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CHAPTER TWO Defining Additional Support Needs

2.1 Introduction

Improving road safety in Great Britain is a major priority for government, and in 2000 the UK government, Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales produced a joint road safety strategy which set out casualty reduction targets to be achieved by 2010 ¹. A key priority within this strategy is the improvement of road safety for children, with a strategic objective aiming:

"To improve child road safety and to equip children with the life skills needed to enable them to travel safely and become responsible road users"

Within the targets set for reduction of road casualties, the key aim relating to improving child road safety is to reduce the number of children killed or seriously injured in road accidents in GB by 50 per cent by 2010. This compares to an overall target of a 40 per cent reduction in all fatal and serious casualties. In addition, the strategy aims to achieve a ten per cent reduction in slight casualty rates for both children and adults over the same time period.

In Scotland, significant progress has been made towards these targets with the number of children killed or seriously injured in road accidents in 2003 representing a 49 per cent reduction on 1994 to 1998 average figures. Slight casualty rates have fallen by 21 per cent during the same time period. However, the number of children involved in road accidents in Scotland remains considerable:

Table 2.1: Child Road Accidents in Scotland, 2000 - 2003

Source: Road Accidents in Scotland 2003, Scottish Executive, 2004

Road safety for children is therefore a key issue, and a wide range of initiatives have been developed to assist in the progression towards the targets set out in the national road safety strategy. In addition, a number of research studies have been undertaken into the risks which children and young people face on the roads, and how road safety education can be best targeted to address these. Many research studies have particularly focused on the experiences of those children and young people who are at an increased risk of accident - such as children living in socially excluded areas.

One group of children identified as potentially being at increased risk is those with Additional Support Needs. While current research on this topic is limited, a number of studies have demonstrated that certain groups of children with Additional Support Needs do appear to be at a higher risk of involvement in a road accident. As accurate figures on the prevalence of children with Additional Support Needs and the level of their involvement in road accidents are not available, these studies have tended to be qualitative or based on relatively small sample sizes. Little comprehensive research has been undertaken which explores the level of risk which children with Additional Support Needs face on the roads, the way in which road safety education is taught to these children and young people, and how effective these methods are.

2.2 Defining 'Additional Support Needs'

The term 'Additional Support Needs' was first introduced in the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 which stated that a child or young person has Additional Support Needs where "for whatever reason, the child or young person is, or is likely to be, unable without the provision of additional support to benefit from school education provided or to be provided for the child or young person" (Section 1[1]).

Prior to this, the term 'Special Education Needs' was used within education, focussing largely on children with particular learning difficulties. The Additional Support for Learning Act (2004) created a wider definition of support needs, encompassing children who require additional support for learning for any reason. The Act also puts in place measures to support parents and children with these additional needs, and ensure Additional Support Needs are effectively met by education providers.

The definition of Additional Support Needs is therefore intentionally wide ranging, and guidance produced by the Scottish Executive has suggested a number of examples of where children may have Additional Support Needs, including children with physical disabilities, learning or literacy difficulties, difficult family circumstances, and those who are being bullied or those who do not regularly attend school ². These needs may be long or short term and will require varying levels and types of additional support.

Clearly, Additional Support Needs affect the way in which children learn in a range of different ways. It is recognised that children with physical disabilities may have particular road safety needs, for example learning to make use of other senses if visually impaired, or being trained in how to use a wheelchair safely when out on roads and pavements. However, while these children may require specialist training, and as such specialist resources, the way in which these children learn is not necessarily impacted by their physical disability.

One of the challenges in exploring the relationship between children with Additional Support Needs and their involvement in road accidents is that the term is difficult to quantify. As a result, this study focuses particularly on those children whose Additional Support Needs will have an impact on the way in which they learn about road safety.

The scope of the study therefore has been refined to focus on the ways in which road safety can be improved for children and young people who have difficulties in understanding information, learning skills and coping independently. The study focuses on the road safety needs of those children and young people with mild to moderate learning difficulties. Where appropriate this includes children and young people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder ( ASD), who have mild to moderate learning difficulties.

As outlined below, children with learning and behavioural difficulties make up a significant proportion of all children with Additional Support Needs.

2.3 Education and Children with Additional Support Needs

The aim of successive administrations has been to change the way in which education is provided to children with Additional Support Needs, with a growing focus on the integration of all children within mainstream schools, rather than the more traditional use of special education provision in separate schools. This commitment to integration is clearly set out in the document 'Removing Barriers to Achievement: The Government's Strategy for Special Education Needs' (2004) which states: "we are firmly committed to the principle of inclusion and an increasing proportion of children with special education needs attend mainstream schools". This strategy outlines a vision whereby schools are able to work with other agencies to "support the inclusion of all children from their local community", and special schools provide education for "children with the most severe and complex needs".

