'Deeply worrying' drop in statutory plans for children with additional support needs

The number of dedicated plans to help children with additional support needs in schools has dropped by more than half, provoking concern some are being left behind, a campaign group has said.

More than 226,000 pupils in Scotland have additional needs, up almost 70,000 since 2010, but the number of statutory co-ordinated support plans (CSPs) has more than halved over the same period.

These plans, which are in place for children with the most complex requirements and who require high-level support, cover how different agencies such as education and social care teams support the child.

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Other ways of helping children with additional support needs, such as Individual Education Plans, are available but are not statutory and do not come with the same rights as CSPs.

The number of dedicated plans to help children with additional support needs in schools has dropped by more than half. Picture: Getty ImagesThe number of dedicated plans to help children with additional support needs in schools has dropped by more than half. Picture: Getty Images
The number of dedicated plans to help children with additional support needs in schools has dropped by more than half. Picture: Getty Images

The number of these has dropped from almost 3,500 to just over 1,500 since 2010, while the number of additional support needs teachers has dropped from just over 3,500 to 2,860 between 2010 and 2020.

Pro-union campaign group, Scotland in Union, said the drop in numbers was “deeply worrying” when compared with England where 3.7 per cent of additional support needs pupils have a statutory plan in place, compared with 0.2 per cent in Scotland.

They added the number of statutory Education, Health and Care plans in England, similar to CSPs, has risen by almost 90,000 in five years.

Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said education, not the constitution, should be the focus of the Scottish Government and said Scottish children “deserve better”.

She said: "Every youngster in Scotland should have the correct support in place to help them reach their full potential. For the most vulnerable, Co-ordinated Support Plans are essential, giving parents, carers and children legal rights.

“If statutory plans aren’t in place, it reduces the responsibility for the government to provide specific support.

“The SNP government needs to explain this sharp drop in the number of CSPs, despite a large increase in the number of pupils with additional support needs.

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“With a huge attainment gap in our schools, improving our education system must be at the heart of the Covid recovery- and the SNP/Green Government must not be distracted by its obsession with the constitution.

“Scotland’s children deserve better than that.”

Carole Ford, a former secondary school head teacher and former president of School Leaders Scotland and a director at Scotland in Union, said the continued drop in the number of statutory plans for children with additional needs was “unique” to Scotland.

She said: “This is an astonishing situation. In effect, those with the greatest need for support have no guarantee they will receive it.

“The fall in the number of specialist ASN teachers and the reduction in the number of classroom assistants leaves all school children in a more precarious position. The Scottish Government is letting down Scotland’s most vulnerable young people.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “All children and young people should receive the support that they need to reach their full potential. Local authorities are responsible for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of their pupils.

“We have made progress against a number of key actions in the Additional Support for Learning (ASL) action plan to improve the educational experience of children and young people with additional support needs.

“This includes working with key partners through the short life working group to review the use of co-ordinated support plans.

“The updated ASL Action Plan and progress report is set to be published soon.”

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