Information for parents - Additional Learning Needs, a parent's guide

 

The way that children with special educational needs (SEN) will be supported in school has been changing. The Welsh Government has passed new legislation, called the Additional Learning Needs (Wales) Act 2018, and Additional Learning Needs (ALN) Code 2021, replaces all of the existing legislation and guidance about special educational needs.

The term SEN has changed to become Additional learning Needs (ALN)

 

​Further information about the ALN Act can be found at:

https://gov.wales/additional-learning-needs-and-education-tribunal-wales-act

 

Reasons for change

The previous Special Educational Needs (SEN)  system is no longer fit for purpose.

• Makes parents feel that they have to fight for the support that their child needs.

• Is not sufficiently child centered.

• Is inefficient and expensive.

• Is a barrier to early intervention.

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What is ALN and additional learning provision?  

Children and young people with ALN need extra support to learn. This would be because they:  

•  find it harder to learn than other children of the same age   

•  have a disability that means they cannot use, or find it difficult to use, facilities for learning in the local nursery, school or college