Additional support needs

The term used in Scotland when a child needs extra support to get the most from school. A disability counts, but so do things like bereavement or being a young carer.

Applies in Scotland

Additional support needs comes from the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. It is wider than the English idea of special educational needs SEND SEND is England's word for children who need extra help to learn. The rest of the UK uses other words, and other rules. Read the full definition of SEND on purpose: a child can have additional support needs because of a disability or a health condition, but also because of family circumstances, bereavement, being a young carer, or learning English as an extra language. If you search for SEN in Scotland you will find very little, because ASN is the term everything official uses. Some children with the most complex needs also have a coordinated support plan Coordinated Support Plan (CSP) A legal support plan in Scotland, for children whose help comes from education plus at least one other service. It is rare, and most children with extra support needs will not have one. Read the full definition of Coordinated Support Plan (CSP) .

Across the UK

  • Special educational needs (SEN) : England uses the term special educational needs, which is narrower.
  • Additional learning needs (ALN) : Wales uses additional learning needs.

Related words

Where this comes from

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