CHILDREN’S care providers have said they are “deeply concerned” at a dramatic slump in legal support plans for pupils with additional needs despite a jump in demand.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC) warned there had been a sharp decline in the number of legally-binding co-ordinated support plans (CSPs) in recent years.
The plans, prepared by councils, are legal documents which provide a form of guaranteed entitlement to additional resources and legal redress.
The then Labour-Liberal Democrat Scottish Government promised there would be no fall in the proportion of pupils benefitting from CSPs after they were introduced in 2004.
However official figures show a steady decline under the SNP, despite the number of children recorded as having additional support needs (ASN) almost doubling to one in three over the last decade, the vast majority educated in mainstream schools.
ASNs include autism, dyslexia and mental health problems as well as family factors.
The latest CSP data, for 2021, showed a 7 per cent fall last year from 1,534 to 1,420 and a 59% fall since 2012, when 3,448 CSPs were in place.
It means the proportion of Scottish ASN pupils with a legally binding CSP to help with their education has fallen from 2.9% to 0.6%.
In contrast, the number of pupils in England receiving an equivalent education, health and care plan is 3.7% and rising.
The SCSC said it feared councils were “reluctant” to issues CSPs because of the funding implications involved, with non-statutory alternatives often offered in their place.
The alliance of specialist care and education providers has called for wider access to CSPs, an update of the relevant statutory guidance, and more financial resources.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “We are deeply concerned that there has been a decline in the use of CSPs, which are designed to support those with the most complex needs. This is despite a Scottish Government assurance that they would not decline and a dramatic increase in the numbers of those with ASN.
“By not providing this statutory support, many of those vulnerable individuals are being failed and not getting the support they are entitled to, which is of particular significance given the impact of Covid-19.
“The Scottish Government, local authorities and other agencies need to collaborate to ensure that those requiring a CSP receive it, with the necessary resourcing to support this.
“With those with ASN drawn disproportionately from poorer neighbourhoods, if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap they must get the care and support they need, when they need it.”
Councillor Stephen McCabe, children's spokesperson for the council umbrella group Cosla, said: “The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition is correct that the number of children and young people identified with Additional Support for Learning needs has increased significantly in recent years, mainly due to the widening of the definition of what constitutes an additional support need.
"This means additional support needs are identified earlier and support put in place to help those children and young people to reach their full learning potential.
“A Coordinated Support Plan is the statutory education plan for children and young people with additional support needs arising from one or more complex factors or multiple factors which are likely to continue for more than a year; and who require significant additional support from the education authority as well as other services such as Social Work or the NHS.
“The vast majority of children and young people classed as having ASL needs will receive that support solely from education staff and will not require support from Social Work or the NHS, so will not require a CSP.
"They will however receive the support of schools and local authorities to meet their needs in line with GIRFEC which means a holistic view of children and young people’s needs can be taken.”
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