The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland ) Act 2009 will come into force in autumn of this year 2010. The main changes to the 2004 Act include:
- The definition of additional support needs. All looked after children and young people are deemed to have additional support needs unless or until, they have been assessed as not having additional support needs
Additional support is any support which is additional to or different from existing educational provision.
- The assessment of additional support needs is to be made against the provision for other children / young people of the same age in schools run by the LA.
- The requirement to identify children under 3 years of age with additional support needs and the provision of appropriate additional support.
- Requests from the Independent Sector
- Mediation Services.
- Dispute resolution
- References to the ASN Tribunal
For further information, a draft Code of Practice is currently in the consultation phase and can be found at
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/11/03140104/20
Explanatory notes published by Enquire, the Scottish advice service for additional support can be found at
