Transition of Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs ECSPB
Renfrewshire Council · 14 March 2024
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 14 March 2024 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 14 March 2024 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Transition of Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs – Part One ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose of Report 1.1 To seek elected member approval for the revised Transition of Children with Additional Support Needs policy. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 Elected members are asked to: a) approve the policy – Transitions of Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs (Part 1) b) instruct the Director of Children’s Services to take appropriate steps to ensure its implementation in all schools and early learning and childcare settings. 3.0 Summary 3.1 Every child goes through transition stages as they move through school education. The first transition takes place when a child enters pre-school. This is followed by the transfer to primary school and then from primary to secondary provision. The final transition takes place when a young person leaves school to enter the next stage of education the world of work. 3.2 Part One of the transition policy focusses on the principles and practice to support children and young people transitioning from the following phases: Early Years to Primary Primary to Secondary
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4.0 Next Steps 4.1 A parent friendly version of Part One of the Transition of Children with Additional Support Needs Policy is currently being developed by the Parent/Carer Ambassador group. This will enable parents and carers to understand what this formal policy looks and feels like for them and their child. 4.2 Part Two is in development and will focus on supporting the transition of children and young people with additional support needs from school to adult life. This will be very welcome by all parents/carers and young people to ensure that the right supports are in place to empower young people to move smoothly into adult life. 5. Background 5.1 The Code of Practice (ASL Act 2009) sets out the requirements of Education authorities when planning school education changes for children and young people. 5.2 Establishments should take account of the following principles of good practice whenever a child or young person with additional support needs is approaching a transition point in their school education: transition planning should be embedded within policies and procedures for additional support needs and the more universal policies and procedures for children and young people. other agencies, such as health and social work services, Skills Development Scotland, further education colleges and institutions of higher education should be involved in transition planning where required. the child or young person’s views should be sought and taken into account when discussing changes in school education. parents should be part of the planning process, and their views should be sought, and taken account of, and they should receive support, as required, during the transition process. early consultation should take place with the school or post school provision, which the child or young person will be attending. establishments should plan to ensure that the necessary support is in place for children and young people who have additional support needs to help them through the transition phase to their new school or provision. professionals from all agencies working with the child, young person and family should plan in good time for transition to future services. transition should be coordinated by the child or young person’s named person/lead professional. where a child or young person has a coordinated support plan then any anticipated change in the statutory coordinator should be discussed with the child or young person, and parents, as far in advance of the change as possible. 5.3 Transitions include entry to early years provision, transfer to primary school and through the different stages of primary and secondary school as well as to post school provision. Transitions also include other changes in education, such as a transfer to another establishment or a break in education as well as irregular transitions experiences through, for example, exclusions and permanent school closures. ___________________________________________________________________
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1. Financial No financial implications 2. HR and Organisational Development No implications for HR and Organisational Development 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is thriving - Ensuring the best start in life for children and young people and as they progress through key transition stages Our Renfrewshire is well - Early intervention will lead to healthier outcomes for children and young people. Our Renfrewshire is safe - Local services will benefit children, young people and members of the community. Building strong, safe and resilient communities - The quality of community life is enhanced by supporting transition for parents, children and young people. Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all - Effective governance arrangements ensure that the organisations can deliver effective transition for children and young people Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy - Effective transition arrangements will contribute to a quality education for children and young people 4. Legal No Legal implications The following statutory guidance has been considered when creating this policy - Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000 statutory guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils’ Educational Records) (Scotland) Act 2002 (legislation.gov.uk) The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 Education (Additional Support for Learning(ASL)) (Scotland) Act 2009 (legislation.gov.uk) Supporting Children’s Learning: Statutory Guidance on the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Scotland Act 2004 (as amended): Code of Practice (Third Edition) 2017 (www.gov.scot) 5. Property/Assets No implications for property/assets 6. Information Technology No implications for Information Technology
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7. Equality and Human Rights No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. This policy will ensure that the voices of children and young people from all backgrounds and their representatives are meaningfully sought and are fully represented and reflected in the planning of transition. The Equality Act (2010) has been considered when creating this policy. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is a comprehensive and internationally binding agreement on the rights of children. It is based on equality, dignity, respect, non-discrimination, and participation and has been considered when creating this policy. 8. Health and Safety It is integral to the Council’s aim of securing the health and wellbeing of employees and those affected by its undertakings and without this continued effective focus, there is a risk that will adversely impact on the Council both financially and in terms of service delivery. Support for transition and enhanced transition allows for planning to ensure all children and young people are safe and feel safe as they move through the transition points in their education. 9. Procurement No implications for procurement 10. Risk Staff absence could have an impact on the ability to deliver enhanced transition to support children and young people with additional support needs. 11. Privacy Impact Personal information will only be held as required to deliver the service. This will be done in accordance with data protection legislation. 12. 13. COSLA Policy Position None Climate Risk None List of Background Papers Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) The Promise Scotland United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Support for Learning: All our Children and all their Potential
