Additional support needs pupils and adult social care hit hardest in 'draconian' council cuts

SOME of Scotland’s most vulnerable are among those being hit by “draconian” savings on services as cash-strapped local authorities look to fill a £300 million budget black hole.

As the first councils either set out their cuts proposals or approve them, it has emerged that budgets supporting pupils with additional support needs and those adults needing social care are being hit hardest.

The developments have caused concern among charities and bodies supporting some of Scotland’s most at-risk groups.

Of 16 local authorities which have divulged their spending plans, all but three are either planning or have made cuts affecting children with additional needs, with conditions which can range from having a physical disability and communication difficulties to being affected by bullying, autism, dyslexia and mental health problems.

Up to £6.5m in cuts are either being planned or have been approved by the councils, according to The Herald on Sunday’s analysis – with savings ranging from £101,000 to nearly £2m.

It comes as the number of ASN (additional support needs) pupils in Scotland has soared from 118,035 in 2012 to a new high of 215,897 – an increase of over 82%.

Meanwhile, new figures have shown that attainment rates for ASN pupils have suffered a “deeply disappointing” drop, prompting concern about the impact of previous budget cuts.

The attainment rate fell slightly across all levels from National 4s to Highers, with the attainment gap between those who have additional needs and those who do not also widening. That has led to criticism from children’s groups and trade unions which have claimed ASN pupils are missing out on the specialist support they need and are being “failed” by the education system.

Highland Council is undergoing the biggest changes to ASN and early intervention so far among the councils – with up to £1.96m being saved next year.

Through juggling of resources, the council hopes to make savings by redeploying learning support teachers to fill vacant classroom teaching posts but have said it should happen without major job losses.

Other cuts highlighted by councils have referred to cuts to non-statutory transportation, cuts to support workers, and other staffing “restructures”.

In Aberdeen, non-statutory transport to schools – such as children with additional support needs being taken to sessions at Lochside or Hazlehead academies – could also be slashed.

Even more is being shaved off adult social care – the support provided to adults with physical or learning disabilities or physical or mental illnesses – with six of the 16 local authorities indicating cuts totalling up to £15m.

In January 2016, 61,500 people received home care in Scotland and 36,000 adults were in care homes.

North Lanarkshire Council is so far showing the biggest planned cuts to adult social care, with planned savings of £5.6m.

It includes plans to gain £1.4m by introducing a weekly charge of £3.40 for the community alarm service.

“Cuts in services to those with ASN are draconian and we risk creating a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people who are not getting their needs addressed,” said a spokesman for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition.

“A rising number are being identified with ASN, amounting to just under a third of the pupil population, but this is against a worrying background of damaging cuts to services. Ensuring the adequate provision of educational support for children and young people with ASN is critical, and yet too many pupils are missing out on the specialist support they require because of budget cuts at a time of increasing need.

“While we are committed to the principle of inclusive education, and to the policy of educating young people with ASN in mainstream classes where this is the most appropriate environment for their learning, we have major concerns over a lack of resources and specialist staff to support these children and young people.

“This clearly has an impact not only on the individuals concerned but also on their peers and teachers.”

The SCSC, along with the National Deaf Children’s Society, the National Autistic Society Scotland and Royal Blind, has recently called for increased resourcing for those with ASN. They are concerned that while the numbers of those with ASN has risen and now amounts to just under a third of the pupil population, the spend per pupil is continuing to fall along attainment levels.

The SCSC spokesman added: “There must also be consistency of support for those with ASN across Scotland. These cuts are contributing to a postcode lottery where some children are receiving the support in one education authority, but not necessarily in the neighbouring one.

“The cost to society in the long term if adequate resourcing is not provided will far outweigh any potential savings made today.”

Age Scotland’s head of policy and communications, Adam Stachura, said: “I would ask that decision-makers reflect on how they would feel if their own care or that of a loved one was under threat. It must not be the case that social care services aimed at keeping older people well, safe and alive are targeted for cuts.

“While the Scottish Government have said they are putting more money into health and social care partnerships to help, councils must not now cut their own contribution. It will only result in a poorer service.

“Social care across Scotland is in critical need of more investment, not less. Too many older people are already waiting too long to receive the care they are entitled to and desperately need.”

Age Scotland research had revealed that more than four in 10 older people are waiting longer than the six-week national guidelines for the critical or substantial care they were assessed as needing.

Stachura said: “It’s not good enough and it should have been a wake-up call for local and national government. We also have the desperate situation, because of a lack of available social care, that thousands of older people are stuck in hospital for longer than they need to be, and want to be, with huge cost to their health and the public purse. Devastatingly, nearly 500 older people died in hospital last year while waiting to leave.”

Seven out of the 16 local authorities targeted savings at early years services with planned savings totalling £6.85m.

Aberdeen City Council’s £4.26m early years savings plan is the biggest of the councils declaring so far. Its plans included removal of non-statutory creche provision and a “restructure” of early learning and childcare staffing structure to include support roles.

Road maintenance budgets are also taking a hit with six local authorities indicating cuts – amounting to a total of £2.35m – with North Lanarkshire making up £1m of the savings.

As new figures showed that one in six lollipop men and women have been axed over eight years in Scotland, school crossing patrols are coming under further pressure with one in four of the 16 councils looking to make cuts totalling £690,300.

During the summer, Moray Council became the first of Scotland’s 32 local authorities to completely scrap its school crossing patrols, as part of a programme of savings. Cutting all 28 lollipop men and women posts was aimed at shaving £120,000 off its spending.

Argyll and Bute Council has a proposal to “remove service” from all 25 school crossing patrol points which would save an estimated £113,000. North Lanarkshire planned the end of lunchtime school crossing patrollers.

Some 163 school crossing patrol personnel have disappeared in Scotland between 2009/10 and 2017/18 as councils across the country have felt the financial pinch.

The councils which declared their savings plans or agreements were Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, North Lanarkshire, West Lothian, East Renfrewshire, Midlothian, Inverclyde, Angus, Argyll and Bute, Western Isles, Falkirk, Fife, Scottish Borders, South Lanarkshire, and Highland.

Other councils such as South Ayrshire, Dundee City, Shetland and Aberdeenshire are preparing their plans in early March.