New support package launched for families navigating Additional Learning Needs system

A new package of support aimed at helping learners and families better understand and navigate Wales’ Additional Learning Needs (ALN) system has been unveiled by the Welsh Government.

Central to the announcement is a new ALN parent and carer toolkit, developed in partnership with families and practitioners.

The resource explains how the ALN system operates, outlines available support for children and young people, and sets out the legal rights of parents and carers under the ALN framework. It is available in Welsh and English, as well as in accessible formats including BSL and Easy Read.

The Government says the toolkit responds directly to calls from families for clearer and more consistent information, amid concerns that parents often struggle to understand how decisions are made or what support their child is entitled to.

Alongside the toolkit, the Education Secretary has announced new national support for schools, colleges and local authorities to improve consistency in delivering ALN provision.

A consultation will also be launched on a new national ALN data set, designed to create a clearer picture of performance and inform future improvements.

A further £8.2 million in funding will be allocated this year to local authorities, schools and colleges to help strengthen implementation of the ALN reforms. This comes in addition to £150 million in revenue funding invested over the past four years to embed the ALN system, plus more than £170 million in capital funding for improving learning environments through the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme.

The Cabinet Secretary, Lynne Neagle, recently visited Pencaerau Primary School in Cardiff to meet teachers, staff and parents and view the school’s new Specialist Resource Base. Speaking after the visit, she said:

“Parents and carers have been clear that they want simpler, more consistent information about how the ALN system works. What matters most is that every learner’s needs are understood and met with the right support. This toolkit and wider programme of work are important steps in strengthening that support.”

Independent review

The Government has also confirmed an independent review of ALN advocacy provision across Wales, led by education expert Gareth Morgans. Ministers say the review will help ensure that families’ voices are heard and that advocacy arrangements are fit for purpose.

One parent involved in developing the toolkit welcomed its publication, saying it would have made a significant difference when their own child first began struggling in school: “There was so much conflicting information. Having this toolkit early on would have really helped me understand the process.”