Additional Support Needs

More information

In line with Inverclyde Council’s Policy on Inclusion the majority of pupils in Inverclyde are supported in their mainstream establishments.

The legislative background related to our policy on inclusion is stated below:

  • Education (Scotland) Act 1980
    Education authorities must provide adequate and efficient school education for children of school age within their area.
  • Children (Scotland) Act 1995
    Under Scottish law, children’s views must be sought and taken into account of in key decisions that affect them.

 

Education (Additional support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and ‘the 2009 Act’

The Education (Additional support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 and the 2009 Act aim to ensure that all children and young people receive the additional support they need to meet their individual needs and to help them make the most of their education. The Act and the amended 2009 Act describe the concept of additional support needs, which applies to children and young people who, for whatever reason, require additional support, long or short term, in order for them to make the most of their school education.

 

Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000

Section 15 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000 states that “an education authority, in carrying out its duty to provide school education to a child of school age, shall provide that education in a school other than a special school unless one of a number of circumstances arise.”

  • Where education in a school other than a special school would not be suited to the ability or aptitude of the child.
  • Would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for the children where the child would be educated.
  • Would result in unreasonable public expenditure.
  • If one of the circumstances mentioned in subsection (3) above arises, the authority may provide education for the child in question in a school other than a special school; but they shall not do so without taking into account the views of the child and of the child’s parents in that regard

 

Inverclyde Council is committed to the ‘presumption of mainstream’ as detailed in the ‘Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000’

 

Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)

GIRFEC aims to improve outcomes for all children and young people and to ensure that all agencies respond appropriately and, when required, work together to address the needs for children and young people by identifying and addressing potential risks.

 

It provides mechanisms for identifying and planning how we help children and young people grow and develop.  It seeks to improve services and measures the impact services have on a young person’s well-being and development.  Effective self-evaluation forms a key part of education’s implementation and delivery of GIRFEC.

 

Inverclyde Council education resources

As well as the regular support from Educational Psychology Service to educational establishments to advise on the needs of children and young people Inverclyde Council also has specialist resources and educational establishments, for children and young people who have additional needs that are not able to be supported in full-time mainstream education.

In Early Years (0 – 5):

  • Early Years Language Centre EYLC
  • EAL teaching support
  • Hillend Children’s Centre
  • Looked After teaching support
  • Early Years Outreach Team (EYOT)
  • Home Visiting Teaching

In the Primary sector:

  • All Saints Communication and Language Base
  • EAL teaching support
  • Moorfoot Primary School (Garvel Deaf Centre)
  • Craigmarloch
  • Looked After teaching support
  • Outreach support services for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Primary Language Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment
  • School Aged Language Base

In the Secondary sector and senior phase:

  • EAL teaching support
  • Craigmarloch
  • Clydeview Academy Hearing Impaired Unit
  • Looked After teaching support
  • Lomond View Academy
  • Notre Dame Communication and Language Base
  • Outreach support services for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Hearing Impairment, Visual Impairment