Item 10 - Services for Children, Young People and Families Update Report
West Dunbartonshire Council · 17 September 2025
Back to Educational Services Committee — 17 September 2025 and its agenda
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WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by Senior Education Officer – Services for Children and Young People Educational Services Committee: 17th September 2025 ___________________________________________________________________ Subject: Services for Children, Young People and Families Update Report 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is: a) to inform the Educational Services Committee of progress on support to children, young people and families. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members of the Educational Services Committee are asked to: a) Note progress on plans to continue developing and improving support to children and families. 3. Background 3.1 West Dunbartonshire Council (WDC) is committed to ensuring all children and young people are enabled to progress through Early Learning and School with the support they need. When this support is more or different to what is generally provided for children and young people of the same age, then the child or young person is said to have additional needs. 3.2 The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 lists four interrelated factors which individually or jointly impact on ability to learn: • Learning Environment • Family Circumstances • Disability or Health • Social or Emotional Factors Additional support may be required throughout a child or young person’s educational journey: others may only require additional support for a short period. 3.3 It is recognised that children, young people and families are best supported through effective multi-agency planning and delivery of services. Educational Services work in collaboration with a range of council, Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) and third sector colleagues to support our families. This work is being developed via the Whole Family Wellbeing (WFW) planning, led by Educational Services on behalf of the Community Planning Partnership. ITEM 10
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4. Main Issues 4.1 There are currently 11 781 school pupils in West Dunbartonshire Council. 5470 Pupils have Additional Support Needs (ASN), supported mainly in mainstream schools. Approximately 280 pupils are supported in our specialist settings as they require a more specific learning environment. We also have a small percentage of our children and young people with additional support needs supported by day or residential providers in external placements. These often involve young people separated from their peers and their community and can be expensive in comparison to supporting in-house. These costs have increased significantly over the past few years due to increased salaries and increased charges from partner providers for the range of specialist support offered. This has resulted in budget overspends and it is anticipated that there might be mitigation of these to some extent by the ASN strategy implementation. The trajectory of ASN needs in WDC has increased over time (from 36.9% in 2013 to 46.4% in 2025) and has been supported by the investment in our ASN estate expansion. 4.2 In transitioning to High School for session 2025-2026, 11 pupils have been supported in the new Riverside School which opened in August 2025. This has progressed well and is providing a lovely secondary school experience so far. Feedback from staff, children and parents has overall been positive with consideration and planning being given to some ‘teething issues’, similar to those of any new establishment. 4.3 In line with National Guidance, we have a presumption to mainstream and almost all children with additional support needs have them successfully met in mainstream settings. Our ASN Strategy identifies and addresses these issues with a focus on the four pillars of inclusive education in Scotland which are: present, participating, achieving and supported, in order that children meet their full potential. Mainstreaming is the ‘central pillar’ to this approach. Our strategy is successfully upskilling staff and building on consistent approaches to meeting learner needs across all settings, ensuring our legal obligations are being met. 4.4 Enhanced Local Learning Community An enhanced Local Learning Community (LLC) model of support has been established, building on inclusive practices and our processes of moving towards a ‘new normal’, where the expectation will be a presumption to mainstream schooling for all children. High quality child’s planning, support and professional learning is instrumental in this. In session 2024-25
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additional staffing capacity and support was provided to 3 identified schools; Linnvale, Knoxland and Levenvale, supporting transition and approaches to meet learners’ needs. 13 identified pupils offered places accepted and started in school. A group of Central Officers and Educational Psychologists have delivered on an action plan and associated tasks to ensure that staff were appropriately trained and supported; that school environments meet the requirements of children attending and that the team around the child worked with parents to deliver the transition and supports needed to enable a successful Primary One. Establishments undertook reviews for the children involved. Feedback has been positive, and children’s progress is evident. They are benefitting from the language rich social environments of the mainstream setting. Reviews will continue to monitor pupil progress and inform next steps.This model has been expanded to include St Mary’s Duntocher next year which will support 5 pupils. A further 6 pupils will be supported in the 3 existing schools. 