ALN Reform National Steering Group meeting: 6 February 2025

Cabinet Secretary for Education, Education Tribunal for Wales (ETW), Estyn, Local Authorities, National Implementation Leads, NHS Wales, Children Commissioner office, Welsh Government (WG), Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA).

The Chair welcomed the group and noted apologies.

Two actions from the previous steering group meeting were discussed and closed as completed.

Estyn provided a presentation of the key themes set out in their Annual report (2023 to 2024) sharing how education and training sectors in Wales have performed over the year.

The presentation also highlighting key points from The additional learning needs system: Progress of schools, settings and local authorities in supporting pupils with additional learning needs thematic review which considered how settings are implementing and embedding aspects of the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 (ALNET).

Education Tribunal Wales provided a presentation on the 2023 to 2024 Annual report, setting out an increase in the number of appeals registered with the ETW since previous year, with the content of an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and requests for school or educational placement to be decided as being the most common grounds of appeal. Concerns remain over the inconsistency in implementation of ALNET across sectors and the variability in information provided to parents and carers, children and young people on their rights to appeal.

University of Bristol provided an overview on the recently published research ‘what should constitute ‘Generally available’ provision in schools in Wales’. The presentation included key findings which set out that education stakeholders in Wales operate their response to learning needs across three types of provision: Generally available provision, targeted provision and additional learning provision.

The research has also set out considerations for the Welsh Government, local authorities, schools and further education institutes.

Welsh Government provided an update on the following areas: approach to updating the supporting learners with healthcare needs guidance, legislative review process and call for evidence from the sector, and the increased additional learning needs funding for local authorities and schools over the next two years.

The meeting concluded with an update from Welsh Government on the series of additional learning needs events that is due to take place over the coming weeks including the additional learning needs Effective Practice Event in February and two additional Welsh Language events, planned for March 2025. 

The next meeting is scheduled for 12 June 2025.