Beneficios Sociales del Sistema de Actividades

The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 is the Scottish legal framework which underpins the system for identifying and addressing the additional support needs of children and young people who face barrier/barriers to learning (The Scottish Government, 2010c). The Act, as amended by the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2009 aims to ensure all children and young people are helped and provided with necessary support towards achieving their full potential (The Scottish Government, 2010c). It is this Act that the education authorities and schools in Scotland use to address and implement the transition planning process of young people with additional support needs post-school. Indeed, each and every young person, whether or not they have any kind of disabilities, would and should experience proper planning prior to leaving school. The Act requires all young people with additional support needs to be engaged personally in the transition planning process to help them be prepared for the next stage of their life, be it further education, training or employment. This process is helped and led by professionals such as a teacher, careers adviser or social worker who act as a coordinator to ensure a smooth transition takes place. In the case of more than two agencies being involved, a lead

7 _{A person who co-ordinates the help for the child and his/her family when two or more agencies are} involved in helping the child or young person.

professional is appointed to coordinate the planning process. Figure 2.6 shows a range of partners who are likely to be involved in the transition process of the young people.

Young person

Other partners as required, e.g.

College staff, GIRFEC Named Person or Lead Professional, Additional Support Needs Key Worker, Social Work, Health,

Psychological Services, Family Support, other relevant key adult.

Local authority Skills Development Scotland (SDS) School post-16 transition lead School Pupil Support Staff

Source: Adapted and modified from The Scottish Government (2012c) Figure 2.6 The range of partners involved in the transition process of young people

In terms of the timeline (see Figure 2.7), the Act requires the planning process to be done no later than 12 months prior to the young person leaving school and to take account of information and advice from appropriate agencies likely to make provision for the young person when s/he leaves school (The Scottish Government, 2010c). Nonetheless, it is always encouraged to start the process well in advance of the 12 month period to make sure the process is more effective, though in some circumstances the local authority has less than 12 months to carry out the process. The education

authority, as part of the local authority, is also required to send information to appropriate agencies (if any), no later than 6 months before the expected date of leaving school takes place (The Scottish Government, 2010d). In addition, the Act also requires the education authorities to provide information to whichever appropriate agency/agencies will support the young person once s/he leaves school, if the child’s parent or young person agrees (The Scottish Government, 2010c). Hence, thorough and comprehensive planning and management are needed in order to make sure that a smooth and seamless transition takes place.

Education authority identify young person as having additional support needs and requiring support to make the post-school

transition

No later than 12 months before the

young person is due to leave school, the education authority must seek information

and advice from appropriate agencies or others

No later than 6 months before the young

person is due to leave school, the education authority must provide information to

appropriate agencies or others

Leave school

Appropriate agencies and others

E.g. Health services, college, university, social work services, voluntary agencies, Skills Development

Scotland (SDS) and other training providers

Source: Adapted and modified from The Scottish Government (2010c) Figure 2.7 Timeline for the post-school transition planning process

As indicated in Figure 2.6, a range of partners including the local authorities and schools are involved in the transition process of the young people. The school in

particular, has a lead role in supporting the young people’s transition as all of them (except those who are home-based educated) are based at school. The school also serves as a facilitator in contacting all the relevant and appropriate agencies or partners for post-school provision. Together, these partners are responsible for offering and ensuring that suitable provisions are sufficient and available to the young people after leaving school. More importantly, the offer made to the young people should be based on their informed choices, and access to accurate and up-to-date information about the range of opportunities available should be provided to them (The Scottish Government, 2012c). Figure 2.8 shows how the offer process of post-16 transitions are implemented.

Planning starts well before young person’s eligible school leaving date.

Learning provider makes an appropriate post-16 offer to the young person (with agreed start date).

If the young person is eligible for a further offer, SDS will engage with them to determine the most appropriate partners to provide the offer

and support.

Partners jointly engage/re-engage with young person to establish their transition needs and planned progression.

All young people are identified by the local authority, schools, SDS, working with other partners as required to ensure young people’s

support needs are planned for appropriately.

Learning provider monitors take-up of the offer and timeously informs SDS of non take-up; non-completion or completion of the opportunity

offered.

Young person does not complete or take-up their post-16 offer.

Young person completes and is eligible for a further post-16 offer.

Young person is engaging in further learning, training or work, with appropriate support from partners.

Source: Adapted and modified from The Scottish Government (2012c) Figure 2.8 The offer process of post-16 transitions

In addition, the offer made must also be agreed on by both the young person and the service provider including the agreed start date (The Scottish Government, 2012c). In doing so, all the providers involved need to work together closely to ensure that the outcomes meet the young people’s needs. I believe that profound consideration should also be given to the young people’s aspirations and what they want to achieve in their future lives which may not necessarily be a permanent job.