New funding to support children and young people with Additional Learning Needs has been announced by Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language.
18m will be made available to provide extra support for children and young people with ALN who've been affected by the pandemic and to help educational settings as learners move to the new ALN system from this month.
10m of the funding will be used to support learners with ALN affected by the pandemic and to improve their wellbeing. During the pandemic, many disabled children and young people, including learners with ALN, continue to experience a negative impact on their mental health and difficulties accessing education.
The funding will add to existing support for ALN learners, such as intensive learning support and speech and language therapy. The funding can also be used to provide extra resources to target the impacts of the pandemic, such as mental health support and tailored support to help with attendance.
8m will be allocated to schools, nurseries, local authorities and Pupil Referral Units to move learners from the old Special Educational Needs (SEN) system to the new ALN system, as the roll-out of the Additional Learning Needs Act continues.
The new ALN system, being rolled out over three years, will ensure children and young people with ALN are identified quickly and their needs are met. The Act makes provision for new individual development plans, designed to put the views of learners at the heart of the decision-making process, alongside those of their parents or carers.
Minister for Education and Welsh Language Jeremy Miles yesterday said:
We are determined to deliver a fully inclusive education system in Wales - a system where additional needs are identified early and addressed quickly, and where all children and young people are supported to thrive in their education.
Schools and nurseries are already doing a fantastic job of supporting their learners, but we know they need more resources to do this. That's why I'm announcing this additional investment to support learners to overcome the effects of the pandemic and prevent the entrenchment of inequalities on their education, employment opportunities, their health and wellbeing.