1. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to additional support for learning. (S6O-01852)

All children and young people should receive the support that they need to reach their full potential. Local authorities are responsible for identifying and meeting the additional support needs of their pupils.

On 30 November 2022, we published our updated additional support for learning action plan, which outlines the progress that we have made and the further work that we will do in that area to ensure that all children can access the support that they need.

About 21,000 children in Scottish schools are on the autism spectrum, and levels of educational access for them vary across the country. The National Autistic Society Scotland has told me that local authorities need to be better at recording different types of absences, rather than using the catch-all category of authorised absences. That would better support young people. Will the cabinet secretary look at ways in which that can be done, so that more targeted support can be provided to young people on the autism spectrum?

One of the aspects that we have just taken into the national improvement framework relates to attendance. An important aspect of that is ensuring that the national agencies support our local government colleagues to look at who is attending school and why some pupils are not attending school, and to assist people to go back to school when it is appropriate for them to do so.

I very much take the point that Donald Cameron makes. It is very important that we look at why children—including children who are neurodiverse and have autism—are not attending school and give them support that is particular to them.

I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer about children with autism.

The Scottish National Party’s 2021 manifesto said:

“Scotland’s education system should be accessible to all young people. We want all children and young people to get the support that they need to reach their full potential.”

We have the highest number of pupils who require additional support on record—that is the case at primary school and secondary school level. At the same time, numbers of specialist staff and support are being slashed.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Question, please.

Is the Scottish Government proud of its record at this stage? How will it change that record?

Of course, all teachers are responsible for the provision of support to pupils with additional support needs, not just the teachers whose role is specifically related to support for learning. I point out that, in 2021, 1,036 extra pupil support assistants were recruited. That built on the previous year’s increase, and it exceeds the programme for government commitment.

On teacher numbers and on pupil support assistants, there is more to do, but the Government is determined to carry that through.

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

Beatrice Wishart joins us remotely.

Another impact of Covid-19 has been a sharp increase in concerns about children’s speech, language and communication development. That is a phenomenon that has been recorded by health visitors. The greatest increase has been found at two years old, which is a crucial milestone in speech and language development.

What additional educational learning support in children’s communication development can the cabinet secretary commit to today, to head off concerns of a looming spoken language crisis in Scotland?

Beatrice Wishart is quite right to point out the concerns that exist about the impact that Covid, in particular, has had. The Government has focused on the issue that she raises, and I will be happy to write to her with further details on what is happening on that in education and in health.