Additional support needs for pupils,
particularly those who start at a disadvantage,
are stretched to the limit with children
not getting the support they are entitled
to.
That was the concern expressed by UNISON’s
Susan Kennedy at the STUC 2015. Susan
was speaking in support of an EIS motion
on additional support needs and local
authority cuts.
Susan said ‘Once again, austerity
is affecting the most vulnerable and we
must speak up on behalf of the children,
families and workers affected. Dedicated
staff across the range of services delivered
to those with additional support needs
do their best in difficult and increasingly
stressful circumstances.
That is why, in the best interests of
the children, our members in Glasgow stood
firm last year and forced the city council
to withdraw proposals for all pupil support
assistants to administer medications to
pupils with health needs. Our members,
mainly low-paid women, took 17 weeks of
action and won a better deal.
Their concerns included that there were
insufficient safeguards and UNISON has
been represented on the advisory group
updating Scottish guidelines on the administration
of medicines in schools, due to be consulted
on this summer.'
Susan went on to say that austerity and
cuts cannot excuse local authorities from
the statutory duties required under the
Additional Support for Learning (Scotland)
Act 2004. She was deeply concerned that
many children young people are not able
to access timely and accurate assessments
of their learning needs which is creating
'serious problems'. Susan particularly
stressed that 'speech, language and communication
needs are the most common difficulty,
with 50% of children from deprived communities
having problems'. She also stressed the
important role of advocacy and mediation
services for children and young people
The STUC motion called for all local
authorities to meet their statutory requirements;
investigate the uptake and availability
of advocacy and mediation services; ensure
the new Code of Practice for Additional
Support for Learning Act is widely available
in accessible formats; and called on the
STUC to campaign for improved services
which match the aims and aspirations of
the Act
‘Children should be able to have
their needs assessed and support put in
place as early and quickly as possible
but too many face unacceptable delays
and long waits, with life-changing consequences'
said Susan
