In each part of the UK there are different systems in place to support children with special educational needs.
In Scotland, special educational needs are called ‘additional support needs’. Relevant laws and guidance refer to ‘additional support for learning (ASL)’.
This page covers additional support for learning (ASL) in Scotland.
Additional support needs
In Scotland, special educational needs are called ‘additional support needs’. Relevant laws and guidance refer to ‘additional support for learning (ASL)’.
Assessment of Behaviour and Learning in Epilepsy (ABLE) tool
It’s vital to identify the special educational needs of children with epilepsy as early as possible.
For this reason, Young Epilepsy has developed the Assessment of Behaviour and Learning in Epilepsy (ABLE) tool.
ABLE can help parents, carers and teachers to make the right decisions for:
- Support in early years settings
- Learning support plans
In some cases, children with additional educational needs may also qualify for extra support during exams.
Individualised education programmes
An individualised educational programme (IEP) is a written document that outlines the steps to be taken to help a child or young person with additional support needs to achieve specified learning outcomes.
Coordinated support plans
Coordinated support plans are used to identify and ensure services are provided for children and young people with complex or multiple additional support needs. Your child may be eligible for a co-ordinated support plan if:
- Their needs have a significant negative effect on their school education and are likely to last at least a year
- They need support from a local authority and at least one other non-education service or agency
Early years settings
Once your child is receiving their funded hours of early learning and childcare, your local authority becomes responsible for:
- Identifying whether your child has additional support needs
- Identifying what they are
- Providing the necessary support
- Keeping their support under review
Further information and support
To find out more about getting the right support for your child, learning support plans, coordinated support plans and early years settings, click on the links below:
- Scottish Government – additional support for learning
- Education Scotland – Individualised educational programmes
- Scottish Government – Coordinated support plans
- Enquire – Understanding my child’s rights to support
- Enquire – Early years and starting school
- Enquire – Getting the right support in place for my child
- Enquire – Coordinated support plans (CSPs)
