By Lucy Ashton
West Dunbartonshire Council have a duty under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to plan and provide support for children and young people with additional support needs, including those with complex additional support needs.
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth, pictured right, told the Scottish Parliament today: “Despite the challenging financial climate that we face, spending on additional support for learning reached a record high of £926 million in 2022-23.
“The Scottish Government also provides £11 million of funding each year to directly support pupils with complex additional support needs and services for children and families.”
The parliamentary question came up just a week after two Dumbarton mothers complained about the standard of education their special needs children were receiving locally.
Jenny Gilruth added: “The legislation on the presumption of mainstreaming has very clear exceptions to allow children and young people to learn in a special school or in specialist units if that would best meet their needs.
“Although school placements are, of course, a matter for our councils, parents have the right to make a placing request to the school of their choice. “