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___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services Author - Emma Henry, Interim Head of Education (Inclusion and Quality Improvement), emma.henry@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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TRANSITION OF CHILDREN WITH ADDITIONAL SUPPORT NEEDS- PART 1 DRAFT VERSION 1 FEBRUARY 2024 Renfrewshire’s Children’s Services Abstract Guidance for all establishments from Early Years to Secondary to support the transition process with a focus on children with Additional Support Needs
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P a g e 1 | 13 Review Tracker Draft Version 1 Created – February 2024 Contents Introduction 2 School transitions 3 Legislative and Policy Context 6 Transition for our children and young people with Additional Support Needs 7 Transition of ASN Learners, Early Years to Primary School – Process 8 Transition of ASN Learners, Primary School to Secondary School- Process 10 Placing requests and Immediate changes in establishments 12 Best Practice 13
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P a g e 2 | 13 Introduction This policy reflects the following: The United Nation Convention on the rights of the Child (UNCRC): The Promise 21-24 Plan and in particular the Right to Education actions which is a call to action for education authorities to ensure: Care Experienced children and young people will receive all they need to thrive at school. There will be no barriers to their engagement with education and schools will know and cherish their Care Experienced pupils. School improvement plans will value and recognise the needs of their Care Experienced pupils with robust tracking of attendance and attainment so that support can be given early. Care Experienced young people will be actively participating in all subjects and extra-curricular activities in schools. The formal and informal exclusion of Care Experienced children from education will end. Schools will support and ensure Care Experienced young people go on to genuinely positive destinations, such as further education or employment. Article 3 – best interests of the child • The best interest of the child must be a top priority in all decisions and actions that affect children. Article 12 - respect for the views of the child • Every child has the right to express their views, feelings and wishes in all matters affecting them, and to have their views considered and taken seriously. Article 28 – right to education • Every child has the right to an education.
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P a g e 3 | 13 Transitions Every child goes through transition stages as they move through education. The first transition takes place when a child enters early learning and childcare. This is followed by the transfer to primary school and then from primary to secondary provision. The final transition takes place when a young person leaves school to enter the next stage of education the world of work. Transitions also include other changes in education, such as a transfer to another establishment or a break in education, early years blended placements across more than one early years provider, as well as irregular transitions experiences through, for example, exclusions and returning from significant periods of absence. Planning for transition is very important for all of our children and for our children and young people with additional support needs planning is vital to ensure that the transition/the change is smooth and as supported as possible. We must ensure that there is effective communication between everyone involved. At each stage of the transition process children with additional support needs and their parents/carers should be fully involved in the planning. Chapter 6 of the Supporting Children's Learning Code of Practice (Third edition 2017) gives detailed guidance on transitions. The criteria, as offered in the code, highlights which children and young people with additional support needs the statutory measures around transitions should apply to. These are children and young people: • With a co-ordinated support plan (CSP); • Children likely to have additional support needs and are requiring support to make the transition to nursery school • In a specialist placement such as Mary Russell School or Riverbrae School, Flexible Learning Resources or external grant aided or independent provision. • Have additional support needs arising from a disability within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010; • Are otherwise at risk of not making a successful transition such as children who are in and around the edges of care and young carers
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P a g e 4 | 13 Every establishment in Renfrewshire has a responsibility to ensure all children transitioning from Early Years to Primary and Primary to Secondary School have any additional support needs identified prior to the point of transition and sufficient support in place to support the transition. The timescales for transition planning set out in the Act refer to the latest times by which a particular stage of the transition process should be completed. The planning for transition is a vital role of the designated person with responsibility within the school or establishment for planning for children and young people with additional support needs. For a child identified with additional support needs, transition from Early Years to Primary School and Primary School to Secondary School should: • begin no later than February of ante-pre-school year/Primary 6 • should then be reviewed no later than December of pre-school Year/Primary 7 Cognisance is taken of children starting Early Years in March with February birthdays. As such, this process should begin at the closest point to this time scale, depending on the child’s start date. For some primary school children, it may be necessary to begin this process in Primary 5. The school must seek, take account of and record information and advice from children and young people, parents and all appropriate agencies in preparing for transition. The Team Around the Child (TAC) minute from should be used to record meetings and Renfrewshire’s Single and Multi-agency Child’s Plan to record action if appropriate to do so (Stage 1b and above).
