MSP supports group championing children with additional support needs

Foysol Choudhury MSP is following up support for children with additional support needs. 

Mr Choudhury hosted the ASN Reform Scotland Group’s drop-in session for MSPs at The Scottish Parliament, after meeting the group earlier in the year and offering his assistance to them. 

The Lothians MSP said it was saddening to hear about the lack of appropriate support some children are getting at school, with some parents reporting having to take on the burden of teaching their own children. ASN Reform Scotland have a mission to raise awareness about the issues that children with additional support needs (ASN) and their parents are facing, how to improve ASN education in Scotland, and to help raise awareness of the children and their educational needs.

Training for people who work with children and young people with complex additional support needs emerged as a key theme from The Scottish Government’s recent 2023 report, ‘Pupils with complex additional support needs: research into provision’. 

These findings about challenges in accessing training were echoed by parents in the ASN Reform Scotland Group, who raised concerns that the environment provided by mainstream schools is often not appropriate for children with additional support needs due to, for example, a lack of appropriate training for teachers.

Mr Choudhury said: “It was made clear at the drop-in session that parents feel unsupported. 

“The group are calling to increase ASN provisions in Scotland and ensure all teachers get specific ASN training to bring the best for all our children. 

“There should be support for children with ASN in school along with school staff members getting provided with the correct training in all types of schools, so parents can feel they are sending their children to a safe and beneficial environment.”

Parents from the ASN Reform Scotland group also raised with Mr Choudhury their concerns over-stretched funding and called for accountability over how funds are spent to support their children. The group said this will not just benefit the children’s development but will also help their families, as parents will be assured are that their children are getting the right support and care when they are at school.

A rolling presentation was played at the meeting, to convey the concerns of parents of children with ASN across Scotland. One parent noted they want “All teachers to have ASN training in mainstream schools”.  Another noted: “My child deserves to thrive, not just survive in school”.

Mr Choudhury says he will continue to support the ASN Reform Group whenever he can.

The Scottish Government’s recent 2023 report ‘Pupils with complex additional support needs: research into provision’ can be read at this link: https://www.gov.scot/publications/research-provision-pupils-complex-additional-support-needs-scotland/pages/2/