Additional Support For Learning review action plan: final update

Theme 6: Relationships between Schools and Parents

Completed Actions

ASL Review Recommendation 6.1

Relationships between schools and parents

Actions 6.1.1

Schools and local authorities must work in partnership with parents and carers to develop and deliver ways of working together that support and promote positive relationships, communication and cooperation.

Status of Action

Complete

ADES Networks regularly have opportunities for members to share practice. The recently published HMIE National Thematic Inspection Report on Local Authorities approaches to supporting school improvement highlights a range of effective practice, including engagement with stakeholders. There would be a future role for national bodies to collate and disseminate examples of effective practice to support improvement across the system. HMIE currently do this for individual school inspection reports.

The Scottish Government commissioned Enquire to produce a communications strategy to improve the key information different audiences need to meet the need of young people. Relationships is one of the identified themes in the communications strategy. Work related to relationships will focus on the steps that can be taken to build and maintain positive relationships between professionals, schools, families and children and young people whilst navigating the world of additional support for learning. This will help families and professionals feel empowered and supported to confidently and effectively navigate each stage of the process involved with accessing and delivering learning support.

ASL Review Recommendation

Actions 6.1.2

This must include clear pathways on transitions for children and young people with additional support needs, in the context of learning for life, allowing parents and carers, children and young people and professionals to be informed and supported at key transition points.

Status of Action

Complete

ASL Review Recommendation

Actions 6.1.3

Parents and carers must be involved, as equal partners, in the development of key guidance, to contribute their knowledge and lived experience.

Status of Action

Complete

See action 3.2.1 progress update

ASL Review Recommendation

Actions 6.1.4

Further investment is needed to strengthen support services for families, allowing these services and the support that they provide to be embedded.

Status of Action

Complete

The Scottish Government continues to fund Enquire to provide advice to parents on additional support for learning. Enquire continues to help families and schools work together to ensure children get the support they need.

An in-year contract uplift of £70,000 was provided to Partners in Advocacy who deliver the advocacy support and legal representation part of the Children’s Service - My Rights My Say. Since the uplift with additional resource, the waiting list for advocacy support has reduced to under two months resulting in a positive improvement to service delivery overall, with children being supported with advocacy in relation to their supporting for learning more quickly, thereby helping to resolve disputes with schools and education authorities at an earlier stage.

ASL Review Recommendation

Actions 6.1.5

The benefits of the use of mediation must be widely promoted at a national, regional and local level and consideration should be given to how mediation can be developed through professional learning to support the workforce.

Status of Action

Complete

The ADES Inclusion Network has provided members an opportunity to share practice in a number of areas. This has included members considering arrangements in place to support mediation. A joint letter to local authorities was issued by ADES, COSLA and SG to promote this and other work.

The Scottish Government commissioned Enquire to produce a communications strategy to improve the key information different audiences need to meet the need of young people. As part of this work Enquire have engaged with mediation colleagues to ensure their information is reflected appropriately and mediation routes are highlighted.