Speaking during a Holyrood debate on Additional Support Needs (ASN), Martin Whitfield MSP has highlighted the rapid increase in the number of ASN pupils and the urgent need to provide better support for them.
Mr Whitfield made his remarks in a Members’ Business debate on ASN provision led by Alexander Stewart MSP. ASN can include having motor or sensory impairments, learning difficulties such as dyslexia, English as an additional language or a range of emotional and social difficulties.
The motion set out the statutory framework for ASN provision, which was established by the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Scotland Act 2004 and the Additional Support for Learning: Statutory Guidance 2017 which sets out schools’ responsibilities to support pupils who have ASN.
The motion also made the case for social and emotional skills programmes, which aim to build resilience through learning or coordinated support plans.
Speaking after the debate, Martin Whitfield MSP said:
“Over 40.5 per cent of students are now identified with ASN, up from 20.8% in 2014—284,448 pupils in total. We must do much more to ensure that the support available for these pupils matches the growing need.
“However, the evidence points to the opposite, with fewer specialist ASN teachers available now than in 2010. Scotland has a clear duty to do better to support our next generation and I’m pleased this debate helped to highlight some of the ways in which we can improve support.”