Additional Support For Learning review action plan: final update

Theme 8: Understanding Rights

Completed Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 8.1

Rights

Actions 8.1.1

The incorporation of UNCRC and its impact on ASL legislation and processes must be fully planned to ensure children’s rights are embedded and effectively underpin implementation of the ASL legislation.

Status of Action

Complete

Following consultation with SG UNCRC colleagues and having received Scottish Government legal advice in relation to capacity and wellbeing issues, Tribunal issues and the wider 2004 Act, legal advice indicates that the 2004 Act is UNCRC compliant and therefore no further action is required in this area.

Through work on the refreshed code of practice, it is clear that Scottish Government colleagues, local authority colleagues and those working within the wider ASL system are aware of the requirements on them placed by the new UNCRC legislation and due consideration is being given when developing new and looking at existing policy and delivery on ASL.

ASL Review Recommendation 8.2

Coordinated Support Plan Review

Actions 8.2.1

The planned review of Coordinated Support Plans must take the findings of this review into account.

Status of Action

Complete

See action 6.1.1 progress update.

The refresh of the Code of Practice seeks to provide greater clarity on the criteria for coordinated support plans and their relationships with other plans.

Work is also ongoing in the area of supporting guidance through work being carried out by Education Scotland.

This guidance will complement the refreshed IEP guidance and forms part of a suite of guidance and professional learning on the ASL planning process which will be available on the Education Scotland IWE Pl framework and Education Scotland website. A full list of Collaborative Improvement reports has been developed, as well as the final evaluation report on the CI programme, some of which will feature ASN/inclusion: National Developments – Association of Directors of Education in Scotland

Ongoing Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 8.2

Coordinated Support Plan Review

Actions 8.2.2

Also, it must consider:

• planning mechanisms within a whole life perspective for children and young people with lifelong conditions including transitions between and beyond education settings;
• clarifying the interaction between CSPs and child’s plan and GIRFEC;
• the relationship between education and partners in health, social work and other agencies to identify where re-alignment is needed in the preparation and delivery of support;
• where improvements are needed in the availability and accessibility of information and guidance about planning and its processes for all parents and carers and children and young people.

Status of Action

Ongoing

Progress Update

See action 8.2.1 progress update.

The Scottish Government will revise GIRFEC policy and practice guidance, including a single planning process for children and young people. It will seek to align and clarify the relationship between statutory and non-statutory plans and to align those plans.

A core component of the GIRFEC approach is the child’s plan. A personalised child’s plan is developed when it is recognised that a child or young person needs a range of extra support to be planned, delivered and co-ordinated. The GIRFEC Child’s Plan Practice Statement sets out that specialist statutory plans such as a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) for education, Adoption Support Plan, Looked After Child's plan or Young Carer Statement may form part of the GIRFEC child’s plan. This is supported by a suite of national guidance, including the National Practice Model. This approach to planning allows local authorities, Health Boards and agencies to support the local needs of children, families and their services.

The Scottish Government is working with local GIRFEC leads to understand and promote effective practice in the consistent implementation of the child’s plan. This includes facilitating solutions-focussed discussions around improving the consistency in the use of a simple, joined-up approach to planning between agencies. The Scottish Government will also continue to facilitate a regional stakeholder engagement programme over 2026, which brings practitioners from health, education, social work and third sector organisations together regionally to share effective practice, discuss common challenges and work together to find realistic solutions. The programme is a partnership approach and the child’s plan is expected to be a key theme at events as a core component of GIRFEC implementation.

NHS National Education for Scotland (NES) was commissioned by the Scottish Government to produce two GIRFEC e-learning modules which were published in December 2024 to better support the knowledge and skills of the workforce in GIRFEC implementation across public agencies. The skilled module outlines the relevant statutory requirements for preparing a record of a child or young person’s needs and how these align with the shared approach to planning underpinned by the GIRFEC approach.

The Progress Report published alongside this updated Action Plan provides detail on how this action will be progressed on Pages 21-24.