We must support children and young people with additional learning needs.
Our duties are described in:
We are responsible for learners with additional learning needs from 0 to 25. We must make sure they can access suitable education and training, including compulsory education and specialist post-16 education, where necessary. We provide funding to schools to support children and young people with ALN.
Most individual development plans (IDPs) for learners with additional learning needs will be developed by school or further education institutes.
Parents, carers or health and social care professionals that work with the child or young person can contact us if they have concerns. They can ask us to decide if the child or young person has ALN and prepare an IDP if:
- the learner is under 5 years and not in a maintained school.
- the learner is looked after.
- the learner is attending a school that is not financially supported by the council.
- the learner is educated other than at school (EOTAS) or is dual registered. Dual registration means when a pupil is registered at one school and also another provision for some or all of their learning.
- the learner is detained. For example, in a young offender institution or secure children’s home.
As a council, we must also provide:
- impartial, information and advice for children, young people, parents and carers,
- arrangements for avoiding and resolving disagreements that are independent of those making decisions (we would assign an officer to work with parents and school to resolve any issues that may occur),
- access to independent advocacy services, and
- a lead officer who can support a child under 5 years old to start school.
We will regularly review the arrangements and provision that we offer to make sure it is worthwhile and effective.
Our duty to decide a child or young person’s ALN
When a child or young person is brought to our attention, we have a duty to decide if they have additional learning needs.
For example, we would consider making a decision about a child or young person if:
- they have been referred by a governing body,
- a child, parent or a young person has made a request to us,
- a Local Health Board has made a referral (section 64), or
- we have been directed to do so by the Education Tribunal.
We will not make a decision about a child or young person’s ALN if:
- an individual development plan (IDP) is being already being maintained for the child or young person,
- we have previously decided that a child or young person has ALN and those needs have not changed since a decision was made, or there is no new information that will alter the decision,
- we are satisfied that the decision about the child or young person’s ALN is being made by the school or further education institute (section 11(1)),
- the decision is about a young person who is a student in further education, or
- the decision is about a young person over the age of 16 and who does not disagree with the decision that has been made.