The introduction of the Additional Support for Learning Act (2004) sets the basis for ensuring that schools are able to meet effectively the needs of those pupils who require additional support. In defining 'additional support' the Act firstly widens the scope of 'Special Education Needs', which traditionally had been perceived as confined to needs linked to health or disability, rather than covering the wider range of issues which can result in children requiring additional support. The Act then places a responsibility on education authorities to identify those children and young people who have Additional Support Needs, develop a co-ordinated support plan for those who require this, and to ensure that adequate and efficient support is provided. Co-ordinated support plans would be developed by the local authority, in conjunction with other agencies, such as the Health Board, as appropriate.

2.4 Children with Additional Support Needs in Scotland

The precise number of children with Additional Support Needs in Scotland is difficult to quantify, due to the wide ranging forms which these needs can take and the lack of detailed and consistent monitoring of these needs. An initial indicator of the number of children with Additional Support Needs can be gathered from the number of children with a 'Pupil Record of Needs' or 'Individualised Educational Programme'. These Records are formal documents which record the special education needs of a child, and as at September 2003, almost 31,000 children in publicly funded schools had a Record of Needs or Individual Education Programme. Three quarters of these children were in mainstream schools, with slightly more being in primary than secondary schools. Of those attending mainstream schools, the vast majority (81 per cent) attended mainstream classes all of the time.

Table 2.2: Number of Pupils with a Record of Needs in Scotland, 2002

Source: Pupils with a Record of Needs in September 2002, Scottish Executive National Statistics Publication, 2003

These figures indicate that approximately four per cent of all pupils in Scotland have formally recognised Additional Support Needs. Information on the nature of these additional needs is available, and indicates that the primary difficulties of learning of those with Additional Support Needs are mild, moderate and specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia). Based on these figures, over half of all children with Additional Support Needs have some form of learning difficulty - 49 per cent have moderate, severe, profound or specific learning difficulties and a further 12 per cent have learning difficulties coupled with other disabilities.

Children with social and emotional difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders and language or speech difficulties also make up a significant proportion of those with Additional Support Needs. Those with additional needs resulting from physical disability, hearing or visual difficulties make up a relatively small proportion - approximately 8 per cent.

Table 2.3: Children with Additional Support Needs, Main Difficulty in Learning

Source: Pupil Census Results, September 2003, Statistics Publication Notice, Education Series, 2004

While the above figures are useful in providing an indication of the type of Additional Support Needs which children and young people currently have, those pupils who actually receive a Record of Needs or Individualised Education Programme tend to be "those with the most pronounced, complex or severe" additional needs ³. This means that there are likely to be many more children with Additional Support Needs who do not have a formal record of their needs. This view is reflected in estimates by the Department for Education and Skills, which suggest that one in five children, have Additional Support Needs at some point in their school life. This would translate to just under 148,000 children at primary or secondary school in Scotland, based on the 2002 data. Unfortunately, there are no reliable figures available which would indicate the type of Additional Support Needs which these children have.

In addition, the figures quoted above exclude those younger children at pre-school facilities and nurseries, many of whom will have Additional Support Needs. No reliable data is available on the Additional Support Needs of children at nursery schools in Scotland. Assuming that the estimate of one in five children having Additional Support Needs would apply to this age group as well, this would equate to just under 25,000 children out of the 127,277 attending public, private and voluntary nursery schools in Scotland in January 2004 ⁴.

2.5 Additional Support Needs within the Study Scope

2.5.1 Mild to moderate learning difficulties

Learning difficulties have been identified as the primary reason for children in Scotland having Additional Support Needs, with the figures detailed in table 2.3 demonstrating that over half of all children with Additional Support Needs have some form of learning difficulty. The type of learning difficulty can vary significantly, from mild or specific learning difficulties to severe or profound difficulties. Estimates regarding the prevalence of learning difficulties vary widely.

However, it is estimated that between three and six people per thousand have severe learning difficulties in the UK⁵. This would equate to between 2,600 and 4,300 children in nursery, primary and secondary schools in Scotland in 2003. The number of children with mild and specific learning difficulties is likely to be much higher. For example, dyslexia, a specific learning difficulty, has been estimated to affect up to ten per cent of the population, of which 40 per cent are affected severely ⁶. Applying this prevalence rate to the 2003 nursery, primary and secondary school pupil figures would indicate that approximately 86,000 children will be affected by dyslexia, of which over 34,000 are likely to be severely affected.

