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Assessing our children's educational needs: The Way Forward?
Introduction
The Scottish Executive's Special Educational Needs Programme of Action, published
in May 2000, announced that the National SEN Advisory Forum would review how
the current assessment and recording (Record of Needs) process could be improved
or updated. This announcement arose from consideration of responses to the Riddell
Committee report into the educational provision for children with severe low
incidence disabilities. It was clear from the responses that many people thought
that there were difficulties with the current arrangements for assessing and
recording children with special educational needs. However, suggestions for
change were contradictory. Some thought the current system should be strengthened,
while others thought the system had outlived its usefulness.
Arguments for and against the Record of Needs system were also heard during
evidence submitted to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee's SEN Enquiry
which reported on 6 February 2001. The Committee's report recommended that the
Forum's review should consider the options of either replacing the system or
revising it substantially. This document is the first stage in a formal consultation
process to consider what changes are required. Part I
of the document looks at the principles underlying the current recording system.
Part II considers views on the framework for the
way forward.
The document draws on views expressed by parents, professionals and young people
during an information gathering exercise conducted by Enable in seven local
authority areas to help the Executive in the preparation of this document. Views
are used to highlight particular concerns, but are not necessarily representative
of wider opinion on the assessment and recording process. This opinion will
be tested during the consultation exercise. Necessarily, there is an emphasis
in the document on the current assessment and recording arrangements. However,
Scottish Ministers have an open mind on these arrangements and whether they
need to be changed. Ministers are happy to hear views on innovative alternative
proposals.
Consultation will run until 27 July 2001. Responses to the consultation exercise
will be important in helping Ministers to decide whether any changes are required
to current legislation on assessment and recording. Any specific proposals for
change will be the subject of further consultation later this year.
The Scottish Executive is grateful to Enable and to the parents, young people
and professionals whose views contributed to the document.
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