Clackmannanshire Council Online

Working with Children & Families

Working with Children & Families

Clackmannanshire is committed to working in partnership with parents and families. Good communication between parents, carers, schools and Early Learning Centres (ELCs) is central to ensuring that children and young people with additional support needs benefit fully from their education.

Parents and carers need to be fully involved in discussions about their child's additional support needs. Where necessary, they should be given support by their school or ELC to take part in meetings and be included fully in decisions that affect their child.  Children’s views should always be sought and recorded where possible.

Schools and ELCs, parents and carers may not always agree on what is in the best interest of the child, but by developing good relationships, and through good communication, it is expected that most issues and disagreements will be solved at school/ELClevel.

Many children with additional support needs will already be supported by the Staged Intervention procedures.  If parents/carers have concerns that their child may have additional support needs they should speak to their child’s teacher or Early Learning Centre Educator (ELCE) in the first instance.

For children who are under the age of three and who are not yet in Clackmannanshire ELC placements, parents / carers can get information from health visitors and GP practices.

Parents/carers have the right to

• ask the Authority to find out whether their child has additional support needs;
• request a specific type of assessment and/or examination for their child when the Authority is proposing to formally identify through the Staged Intervention process, whether the child has additional support needs;
• receive information or advice about their child's additional support needs;
• be involved in planning to meet their child's educational objectives;
• ask the Authority to find out whether their child requires a coordinated support plan;
• receive a copy of the child's co-ordinated support plan;
• have the case heard by an Additional Support Needs Tribunal if involved in a dispute relating to a co-ordinated support plan;
• make a placing request to a particular school.

Parents/carers can

• have their views considered and be involved in decision making;
• have a supporter or advocate present at any discussions or meetings with the Authority when the child's additional support needs are being discussed;
• have free independent mediation services which can be used at any time to address any issue or misunderstanding about the child's additional support needs;
• appeal against the Authority's decision to refuse the placing request. The appeal would go to an education appeal committee, and an Additional Support Needs Tribunal if they have a coordinated support plan;
• make a referral to the Additional Support Needs Tribunal for decisions about a co-ordinated support plan;
• have a supporter or advocate present at a Tribunal Hearing.

Further information

Authorities must have a nominated point of contact for parents and young people to get information and advice. Please contact us using the details below.