Children’s group warns additional support needs students being 'failed' |
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education​ to vulnerable children and young people, has warned that many young people with additional support needs (ASN) are being "failed" by a lack of legal support plans. The group has raised concerns over a sharp decline in the number of legally-binding education support plans for those with complex or multiple ASNs. Despite a Scottish Government promise that there would be no reduction in the proportion of pupils receiving them since their introduction in 2004, there has been a significant fall in the number of pupils with a CSP, from 3448 in 2012 to 1420 in 2021, amounting to a drop of 58.9%. “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", said an SCSC spokesperson. "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". |
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