Scotland has a ‘Ten Year Strategy for the Learning Provision for Children and Young People with Complex Additional Support Needs.’ The ten-year strategy is running from 2017 to 2026. The ten-year strategy aims to improve outcomes for children and young people with complex additional support needs, with a particular focus on education.
The Scottish Government ran a consultation on the draft ten-year strategy from 5 June 2017 to 28 August 2017. The consultation contained 10 questions aimed at obtaining views on each part of this ten-year strategy. In April 2019, the Scottish Government released their Summary Report of the Analysis of this Consultation. Click here to read the summary report of the analysis of the consultation.
NPFS sit on both the National Commissioning Group and the Strategic Commissioning Project Board.
Our viewpoints on this Strategy are outlined below:
– This strategy is a positive step in Scottish Education and could improve outcomes for children and young people with complex additional support needs (ASN).
– Children with all levels of ASN have been disproportionately affected by budget cuts. We believe funding should increase and should be ring-fenced for the education of children and young people with additional support needs.
– We recommend Parental Engagement Skills are included in staff training: e.g. how to involve parents in the decision-making process and how to work together in partnership with families
– Parents’ wealth of knowledge about complex additional support needs should be utilised.
– A comprehensive redraft of the Parental Engagement section is recommended.
NPFS have written a response to Scotland’s Ten Year Strategy. You can view our Chair, Joanna’s, response here.
NPFS have published an Additional Support for Learning Nutshell. You can access it by clicking here: 
It contains great information for parents whose children have additional support needs. Alternatively, drop us an email and we would be happy to send some hard copies to you in the post.