A package of support designed to help learners and families navigate the Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system has been announced, following a review of ALN legislation, listening to families and learnt lessons from delivery across Wales.
This includes a new ALN parent and carer toolkit, which has been published and developed collaboratively with parents, carers, and professionals. The toolkit provides a range of resources to explain how the ALN system works, outlines the support available for children, young people and parents, as well as setting out their rights under ALN legislation.
The toolkit and all supporting materials are available in accessible formats, including BSL and Easy Read and available in English and Welsh.
The Education Secretary has also announced more national support for schools, colleges, and local authorities to increase consistency of delivery, and a consultation on a new national ALN data set to understand national performance and inform improvement.
A further £8.2m in funding will also be allocated this year to local authorities, education settings and colleges to improve delivery of ALN reforms.
This is in addition to £150 million revenue invested over the last 4 years to help key partners implement the ALN system and lead whole-school strategies to embed inclusive education, as well as more than £170 million capital funding to improve facilities and infrastructure for ALN learners through the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme.
The Cabinet Secretary recently visited Pencaerau Primary school, to speak to teachers, staff and parents to discuss Additional Learning Needs provision, alongside seeing the new Specialist Resource Base.
An independent review of ALN advocacy provision across Wales has also been confirmed. This important review will help strengthen support for children, young people, and their families. Gareth Morgans has been announced as the independent lead of the review. Gareth brings extensive experience in public service evaluation, policy analysis, and stakeholder engagement within the education sector. His previous roles include Director of Education and Children’s Services at Carmarthenshire County Council, and he has a strong background in school leadership, inclusion, and local authority education services.
Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle said: “What matters to me is that we have an education system where all learners’ needs are understood and responded to with the right support in place.
“I am pleased that Gareth Morgans will be undertaking the review of the ALN advocacy provision to help amplify the voice of parents and carers.”
“The new toolkit responds directly to parents and carers who have asked for clearer, simpler and more consistent information about the ALN system”.
“This review and toolkit is part of an initial programme of support aimed at strengthening support for children, young people, and their families, ensuring they are empowered and well-informed throughout their ALN journey”.
One of the parents who has collaborated in producing the new toolkit, said: “When my eldest child started to struggle in school, I didn’t know what the process was or what I could do to help him. I searched for advice as you do but there was so much conflicting information out there. Having this toolkit would have been really helpful at the beginning to help me understand the process”.
