Additional Support for Learning action plan: final progress report

Key Strand 1: Communication

The communications work under the ASL Action Plan is designed to deliver a positive public communication strategy that raises awareness of ASL, improves understanding of rights, and ensures accessible information for children and young people, parents and carers, and professionals. This work is one of the three identified priority areas for delivery by the ASL Project Board in the third Progress Report (November 2024). The Scottish Government provided specific funding to Children in Scotland’s Enquire Service - The Scottish Advice Service for Additional Support Needs, to lead on the development of a Communications Strategy for ASL on behalf of the ASL Project Board. This work is structured around five key themes: information and support, understanding and exercising rights, positive relationships, children and young people’s views, and celebrating success.

Plans and Approach

The strategy focuses on delivering targeted communications aligned to these themes, with a bi-monthly cycle of activity running from April 2025 to March 2026. The approach combines digital and print resources, stakeholder engagement, and integration with national platforms to maximise reach and impact. Whilst Children in Scotland’s Enquire Service is leading the development of resources, they are working closely with the Inclusion Ambassadors to ensure that the voices and experiences of children and young people remain central.

Initial work has concentrated on Themes 1 and 2 - raising awareness of available information and support and improving understanding of rights. This has included identifying key sources of information for families and professionals, reviewing local authority content for compliance with statutory requirements, and creating resources that can be adapted and shared widely. Future stages will build on this foundation, focusing on relationships, participation, and celebrating success.

Progress to Date

Significant progress has been made during the first stage of delivery. A major milestone was the launch of the ‘Untangling ASL’ webpage on the Children in Scotland’s Enquire Service website, which now serves as a central hub for accurate and trusted ASL resources, which are designed and used by others to promote key messages about ASL. The page features a distinct visual identity, using the concept of a ‘ball of string’ to represent the process of untangling complex information. It hosts a suite of downloadable materials, including general information cards for parents, carers, and professionals, as well as a series of FAQs addressing common questions about ASL rights and processes. These resources are supported by guidance on key messages and suggested social media content to encourage consistent and effective promotion.

The first stage also included a coordinated social media campaign, encouraging ASL Project Board and ASL Network members to share resources using the hashtag #UntanglingASL. This activity has helped raise awareness of ASL rights and signpost families and professionals to trusted sources of advice and support. While resources for children and young people were initially planned for this stage, the approach has been revised to ensure these materials are developed in a way that reflects their needs and preferences. This work will now form part of future stages.

The second stage of delivery, which ran through to January 2026, focused on Theme 3: Positive Relationships. This work included developing resources to help families and professionals build and maintain constructive relationships while navigating ASL processes. The outputs from this staged included a template letter for a range of professional groups to adapt for their families’ awaiting assessments, signposting to key supports and explaining the right to ASL without a diagnosis. There are also information cards on mediation, routes to redress, and practical steps for resolving issues. FAQs were also created to clarify parental rights around involvement in decision-making. Resources produced by the Inclusion Ambassadors, such as their Language and Communication Guide and posters on inclusive classroom environments, were added to the ‘Untangling ASL’ webpage to support professionals in fostering positive engagement.

Next Steps

Beyond this progress, longer-term activity will focus on embedding ASL information within national platforms and universal schemes. Discussions are underway to add Children in Scotland’s Enquire Service resources to GLOW, ensuring educators have easy access to guidance and tools. Work is also progressing to review ASL content on ParentClub and explore opportunities to include ASL information in Bookbug and Read, Write, Count bags. Children in Scotland’s Enquire Service is supporting local authorities to review and update ASL content on their websites, and scoping has begun for a condensed printed guide for parents and carers, planned for delivery in 2026/27.

The communications work has established a strong foundation through the launch of ‘Untangling ASL’ and the creation of initial resources. The next stages will build on this momentum by promoting and strengthening engagement around what is already in place, embedding ASL information in widely used platforms and expanding content. These actions will ensure that families, professionals, and learners have access to clear, accurate, and practical information, supporting a more inclusive and responsive education system. Plans for sustaining this work beyond March 2026 have been submitted as part of Children in Scotland’s Enquire Services business planning, ensuring continuity and long-term impact, and will be an integral part of the Review of ASL in the coming Parliamentary Term.