Health in Schools in Wales

The National Assembly’s Children, Young People and Education Committee are looking at the Welsh Government’s proposal for a new law: the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Bill.

The proposed new law will replace the current term ‘Special Educational Needs’ (SEN) with ‘Additional Learning Needs’ (ALN); it will remove the system of statements and instead give every learner with ALN the same type of Individual Development Plan; require local government and health bodies to work more closely together; and improve the information and advice on offer to families.

At the moment, the reforms don’t include medical conditions. There is now an opportunity for children with medical conditions at schools to have the same protection in legislation as those with disabilities, learning difficulties and sensory impairments. We are working for this change, partnering with other leading health and children’s organisations in Wales to recommend that children with medical conditions are included. Welsh Government has said that if there’s a desire for it to be included, then it will reconsider its position.

Almost everyone believes the system for helping children and young people with these needs must be improved and the Welsh Government recognises this too. Now that there is a proposed new law to consider, Committee members at the Assembly want to hear from as many people as possible.

The survey below is a chance for you to tell them what you think about the way people and organisations working with children and young people should give them extra support with their learning, where they need this.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ALNET-Families?platform=hootsuite

Please complete the survey about your child or your experience of support in school. There is a free text box at the end where you can let the Committee know that you are responding about a medical condition and ask for this group to be included in the reforms. Please include this information, as well as any other useful background information for the Committee. This will help them to see why this is such an important issue.

The Anaphylaxis Campaign is an integral part of this campaign and our National Coordinator Mandy East will be giving evidence at the Welsh Assembly when they hear the Bill next month. If you would like to write to your AM about this issue and need any extra help or information please contact us at mandy@anaphylaxis.org.uk