Special needs progress unchecked

Many special needs children attend mainstream schools

One in three local authorities fails to check how children fare after moving from special to ordinary schools, a report has found.

Critics said the experiences of these vulnerable children should be more closely monitored.

The Scottish Executive changed the law to make it easier for children with disabilities or behaviour problems to attend mainstream schools.

It wanted youngsters to be treated as equals and break down social barriers.

However a recent survey by the professional body, the General Teaching Council, suggested the idea only works well for some children.

The provision in place across the country is considerably better than it used to be a year or two ago Robert Brown Deputy Education Minister

Now a report commissioned by the executive has found that one in three local authorities does not routinely monitor the experiences and results of transferred children.

The rest, it discovered, were mainly relying on an annual review.

The report warned: "There is a danger that inclusion becomes a new orthodoxy and that authorities and schools engage in a relentless pursuit of an elusive gold standard."

Capability Scotland, a charity for the disabled, has called for in-depth research to check that transferred children are not doing less well than before.

More therapists

Deputy Education Minister Robert Brown said the main message from the report was that the balance being struck was about right.

However, he said the research did identify one or two areas of development.

He said there were a lot of resources behind the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Act.

"There are more social workers, there are more therapists, there are more psychologists," he said.

The executive has a duty to make sure the policy works properly but its own report points to failings in the system Fiona Hyslop Scottish National Party

"The provision in place across the country is considerably better than it used to be a year or two ago.

"There will be variances in different places. The purpose of the legislation, of the government action and of the inter-relation we have in councils, is to try to emulate best practice and try to bring the areas which lag behind a little bit up to the standard of the best."

However, the minister came under attack from the Scottish National Party, who argued that the research backed up claims by teachers and opposition MSPs that there was too little monitoring and support for the policy to work properly.

SNP education spokeswoman Fiona Hyslop said: "In one in three local authorities, there are insufficient measures in place to keep tabs on the progress of children moving from special schools to mainstream schools."

She added: "Vulnerable children's needs are not being monitored in the rush to mainstream.

"The executive has a duty to make sure the policy works properly but its own report points to failings in the system."