Children with additional support needs will be supported
wherever they are in Scotland through a new National Staged
Intervention Model for additional support for learning that is
being developed.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan made the commitment as she set
out plans to provide a nationwide approach to identifying,
planning, delivering and reviewing support for children and young
people who experience barriers to learning in all council areas
to ensure they receive the right support at the right time.
The newly-published route map sets out the next steps to
introducing a model that will set out more clearly how support is
delivered to meet the needs of children and young people in
different areas.
It is being developed in partnership with local government in
response to recommendations from the McManus Review of additional
support for learning, and will be rolled out in phases with full
implementation across all of Scotland's 32 council areas planned
for August 2028.
Ms McAllan said:
Every child deserves the best possible support that is right for
their needs, regardless of where they live in Scotland so they
can realise their full potential. A National Staged Intervention
approach will help ensure that how support needs are identified,
responded to and reviewed is consistent, no matter where a child
or young person goes to school.
Through this Model children and young people will receive support
that is right for them, and families will have greater
understanding of the support available to their child. For
teachers, it means clearer national guidance being developed
alongside updated training, aligned with the Model to help them
support pupils with additional needs.
We will develop the Model jointly with councils, teachers and
school staff, and with children and their families, to ensure the
National Staged Intervention Model delivers the support children
and young people need across Scotland.
Councillor Tony Buchanan, COSLA Spokesperson for Children and
Young People said:
COSLA is committed to working collectively with Scottish
Government to improve the outcomes for all children and young
people. We recognise the need in particular to support children
with additional support needs and are focused on building upon
the strong practice that already exists and recognise that
developing a national model offers opportunity to further enhance
the consistency of approach our children and young people.
Together with our professional associations and colleagues in
Scottish Government, we look forward to enhancing what is working
well and helping embed continuous improvement across the
support framework that is available to children and
families in all parts of Scotland.
Sheena Devlin, General Secretary at the Association of Directors
of Education Scotland (ADES) said:
ADES welcomes the direction of travel set out today. Scotland
already has much strong practice in supporting children and young
people with additional needs, and a national model offers the
opportunity to build greater consistency of approach to recording
and planning for our children and young people.
We look forward to working with the Scottish Government and
partners to shape the detail, ensuring the Model strengthens what
is working well while improving the
support framework available to children, young people
and families wherever they live.
Background
The Scottish Government committed to publish a route map towards
implementing a National Staged Intervention Model for
additional support for learning during the first 100 days of
government.
The National Staged Intervention Model responds to the McManus
Review, which recommended a more consistent national approach to
identifying, planning and reviewing support. Former Chief
Inspector of Education in Scotland Janie McManus' review of
ASL set out six recommendations, which were accepted by
the Scottish Government.