4.6 Now that Officers are clear of the impact and potential of the ESM model to support ongoing ASN challenges, a Spend to Save bid will be submitted to Council which identifies the requirements going forward and the associated costs and savings. In addition Officers will liaise with a range of Educational Services staff and stakeholders to share our Pathways to Support model which incorporates this work and the range of other ASN supports and reviews to processes which have accompanied it. We will continue to work with staff in ensuring their support is paramount and that they are able to contribute to evaluations and next steps. 4.7 The Neurodevelopmental (ND) Team will continue to offer ‘Cuppa and Connect’ sessions across educational establishments bringing support to parents in school settings as these were welcomed and very well attended last session. The move to holding such sessions in schools has resulted in a tenfold increase in attendance than when placed in WD for Family Hubs. The team aim to roll-out sessions to Early Learning and Childcare Centres (ELCC) this school year. 4.8 Education Leaders have collaborated to identify key areas of development and focus for Year 5 of the ASN Strategy. Notable areas of focus will be: ● Creating collegiate approaches to monitoring the inclusive environments (physically and socially) and practices across all establishments through the use of the Child Inclusive Research into Curriculum Learning Education (CIRCLE) Framework; ● Creating an Inclusion Framework to reflect current and pilot models, whilst clarify expectations in supporting ASN across settings and services; ● Developing a shared approach to data gathering, processes and support for care experienced learners: -Attendance
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-Attainment -Engagement ● Establish a secondary consortium model across secondary mainstream and specialist settings, with the primary aim of sharing specialised resources and collaboratively developing a consistent and high-quality curriculum offer for learners with Additional Support Needs ● Extending the supported employment model (Project Search) for learners due to leave school, in Partnership with Working 4 U and West College Scotland; ● Implement a short life working groups of ASN Leads to devise a consistent approach to Catholic Religious Education curriculum and Sacramental preparation for learners in Specialist Settings; ● Liaise with NHS Neurodevelopmental Staff Team via WD for Families Hubs to co-create a calendar of Parental Learning/Engagement Opportunities to support families in using consistent strategies via home and school to support our children and ● Continue to work in partnership with Citizens Advice Scotland to promote and develop a pilot approach to addressing Child Poverty and the associated stigma. 4.9 Attendance at school remains a priority for all establishments. Data is monitored closely and focuses on key cohorts of pupils each month. This allows for the identification of trends and areas of need. Our detailed analysis demonstrates improvement in all aspects measured compared to the same period last year. In comparison to average attendance figures for the end of May 2024 to end of May 2025, attendance rates had improved by 3% points. This increase reflects the collective ownership of Education Staff and Leaders in ensuring consistent approaches to recording, monitoring and pupil support. (App.1 School Pupil Attendance Report 2024-25 May) 5. People Implications 5.1 There are no people implications as a direct result of this report. However, it should be noted that in line with the recommendations in the ASN Review we must ensure we have a well-trained, high-quality workforce who are equipped to support the range of needs and rights of our children and young people. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 The projected additional funding required for the learning estate expansion has been approved and planned for in current and future budgets. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 If the Council is unable to ensure appropriate support to children and young people, we will not be meeting their needs under the terms of the Children and Young People Act 2014 (Equalities Act 2010).
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7.2 If the Council is unable to ensure appropriate support for all children, young people and staff this could result in reputational damage. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 As noted in the previously produced Equalities Impact Assessment, the ASN strategy and subsequent supports and guidance developed will enhance the quality of the service provided to all children, young people and staff and therefore can be seen to have a positive impact in terms of the equalities. 9. Consultation 9.1 Legal Services and the Section 95 Officer have been consulted in relation to the content of this report. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 This report reflects the Council’s aspiration to reduce inequalities for the people of West Dunbartonshire. Claire Cusick Senior Education Officer Person to Contact: Claire Cusick, Senior Education Officer Services for Children and Young People E-mail: claire.cusick@west-dunbarton.gov.uk Wards Affected: All Wards Appendices: App.1 School Pupil Attendance Report 2024-25 May
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