by Bill Heaney
Scottish Labour’s Monica Lennon has been pushing for more resources for additional support needs pupils in our schools.
Monica Lennon asked First Minister John Swinney on Thursday what the Scottish Government’s response is to the recent Educational Institute of Scotland findings that young people with additional support needs are being let down.
And that teachers are experiencing stress due to inadequate resourcing, in light of the reported reduction of nearly 20 per cent in specialist ASN staff since 2010, despite a rise of over 710 per cent in the number of pupils requiring such support since 2007.
The First Minister told MSPs: “We are clear that all children and young people should receive the support that they need to thrive in their education. Support comes from all staff, not only from additional support needs specialists.
“As a direct result of investment from the Scottish Government, we have been able to increase the number of staff in our schools and not just the number of teachers.
“Educational psychologists, family liaison workers and additional support needs staff have been supported through additional investment, which includes an additional £29 million this year specifically to support the additional support needs workforce.”
But Monica Lennon pressed him: “We still do not know when the Scottish National Party will deliver the additional 3,500 teachers promised in the 2021 manifesto—or the 4,310 additional teachers, if we include the overall deficit in teachers since that promise was made.
“None of that will reassure my 13-year-old constituent Adam, who has barely been in school since August. He is not thriving and no longer wants to attend school, because his additional needs are not being met.
“Will the First Minister apologise to Adam and his family, who are now investigating home schooling because they are desperate?
“Will he agree to meet them in the new year and take steps not only to support Adam but to reassure the thousands of children and young people across Scotland who are being failed by this total system failure?”
Mr Swinney replied: “I am very sympathetic to the circumstances that Monica Lennon sets out to me. I represent constituents and members of the public and, over my years as a parliamentarian, I have represented many constituents who have tried to secure additional support needs provision for their children.
“Parents want to do the best for their children and ensure that the education system meets their needs, which is why the Government has put £29 million of additional investment in the budget.
Labour MSP Monica Lennon, First Minister John Swinney and Conservative MSP Miles Briggs.
“I am sorry to raise this while discussing a sensitive issue, but Monica Lennon never voted for that. Monica Lennon sat on her hands.
“It is not good enough to come to Parliament to demand the expansion of provision in our schools and not be prepared to put the money in to do so. That is the challenge that Monica Lennon faces.”
Conservative Miles Briggs said: “At the heart of many of the challenges that our teachers face around ASN is parents’ inability to seek a diagnosis pathway for autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“Families across Scotland are being failed, and SNP ministers seem to be more focused on meeting child and adolescent mental health services targets by removing our young people than by giving them a diagnostic pathway.”
The GP asked: “Will ministers now agree to review the changes that they have made to CAMHS pathways, as part of the ASN review that the Scottish Conservatives secured from this Government?”
The First Minister insisted: “The CAMHS targets are being met, and the Government has taken steps to ensure that all such decisions are made on a clinical basis by those who are empowered to take those decisions.
“That is the basis on which such assessments should be made, which ensures that the needs of children are met appropriately in our public services and education system.”