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P a g e 5 | 13 Legislative and Policy Context This policy accounts for relevant legislation in terms of the European Convention on Human Rights, the Scotland Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998, the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc Act 2000, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended 2009), the Equality Act 2010. Of particular note is: • Standards in Scotland’s Schools Etc. Act (2000) (guidance on presumption of mainstream education) which places specific duties on Education authorities to pay particular attention to children approaching key transition points, e.g. moving from early years to primary; primary to secondary school or from one stage to another within “all-through” schools. Issues which should be considered include how the current school or early years provider prepares the child for moving on while ensuring that appropriate provision is put in place for the child’s arrival in the new setting. • Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended 2009) places the following duties of the education authority in relation to children and young persons for whom they are responsible: • Every education authority must—make adequate and efficient provision for such additional support as is required by that child or young person, and • make appropriate arrangements for keeping under consideration— (i) the additional support needs of, and (ii) the adequacy of the additional support provided for, each such child and young person. • Equality Act 2010 admission and treatment, etc. The responsible body of such an establishment must not discriminate against a pupil: in the way it provides education for the pupil; in the way it affords the pupil access to a benefit, facility or service; “All children and young people experience transitions as they move through the various stages of schooling … Early or timely planning is required to ensure continuity and progression between stages or breaks in education.” Supporting Children’s Learning – Code of Practice (revised 2010)
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P a g e 6 | 13 by not affording the pupil access to a benefit, facility or service; by subjecting the pupil to any other detriment. • Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) approach is of particular relevance to support learners who are vulnerable or may be at risk. Key features of this approach are: • the eight indicators of well-being (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included); • the common values and principles of GIRFEC which make a difference at practice level to single agency, multi-agency and inter-agency working across children’s services; and • the use of Renfrewshire’s Single and Multi-agency Child’s Plan to support recording information, assessing needs and getting help that is appropriate, proportionate and timely at both single and multi-agency levels.
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P a g e 7 | 13 Transition for our Children and Young People with Additional Support Needs Schools and early years establishments should take account of the following principles of good practice, as outlined in the Code of Practice, whenever a child or young person with additional support needs is approaching a transition point in their education: • transition planning should be embedded within policies and procedures for additional support needs and the more universal policies and procedures for support for children and young people; • other agencies, such as health and social work services, Skills Development Scotland (Careers), further education colleges and institutions of higher education should also be involved in transition planning where required; • the child's or young person's views should be sought and taken into account when discussing changes in education; • parents should be part of the planning process, their views should be sought and taken account of, and they should receive support, as required, during the transition process; • early consultation should take place with the receiving school or post-school provision, which the child or young person will be attending; • establishments should plan to ensure that the necessary support is in place for children and young people who have additional support needs to help them through the transition phase to their new school or provision; • professionals from all agencies working with the child, young person and family should plan in good time for transition to future services; • transition should be co-ordinated by a key person known to the child or young person and their family; and, • where a child or young person has a co-ordinated support plan then any anticipated change in the statutory co-ordinator should be discussed with the child or young person, and parents, as far in advance of the change as possible.
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P a g e 8 | 13 Transition of ASN Learners, Early Years to Primary School – Process All of our early years establishments including our funded provider nurseries follow the council’s GIRFEC policy and staged intervention framework. Through robust internal assessment procedures Early Years establishments will identify those children with additional support needs. This will be supported by Early Years Progression Tool Kit and the Education Officers (Inclusion) where necessary. Depending on the start date of the child, this assessment should take place as close to the ante-preschool year as possible, but no later than December of the pre-school year. To support this process and to ensure that the parent/carer is involved in decision making the Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting should be held in/or as close to the February of the ante-preschool year and again no later than December of the pre-school year. Ante-Preschool Team Around the Child Attendees at the ante-preschool TAC meeting may include, but are not limited to; • Parent/Carer of the child • Child (if appropriate) • Representative of the Early Years establishment • Representative of the receiving Primary School (if known) • Educational Psychologist (if there is role) • Any other relevant professional that may be involved with the child Information recorded at the Ante-Preschool TAC meeting form should include, but is not limited to: • Child’s view • Parent/carer views • Strengths/Areas of need/risk requiring support (professional’s view) • Stage of Intervention • Actions to be taken that support transition to Primary School
