Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru | National Assembly for Wales

Y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Children, Young People and Education Committee

Blaenoriaethau ar gyfer y Pwyllgor Plant, Pobl Ifanc ac Addysg | Priorities for the Children, Young People and Education Committee

CYPE 78

Ymateb gan : Cymru ALN – HE & EOTAS

Response from : Cymru ALN – HE & EOTAS

Question 1 – Within the remit set out above: what do you consider to be the priorities or issues that the Children, Young People and Education Committee should consider during the Fifth Assembly?

We have concerns that the requirements for children, who are being educated outside the school system, to access services such as health and social care have not been adequately considered during the drafting of the Additional Learning Needs Bill. Equality of access to NHS diagnostic and therapeutic services is of particular concern. There are a great many reasons why a child may not be attending school, some of those are listed below:-

1/ Acute or chronic medical needs both physical and mental.
2/ Elective Home Educators.
3/ No suitable school places are available to cater for a child’s additional learning needs.
4/ Children awaiting appropriate educational placements, including those moving into a new local area from elsewhere.
5/ Young Offenders
6/ Anxiety sufferers/school refuser's
7/ As a result of a failed school placement. This is most likely to occur at key transitions.
8/Travellers and transient families.

We would greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with the Assembly and other Key stakeholders to investigate how to ensure that vulnerable children educated outside the school system have true equality of access to all the services they need. Where appropriate it may be that amendments to the Additional Learning Needs Bill could be made in consultation with families and professionals to help ensure the well-being of all children in Wales.

We would also like to focus on communicating the changes that the Additional Learning Needs Bill will bring to families before it is implemented.

Question 2 – From the list of priorities or issues you have identified, what do you consider to be the key areas that should be considered during the next 12 months (please identify up to three areas or issues)?  Please outline why these should be considered as key priorities.

QUESTION
Which are the key groups of children who will be most at risk of exclusion from key diagnostic and health care services as a result of the Additional Learning Needs Bill?

We get the highest number of requests for support from these two groups; but would welcome some assistance with research to help identify whether it is just that these are the families coming forward most often to ask for help, and if the need is truly greatest here.

1. Neurodivergent children and young people such as those with Autism and related conditions. (dyspraxia, dyslexia, adhd, pda, spd,etc).
2. Anxiety disorders.

GOALS
To ensure that all children & young people retain equality of access to all NHS  diagnosti, treatment and theraputic services based on need and not the location of where they are educated?

To ensure equality of access to social care services based on a child or young persons need and not the location of where they are educated?

To ensure all families have access to the relevant information they need to ensure the well-being of all children with additional learning needs in Wales, whatever the mode of educational provision they receive.