sure that the actions outlined in the plan take place and things get better for the child or young person.
Dispute Resolution
North Lanarkshire Council is committed to resolving any differences of views through discussion, dialogue and building on common ground.
If the matter cannot be resolved with the Education Authority, you have the right to request mediation. An independent mediation service is available to parents and young people through Resolve (see contact details at the back of this handbook). Mediation is free and independent of the Education Authority.
In the event that a disagreement cannot be resolved through mediation, then an application for Independent Adjudication (see contact details at the back of this handbook) can be made by parents free of charge. The Independent Adjudicator will make recommendations to the Education Authority about how the dispute should be resolved.
The Additional Support Needs Tribunal has been set up to hear appeals made by parents or young people on the decisions made by the Education Authority relating to Co-ordinated Support Plans, placing requests and post school transition. If you disagree with any decision relating to your child’s Co-ordinated Support Plan, either the creation of a CSP, or the content of it, you may be entitled to refer to the Tribunal.
Contacts in relation to Support for Learning
Help and advice on any matters relating to Support for Learning can be obtained from:
NLC Additional Support Manager
Central Locality (Coatbridge Bellshill)
Additional Support Manager
IT Technical Service
Caldervale High School
Towers Road
Airdrie ML6 8PG
01236 632844
You can also get more help and advice from:
Scottish Independent Advocate Alliance
Mansfield Traquair Centre
15 Mansfield Place
Edinburgh
EH3 6BB
0131 313 8844
Enquire – the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. Enquire offers independent confidential advice and information on additional support for learning. Enquire also provide a range of factsheets,
0845 123 2303
www.enquire.org.uk for parents and practitioners
www.enquireorg.uk/yp for children and young people
NHS Lanarkshire
Bellshill
Bellshill Health Centre
01698 575700
Resolve 0131 222 2456
(Independent Adjudicator)
Reference to Additional Support Needs Tribunal (Scotland)
ASNTS
Health & Education Chambers
First Tier Tribunal for Scotland
Glasgow Tribunals Centre
20 York Street
Glasgow
G2 8GT
Helpline: 0845 120 2906
Fax: 0141 302 5860
Email: ASNTSinquiries@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Social Work Office
Bellshill
303 Main Street
Bellshill
ML4 1AW
01698 346666
