Untangling ASL

A series of practical and awareness raising tools for those supporting professionals, families and young people.

Helping you untangle the world of additional support for learning

We know that the world of additional support for learning can be overwhelming, and it can be easy to get tangled in knots.

We want to:

Answer some key questions around additional support for learning
Improve understanding of the wide range of support needs, and the right to support for learning
Signpost to trusted and accurate advice, information and practical resources.

To do this, we’ve created a series of new resources for others to use and share – from myth-busting, fact sharing FAQs, to information cards for use far and wide on social media and through professional or parent networks.

Produced and funded as part of the Scottish Government’s ASL Action Plan, they are being developed around five overarching themes identified from the ASL Action Plan and related work. They will focus on:

Raising awareness of the information and support available for parents, carers, professionals, children and young people
Improving understanding of the right to additional support for learning, and how to exercise it
Nurturing positive relationships and the importance of working together
Ensuring children and young people remain at the centre of all decision-making and that their views are included and actively listened to through meaningful engagement practices
Celebrating success by building on the Inclusion Ambassadors’ vision that ‘success is different for everyone’, showcasing different kinds of success for pupils with additional support needs and creating spaces to share good practice.

You can find a range of resources below. We invite anyone working with parents and carers of children and young people with additional support needs, communicating with professionals involved in the planning and delivery of support for learning, and/or supporting young people to download and share.

Help us in our mission #UntanglingASL.

If you have any issues accessing or downloading the materials below, please contact Jennifer Drummond, Senior Communications and Engagement Officer – email jdrummond@childreninscotland.org.uk

Frequently asked questions

We take some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) around support for learning, busting myths and separating fact from fiction.

FAQ: What are additional support needs?

Set of three social media cards answering the question What are additional support needs?

FAQ: What is additional support for learning?

Set of three social media cards answering the question What is additional support for learning?

FAQ: Can parents and carers ask for an assessment of their child’s needs?

Set of three social media cards answering the question ‘Can parents and carers ask for an assessment of their child’s needs?’

FAQ: Does a child need a diagnosis to get support?

Set of three social media cards answering the question ‘Does a child need a diagnosis to get support?’

FAQ: When can a child start receiving support?

Set of two social media cards answering the question ‘When can a child start receiving support?’

FAQ: What is mediation?

Set of four cards for social media answering the question ‘What is mediation’?

Cover image for Untangling ASL FAQ Series - FAQ7. It asks Do children and young people have the right to be involved in decisions about their learning? A brief first part answer notes yes - every child has the right to be involved and share views about their additional support for learning. First card of a set.

FAQ: Do children and young people have the right to be involved in decisions about their learning?

Set of social media cards answering questions about the rights of children and young people to be involved in decisions about their support in school.

Parents and Carers

Resources and information designed to share with parents and carers of children or young people with additional support needs.

Untangling ASL for parents and carers

Information pack to accompany the resources designed to be shared with parents and carers.

Untangling ASL Set 1: Your child’s right to support

Set of general information and awareness cards for social media highlighting the right to support under the ASL Act.

Untangling ASL Set 2: Developing good relationships

Set of information and awareness cards highlighting the importance and benefits of developing good relationships and open communication with your child’s school or nursery.

Untangling ASL Set 3: The right to be involved

Set of information and awareness highlighting a parent’s right to be involved in decisions made about their child’s education and support.

Untangling ASL Set 4: Resolving problems

Set of social media cards outling a series of steps, recommended by Enquire, to resolve disagreements with school or nursery.

Untangling ASL Set 5: Routes to redress

Set of information cards for social media highlighting the formal routes available, should problems be unable to be resolved with school or nursery directly.

Template letter – Waiting lists

Template letter for communication with families awaiting further needs assessments.

Enquire posters

Posters for download and display which highlight Enquire and our role as the Scottish national advice service for additional support for learning.

Professionals

Resources and information designed to share with professionals who support children and young people accessing additional support for learning and their families.

Untangling ASL for professionals

Information pack to accompany the resources to be shared with professionals

Untangling ASL Set 1: The right to support

Set of information and awareness cards for social media highlighting the right to support under the ASL Act.

Untangling ASL Set 2: Understanding parents rights

Set of information and awareness raising cards highlighting parent’s rights under additional support for learning law.

Untangling ASL Set 3: Involving parents and carers

Set of information and awareness cards emphasising the importance of building trust and developing strong relationships with families in the learning community and some practical steps that will help do so.

Untangling ASL Set 4: Inclusion Ambassadors

Set of information and awareness cards to help promote and share practical resources from the Inclusion Ambassadors, created for professionals to use in their settings.

Inclusion Ambassadors: Language and Communication Guide

An Inclusion Ambassadors resource to support your understanding on how young people with additional support needs want people to speak to them and why this is important.

Inclusion Ambassadors: Support Planning

An Inclusion Ambassadors resource describing the key issues for children and young people in relation to support planning.

Inclusion Ambassadors: Inclusive Learning Environments

The Inclusion Ambassadors have developed a poster to help promote inclusive learning environments in schools.

Untangling ASL Set 5: Including children and young people in decision-making

Set of information cards with practical tips for professionals to support the inclusion of children and young people in decisions about their support in school.

Enquire posters

Posters for download and display which highlight Enquire and our role as the Scottish national advice service for additional support for learning.

Children and Young People

Resources and information designed to share with anyone working directly with children and young people.

Untangling ASL