A new report on parents’ views of additional support for learning (ASL) calls for specialist training to be an integral part of and for all existing school staff to receive extra training, from teachers and classroom assistants to janitors and canteen staff.
The from the Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers - which claims to be the most significant parent-led research into ASL provision in Scotland to date - highlights the daily challenges, systemic barriers and deep frustrations that families face trying to secure the help needed for children with additional support needs (ASN).
As well as mandatory training for all school staff - and education for pupils - the report calls for more “dedicated ASN support staff across schools”; for parents to be actively listened to; for initiatives that build understanding of ASN and break down stigma; and for alternative provision to mainstream education for those who need it, including online learning platforms such as .
‘Inclusion without support is not inclusion’
One parent said: “True inclusion is not simply about presence - it is about belonging, understanding and support. Being physically present in a mainstream classroom, without the tailored tools to thrive, can be more isolating than being elsewhere. Inclusion without support is not inclusion; it is abandonment in plain sight.”
Another parent commented that “many teachers” have “little to no formal input on ASN” and often continue to use “outdated and overly behaviourist” approaches that do not work well for neurodivergent children.
One parent said they “very much agree with the presumption of mainstream” - but only with enough “appropriately trained” staff.
Currently, however, staff are “firefighting” and children are “getting hurt, and going without teaching and support”, the report says,
A survey conducted as part of the research, which received responses from 144 parents, found that:
- Only 11 per cent of respondents strongly agreed that current ASL policies promote an inclusive learning environment.
- 48 per cent reported fewer support staff in their child’s school now than when they started.
- 99 per cent agreed that teacher training on dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and neurodiversity was important.
- 92 per cent agreed that additional support staff would benefit children with ASN.
- 78 per cent believed all staff should gain practical experiences in special education settings to better support children with ASN.
- 64 per cent said large class sizes negatively impact teacher effectiveness in supporting their child.
The report follows an Audit Scotland report published in February that identified an “urgent need for improvement in ASL”.
The Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers was established in 2024 after the Scottish government’s controversial decision to cut funding for the National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS). It is hosted by the parents’ organisation Connect.
Gavin Yates, executive director of Connect, said: “In this report parents have spoken. It is their words that are the important ones. Now it is for those with the power to implement change, to listen and act.”
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