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P a g e 9 | 13 Pre-School Team around the Child Attendees at the pre-school TAC meeting may include, but are not limited to: • Parent/Carer of the child • Child (if appropriate) • Representative of the Early Years establishment • Representative of the receiving Primary • Educational Psychologist (if there is role) • Any other relevant professional involved with the child Information recorded at the Preschool TAC meeting form should include, but is not limited to; • The child’s views • Parent/carer views • Strengths/Areas of need/risk (professional’s view) • Stage of Intervention • Review of actions from previous ante-pre-TAC • The option to defer entry to primary school should be discussed with parents at this opportunity, this meeting should be prior to school registration • Actions to be taken between December and June by Early Years team and Primary staff to support transition to Primary School in August
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P a g e 10 | 13 Transition of ASN Learners, Primary School to Secondary School- Process All of our primary establishments follow the council’s GIRFEC policy and staged intervention framework. Through robust internal assessment procedures, and following successful transition from early years, establishment will know those children with additional support needs. As a child grows and develops throughout primary school, teachers and support staff are trained to ensure that they plan to meet the needs of our children and so there may be occasions where a child’s need changes as they move through the primary years. Team Around the Child (TAC) meeting should be held no later than February of Primary 6 (or earlier if required). Attendees at the Primary 6 TAC meeting may include, but are not limited to: • Parent/Carer of the child • The child (if appropriate) • Representative of the Primary School establishment • Representative of the receiving Secondary School usually Pupil Support Coordinator (DHT) or Principal Teacher of Pupil Support • Educational Psychologist • Any other relevant professional involved with the child Information recorded at the Primary 6 TAC meeting form should include, but is not limited to: • The child’s views • Parent/carer views • Strengths/Areas of need/risk (professional’s view) • Stage of Intervention • Actions to be taken by primary school staff to support transition to Secondary School – this will be planned in conjunction with the secondary. Attendees at the Primary 7 TAC meeting may include, but are not limited to:
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P a g e 11 | 13 • Parent/Carer of the child • The child (if appropriate) • Representative of the Primary School establishment • Representative of the receiving Secondary School usually Pupil Support Coordinator (DHT) or Principal Teacher of Pupil Support • Educational Psychologist • Any other relevant professional involved with the child Information recorded at the Primary 7 TAC meeting form should include, but is not limited to: • The child’s views • Parent/carer views • Strengths/Areas of need and risk (professional’s view) • Stage of intervention • Review of actions from previous Primary 6 TAC • Actions to be taken between December and June by Primary and Secondary settings to support readiness to Primary School in August • Discussion of support/interventions to support the child starting in S1
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P a g e 12 | 13 Placing Requests Placing request legislation takes precedence in law over the ASL Act. In practical terms, for the purposes of transitions this means that schools cannot begin liaising with any other than the child or young person’s catchment school. If a parent has made, or is intending to make, a placing request for their child then the Head Teacher with the support of the school’s link psychologist should ensure that the parent is fully aware • that the transitions process will not be able to be fully carried out until the placing requests process is completed. • General work however should be done with the child and young person to best prepare them for the change without including activity which would involve reciprocal visits to schools or exchanges of staff. Immediate Change in School/Early Year Establishment It is entirely possible for schools to be informed that a child or young person with additional support needs may be leaving the school more immediately. In such circumstances, it is impossible, regardless of whether the child or young person meets the criteria as outlined, to realise the demands of the Act. In such cases, every effort should be made by establishments to facilitate a successful high-quality transition by consideration of: • The transfer of information to the receiving school or placement; • Telephone communication with the receiving school or placement; • A visit of key staff to the receiving school or placement. Equally, it may be the case that a child with additional support needs arrives without prior knowledge at a school. If the child has a CSP, this will transfer immediately, and a review of the plan should take place within 8 weeks of the child arriving. For all other children where there are additional support needs, schools should be proactive in seeking information both in written form and through verbal communication from the transferring school or placement.
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P a g e 13 | 13 Best Practice It will be the responsibility of the establishment the child is leaving, to initiate the transition procedures: • Communication with parents/carers and children is extremely important and the involvement and support of parents should be integral to the management of a child’s transition. • It may be useful to contact parents/carers prior to TAC meetings (particularly early years and Primary 7) to establish if they plan to make a placing request or defer entry to primary school. • At all stages parents/carers should be given significant advanced notice of TAC meetings and all efforts should be made to identify and remove any barriers to attendance. • Ensure TAC meetings in relation to a deferred year occur well in advance of school registration • Parents should be given advanced notice of the structure of the TAC meetings in order to give them time to consider their contribution. • The receiving establishment should make every effort to be represented at each TAC meeting. The presumption of mainstreaming means that parents have the right for their child to be educated in a mainstream school environment. In 2019, the Scottish Government published updated guidance on the presumption to provide education in a mainstream setting. This revised guidance states: Therefore, TAC meetings should be conducted around the assumption to mainstream education. Discussion regarding placement out with mainstream should only be discussed if a child is at Stage 4 of intervention. “Inclusive education in Scotland starts from the belief that education is a human right and the foundation for a more just society. An inclusive approach, with an appreciation of diversity and an ambition for all to achieve to their full potential, is essential to getting it right for every child and raising attainment for all. Inclusion is the cornerstone to help us achieve equity and excellence in education for all of our children and young people.”