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It is encouraging that the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland published on 12 December reported a slight increase in the number of post probationers securing a teaching post in the year following their probation.

The Teacher Induction Scheme provides a one year probationary placement to allow teachers to meet the Standard for Full Registration. This does not provide a guarantee of future employment with a particular local authority. Teaching posts should be advertised and filled in a fair and transparent manner.

a) Enable Works Stepping Up programme, to date, has been delivered in 75 schools across Scotland, achieving a 98% positive destination rate for young people with learning disabilities. In financial year 2022-23, 2,974 young people were supported through the Stepping Up programme.

b) Stepping Up is an innovative school transitions programme that supports young people who have a learning disability, autism or additional support needs. The programme is delivered in partnership with Education Providers, stakeholders and other third sector organisations. It works collaboratively with Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to provide joined-up careers experience, advice and guidance, and aims to support young people into positive destinations.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting all young people to achieve their potential through Developing the Young Workforce (DYW). Although no specific data is available on the number of disabled young people supported through DYW, the employer-led DYW Regional Groups and School Coordinators work with specialist partners and third sector organisations to support young people who are furthest from the labour market into positive destinations, including young disabled people.

A recent example of this is in DYW Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian. Enable and Action For Children provided ASN training for their School Coordinators and management staff. As a result, the Regional Group now work closely with Pilrig Park School, who deliver education for secondary school pupils experiencing complex long-term additional support needs. Through this collaboration they ensure that every pupil has flexible, personalised pathways to develop knowledge, understanding and skills for learning, life and work. In addition, DYW Fife have dedicated School Coordinators to increase support and opportunities for ASN Schools, Pupil Support Service Students and care experienced young people. Through collaboration with key partners, a more inclusive approach is adopted for these young people.

Operational decisions about the provision of childcare services within Scotland’s colleges are the responsibility of each individual college. Colleges must determine how best to secure their own sustainability, for instance through providing childcare services, while continuing to deliver provision to meet regional needs.

The Scottish Government provides funding to local authorities to deliver 1140 hours of high quality early learning and childcare (ELC) to all eligible children. Our ELC delivery model is provider neutral, recognising that decisions about ELC service delivery remain for local authorities to make based on their understanding of local demand. Under this model, college childcare services can apply to deliver funded ELC provided they meet the conditions set out in the National Standard for funded ELC and meet the usual requirements.

The Scottish Government is currently working with our partners at COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council to refresh the New Scots strategy and we are undertaking a series of engagement events to enable both refugees and people seeking asylum to inform the strategy refresh. The first phase of the engagement work began in November and involved refugee leaders and organisations with expertise in supporting people seeking asylum and refugees. A representative from LGBT Health and Wellbeing attended one of these events.

The second phase, focused on those with lived experience, is currently underway and is being coordinated by Scottish Refugee Council on behalf of New Scots partners. It will run until the end of February 2024. This phase includes providing funding to enable local groups to run events which can be tailored to the needs of their specific groups and communities, for example to enable groups to run an event in their community language or to ensure that vulnerable groups have a ‘safe space’ to speak openly. LGBT Health and Wellbeing are liaising with the Scottish Refugee Council to contribute to this lived experience work.

The cross-policy working group last met on 11 October 2023.

Members were provided with an update on the National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy, including the engagement on the Statement of Intent, and the work of the Disabled Children and Young People’s Advisory Group Engagement Sub-Group.

The Group also discussed Getting It Right For Everyone (GIRFE), a multi-agency approach of support and services from young adulthood to end of life care currently being co-designed. This included an update on pathfinders’ co-design work with people with lived experience, including young people in transition.

In addition, members were informed of the publication of the Education, Children and Young People Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill.

We recognise the importance of timely access to speech and language therapy. We have increased the flexibility Health Boards have in reducing waiting times, ensuring those with greatest need are seen first, while maximising prevention and early intervention approaches for those waiting. The number of Speech and Language Therapists working in the NHS has also increased by 1.9% (September 2022 - September 2023), this increased staffing will support reduction of waiting times for this service.

‎Also, Scottish Government's Best Start - strategic early learning and school age childcare plan 2022 to 2026, outlined a commitment to invest in work to support early intervention in speech and language. As part of that work six Full Time Equivalent Regional Leads for Early Years Speech and Language have been recruited – in collaboration with Education Scotland.

The leads are based in each region in Scotland, aligned to Regional Improvement Collaboratives. This will improve outcomes for children’s speech and language across Scotland, by setting up new stakeholder networks, supporting frontline staff, promoting quality improvement and learning from best practice.

While the Scottish Government provides the policies, frameworks and resources for high quality healthcare, it is for each NHS Board to decide best how to utilise funding, facilities and staff while taking account of national and local priorities to meet local health needs. We expect NHS Boards to plan their facilities and workforce to deliver these services, ensuring the provision of safe, effective and high quality patient care, delivered by the right professional at the right time.

The 2022 teacher census total was 54,193 teachers, which indicates an increase of 1,946 from the baseline, as measured by the 2019 census.

To inform decisions on future education workforce planning I have commissioned an external modelling and research exercise which will allow all of the issues around workforce planning to be considered holistically and will help ensure we will have an education workforce in place that enables us to progress our commitments to reducing teachers’ class contact time, raising attainment overall, closing the poverty related attainment gap and improving additional support for learning, while delivering maximum value for money during an era where budgets continue to be under pressure as a result of UK Government austerity measures.

Agreed budget savings were announced as part of the Deputy First Minister’s Statement to the Scottish Parliament on 21 November 2023. Further details of savings were included in the ‘Update on 2023-24 In-Year Budget Changes - Letter of 21 November 2023,’ sent to the Finance and Public Administration Committee convenor Kenneth Gibson MSP. A copy of this letter can be found here

In line with the normal budget processes the Scottish Government is engaging regularly with the Scottish Funding Council on preparation for the 2024-25 Budget. This engagement will continue with the Scottish Funding Council and the sector to ensure we put the needs of learners first.