FOI Request - Children with Additional Support Needs (ASN)
Request 101003272916
Update 06-04-2023
Under the Freedom of Information Act, I would like to request the following information regarding care and education for children with additional support needs (ASN).
Where possible, please kindly include responses on the attached Excel spreadsheet.
We are aware of data published by the Scottish Government. However, the ‘Pupil Census Supplementary Statistics’' data set (https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-census-supplementary-statistics/), doesn't provide granular breakdown by primary type of SEN need and type of plan. We are aware the data set provides the number of children in special schools but does not split this data more granularly into school type.
As a result, we would like to request the following breakdown of data:
1. Please could you supply the name, job title, email address and telephone number of the commissioner with responsibility for children’s additional support needs (ASN) placements.
For questions 2 through 8, please supply the following information for the financial years 2019/20 to 2022/23, and where possible, budgeted or projected figures available for 2023/24.
Please note that ‘all ‘Special School’ categories’ includes state-funded nursery, primary, and secondary special schools, non-maintained special schools, pupil referral units, and independent special schools
2. Please provide the total number of children and young people in the local authority with: i) additional support needs (ASN), ii) a co-ordinated support plan (CSP), iii) or an individualised education programme (IEP) in all 'Special school' categories with a primary need of;
a. Learning disability
b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder
c. SEMH
3. Please provide the total number of children and young people in the local authority with: i) ASN, ii) CSP, iii) or IEP in a 'Special school: independent special school' only with a primary need of;
a. Learning disability
b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder
c. SEMH
4. Please provide the Local Authority’s total expenditure on ASN placements in 'Special school: independent special schools'
5. Of the total number of children and young people with: i) ASN, ii) CSP, iii) IEP, who are attending all ‘Special School’ categories, please provide the number that are placed out of area (i.e. outside the LA boundary) with a primary need of;
a. Learning disability
b. Autistic Spectrum Disorder
c. SEMH
6. Please provide the total number of children and young people in the local authority with: i) ASN, ii) CSP, iii) IEP, in a 'Special school: independent special school' that are in day placements (no boarding component)
Response 14-04-2023
1. We do not have a Commissioner post with responsibility for children’s ASN placements.
2. Please refer to attached Summary of ASN Data document.
3. We do not have any special schools in Moray. We support children with ASN in enhanced provisions within our local primary and secondary schools.
4. & 5. Not held. Our current placements to Out of Area Special Schools are primarily driven by social work, however expenditure is currently shared between Social Work and Education on a 50:50 basis. We cannot provide a breakdown of expenditure relating to ASN placements as the reason for placement is often complex and not primarily related to meeting educational ASN needs. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
6. We have a small number of young people (currently 6 pupils) who are supported full-time outside of mainstream education (through individualised education packages).