As it stands Scotland there is no formal right to an Alternative Education if a child cannot attend mainstream education or an ASN support establishment. This means Education Authorities are not providing a large amount of children with an appropriate education. These children are being left behind. There are Alternative Education Establishments out there who are ready and willing to provide education and formal qualifications to these children BUT the local authorities have to be able to utilise them. If there was a formal route that education, professionals and parents knew of then ALL children in Scotland will be able to access education. Which should already be the case with GIRFEC but is definitely not being used. Something has to fundamentally change with regards to our system. There is a vast hole that these forgotten children are going. The cost to the country will be huge as these children grow to adults who will probably need further intervention and support. Surely getting it right from the start could headoff this potential ticking time bomb. Alternative Education must be seen as a positive solution to a very challenging and complex mix of situations that arise in education.
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