Greer responds to education committee report on additional support needs
The Scottish Greens have responded to a report by the Scottish Parliament’s education committee highlighting how the “inadequate” support given to children with additional support needs is impacting on some children’s education.
The report states that parents often have to fight for the rights of their children “every step of the way” in order to get additional support for them in schools and that parents from areas of deprivation have lower chances of ensuring their children get the support they need.
Ross Greer MSP, the Scottish Greens’ education spokesperson, said:
“The reality is that one in four children in Scotland have some kind of additional support need and at present, the education system is simply failing far too many of them - as well as other pupils and their teachers. This is the result of years of staff cuts, including over 500 ASN teachers and hundreds of assistants, as well as teacher training which is wildly inconsistent in preparing them to support young people with additional needs.
“I've been pushing the government on this issue for months now and after the damning evidence the education committee has received, they need to get on top of it immediately. These cuts and inadequate training doesn’t just affect those with ASN, they affect every child in the class as overworked teachers, without the knowledge they need, simply cannot deliver the education our young people deserve. Some of the £160 million Greens won for local services should be going towards tackling this but so much more is required. Our children and their teachers deserve it.”