Nursery World - Bill set to extend learning support

Reforms of the system of support for children with special educational needs took another step last week with the Scottish Executive's publication of a draft Bill for consultation. The Additional Support for Learning Bill marks a shift away from the terminology of 'special educational needs' and aims to include all children who, for whatever reason and at any time, face difficulty in accessing and benefiting from education.

The Additional Support for Learning Bill marks a shift away from the terminology of 'special educational needs' and aims to include all children who, for whatever reason and at any time, face difficulty in accessing and benefiting from education.

Announcing the Bill, Cathy Jamieson, minister for education and young people, said, 'We must ensure that schools can provide a supportive environment, responsive to the needs of every pupil, no matter what difficulties they might face in their learning.'

The Bill proposes to sweep away the current system of producing a Record of Needs for children identified as having special educational needs. Instead, a new Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) will be introduced for children with complex or multiple barriers to learning who require additional support from outside the education authority. Barriers to learning could be social, linguistic or due to disability or family circumstances. An independent tribunal will be established to hear appeals relating to CSPs.

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