Funding to support children with Additional Learning Needs

£18m in new funding has been announced by the Welsh government to support children and young people with Additional Learning Needs (ALN).

The funding will be made available to provide extra support for children and young people with ALN who have been affected by the pandemic and to help educational settings as learners move to the new ALN system from this month.

£10m of the funding will be used to support learners with ALN affected by the pandemic and to improve their wellbeing, with many disabled children and young people experiencing a negative impact on their mental health and difficulties accessing education during the pandemic.

The funding will add to existing support for ALN learners, such as intensive learning support and speech and language therapy. The funding can also be used to provide extra resources to target the impacts of the pandemic, such as mental health support and tailored support to help with attendance.

£8m will be allocated to schools, nurseries, local authorities and Pupil Referral Units to move learners from the old Special Educational Needs (SEN) system to the new ALN system, as the roll-out of the Additional Learning Needs Act continues.

The new ALN system, which is being rolled out over three years, aims to ensure that children and young people with ALN are identified quickly and their needs are met.

Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, said: ‘We are determined to deliver a fully inclusive education system in Wales – a system where additional needs are identified early and addressed quickly, and where all children and young people are supported to thrive in their education.

‘Schools and nurseries are already doing a fantastic job of supporting their learners, but we know they need more resources to do this. That’s why I’m announcing this additional investment to support learners to overcome the effects of the pandemic and prevent the entrenchment of inequalities on their education, employment opportunities, their health and wellbeing.’

Photo supplied by the Welsh government