The needs of children with learning difficulties can be wide-ranging. 'TeacherNet' ⁷(an online resource for teachers throughout the UK) identifies a number of difficulties which children may have. It suggests that those with specific learning difficulties (such as dyslexia and dyscalculia) may have problems with reading and numbers as well as short term memory, organisational skills and co-ordination difficulties. Those with moderate learning difficulties may again have literacy and numeracy difficulties, but may also have difficulties understanding concepts and low levels of concentration. For those with severe learning difficulties, there may be intellectual and cognitive issues coupled with challenges regarding mobility, co-ordination and perception. Of particular relevance, these children may also require specific teaching of self help, independence and social skills.

2.5.2 Social and emotional difficulties/ ADHD

Another key reason for children in Scotland requiring additional support is the presence of social or emotional difficulties. These difficulties can be transitory and result in short term Additional Support Needs, for example, following bereavement. However, this type of short term social and emotional difficulty is unlikely to result in difficulties learning about road safety over a sustained period of time.

The focus of this study therefore, is on longer term social and emotional difficulties, often associated with learning difficulties, and in particular those children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD) which is estimated to affect three to five per cent of children ⁸. Based on 2003 pupil figures this would mean that between 25,800 and 43,000 children at nursery, primary and secondary school in Scotland may have ADHD. This figure is significantly higher than the number of children having formal Record of Needs or Individual Education Plan specifying that they have ADHD. Nearly half of all children with ADHD also have severe behavioural problems.

Characteristics of children with ADHD vary, but can include problems with communication and impulsive behaviour.. Children with ADHD may have delayed language skills, may misinterpret what they are told, and have difficulty processing information and organising their thoughts. In addition, children may be easily distracted when an activity is not sufficiently stimulating ⁹.

2.5.3 Autistic spectrum disorders

Autistic spectrum disorders are a range of lifelong developmental disabilities which affect the way in which a person communicates and relates to people around them ¹⁰. There are different forms of autism, with many people with autism also experiencing associated learning difficulties. The most common single type of this kind of autism is Kanner Syndrome, or 'classic' autism. It is estimated that approximately 20 people in every 10,000 have autistic spectrum disorders associated with learning difficulties. This would equate to approximately 1,700 pupils in nursery, primary and secondary schools in Scotland, based on 2003 figures.

This type of autism is, however, estimated to be less prevalent than high functioning autism, whereby people have an average or high intellectual ability. The most common single type of high functioning autism is Asperger syndrome. It is estimated that 71 people out of every 10,000 have some form of high functioning autism, equating to approximately 6,100 pupils in nursery, primary and secondary schools in Scotland, based on 2003 figures.

While it is possible to make estimates of the number of children with autistic spectrum disorders, the National Autistic Society states that there are real differences in the prevalence of autism, even in different parts of the same country and at different times. In addition, there is no national structure in place for the recording of the number of people with autistic spectrum disorders. These estimates should, therefore, be treated with caution, as they are based on general prevalence figures stated by the National Autistic Society and are not based on research undertaken in Scotland, or with children and young people only.

All autistic spectrum disorders are characterised by three types of difficulty - difficulties with social interaction, social communication and imagination. Together these difficulties make a "triad of impairments"¹¹ which is common to both 'classic' autism and high functioning autistic disorders. However, these difficulties manifest themselves in different ways.

People with classic autism and autistic spectrum disorders associated with learning difficulties can experience particular difficulties in forming social relationships, have difficulties with verbal and non-verbal communication, and can have difficulties in imagination (for example translating theory into reality). For those with high functioning autism, including Asperger syndrome, difficulty in social relationships and communication is likely to be less pronounced. However, difficulties can still be experienced in understanding nonverbal signals, including facial expressions, taking language very literally and precisely and thinking in abstract ways. Other behaviours, such as repetitive behaviour patterns and resistance to changes in routines can also be common.

2.6 Summary

• The improvement of road safety for children is a priority for both the UK Government and the Scottish Executive
• While it is difficult to quantify the number of children in Scotland with Additional Support Needs, education statistics suggest that learning difficulties are the most prevalent reason for children requiring additional support
• Learning difficulties are often linked to other difficulties such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Autistic Spectrum Disorder
• Government policy focuses on the integration of children with Additional Support Needs within mainstream schools
• The Additional Support for Learning Act (2004) sets out the basis for ensuring that schools effectively meet the needs of pupils with Additional Support Needs, particularly through the requirement for developing co-ordinated support plans for each pupil with Additional Support Needs

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