Consultation response: Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill
By: Shelter Scotland Published: November 2008
Shelter's response to amendments to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill.
- ASL Bill Consulation response (PDF 177.9 KB)
Summary
- Shelter Scotland welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Scottish Parliament’s inquiry on the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Bill.
- Housing is fundamental to the quality of children’s lives and the fulfilment
of their statutory rights.The additional support needs of children experiencing
housing difficulties must be addressed if the Bill is to help all children
receive the support they require.
- In light of the negative impact homelessness can have on children’s learning Shelter recently developed an education support service to minimise the adverse affects of homelessness on children’s education, with pilot services currently running in Edinburgh, Glasgow, South Lanarkshire and Dumfries.
- Through these services we have found that educational professionals are often unaware of the housing circumstances of some of their pupils, how this can affect their learning and how to support these children to achieve their potential. This means that homeless children tend to miss out on additional support they are eligible for under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act, 2004.
- It is of paramount importance, therefore, that when making amendments to the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act, 2004 the Committee takes into consideration the learning barriers faced by children experiencing homelessness and the additional support they require.
