Route-map to deliver a National Staged Intervention Model for Additional Support for Learning in Education

2. Phase 2: Co-design and model development (July 2026 – February 2027)

2.1 Evidence Gathering

• Review existing local authority Staged Intervention models to identify:
• Areas of consistency, effective practice and innovation,
• Analyse variation in thresholds, identification practices and support pathways to inform model development,
• Features contributing to positive outcomes for children and young people, informed by engagement with His Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIe), Education Scotland and wider stakeholders,
• Gaps and inconsistencies.
• Review all relevant national and international evidence policy and practice to inform model development.
• Engage with Early Learning settings, schools, educators’, and children and young people to gather feedback on their experiences of using local staged intervention models.

2.2 Policy and Design Parameters

• Agree the vision, purpose and intended outcomes of the National ASN Staged Intervention Model to improve consistency and remove barriers to learning.
• Agree measures of success and evaluation framework, including impacts on outcomes for children and young people, experiences of families, practitioner workload, consistency of decision-making and multi-agency working.
• Agree the scope and application of the National ASN Staged Intervention Model across education and wider children's services.
• Begin alignment with national data improvement activity and digital systems development to support consistent recording, monitoring and reporting of Additional Needs across Scotland.
• Align early model development with policy and legislative requirements.
• Define the relationship with key legislative and policy frameworks including:
• Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP),
• United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC),
• Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) policy - incorporating the National practice model and Child’s plan.
• Establish core parameters and expectations for the framework, including nationally agreed components and areas for local flexibility.
• Commence Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) and Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) to inform model development and identify potential impacts on children and young people, particularly those with additional support needs and protected characteristics.

2.3 Model Development

• Agree high-level structure and definitions, including:
• Number of stages (e.g. 3–4),
• High-level definitions of each stage and review expectations associated with each stage,
• Test emerging concepts and approaches,
• Develop an initial staged intervention model.

2.4 Co-design and Feasibility

• Engage Inclusion Ambassadors and other children and young people in co-design and testing of the staged intervention model.
• Engage health, social work, third sector and other multi-agency partners throughout model development, refinement and testing.
• Consider workforce, resource and implementation implications alongside model development

Output: Initial Model Agreed for Development (Milestone 2)