ALN Reform

The Welsh Government has introduced the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018 and the wider ALN Transformation Programme.

 

The Act and wider programme aims to transform the separate systems for special educational needs (SEN) in schools and learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LDD) in education to create a unified system for supporting learners from 0 to 25 with ALN.

 

The ALN Code sets out how reforms to the way children and young people receive support with their learning difficulties will be delivered. The Code is an important next step in implementing the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) 2018 Act (‘the Act’).

 

The new ALN system has three main aims:

• Universal, statutory “Individual Development Plans” for all children and young people with ALN. This will end the current distinction between school led interventions and local authority issued statements, and integrate the separate arrangements for pupils in schools and post-16 students in colleges.

• Better collaboration between local authorities and health boards, including a designated officer within each health board to liaise with local authorities and schools.

• A fairer and more transparent system with greater emphasis on avoiding disagreement and resolving disputes.

 

The ALN Code is made under the Act, which provides the statutory system in Wales for meeting the additional learning needs of children and young people. It is aimed at ensuring that children and young people’s additional learning needs are identified early and addressed quickly to enable them to achieve their full potential.