Young people with complex needs ‘abandoned’ by Government on education – parents

A family have said they felt “abandoned” by the Scottish Government in their search for further education for their daughter who has complex needs.

Dawn and Barry Neilson, of Burntisland in Fife, were left with limited options after deciding a daily 120-mile round trip to Scotland’s only complex needs college in Renfrewshire was too far for their daughter Morgan, who has cerebral palsy.

The 18-year-old instead attends the charity Capability Scotland’s Upper Springland campus in Perth, a 60-mile round trip, but it is not a specialist college for her educational development needs.

Her parents are frustrated at the lack of choice for young people with complex needs once they finish school.

Capability Scotland’s Corseford College near Johnstone in Renfrewshire is Scotland’s only dedicated college for school leavers with complex needs.

Mr Neilson said: “We just feel abandoned by the Government. The minute they don’t legally have to provide, they just abandon all the kids.

“It’s really quite sad that in 2024 there is nothing out there for these young adults.

“Everybody is trying to be inclusive, but they’re only doing that to tick a box. If they wanted to make a difference, having colleges for young adults with special needs is something they could actually do.

“These children deserve to have the opportunity to go to college, to have somewhere to feel safe and continue their learning.

“We provide free education for all our children unless they’re living with additional supports needs. I find that mind-blowing and almost inhumane.

“It’s not right that the kid next door can go to college and my daughter can’t.”

Capability Scotland highlighted the contrast between the position in Scotland and that in England and Wales, where there are more than 120 further education facilities for students with complex needs.

Mrs Neilson said: “There is obviously a divide between here and England. When we searched for special needs colleges there were loads down south, you can pick and choose depending on the support your child needs. In Scotland, there’s only one.

“Morgan was doing really well at high school, it had taken years to come up with a platform that worked for her.

“Her reading and numeracy skills were improving. Now she isn’t getting that and we’re at the point where don’t know what Morgan is capable of any more.”

Corseford College is in its final 12 months of a pilot scheme with the Scottish Government in which it is working to validate the case for a rollout of satellite centres across the country.

Capability Scotland said that without continued funding and reassurance from Holyrood that the college will continue to be funded and satellite centres set up around the country, Scotland risks having no dedicated further education provision for school leavers with complex needs.

Brian Logan, chief executive of Capability Scotland, called on the Scottish Government to commit to robust and equitable funding in its budget after the UK Government pledged £1 billion to special needs education south of the border.

He said: “The impact of our college on students and families is immense and sustained government funding would provide the security needed to expand our provision, and support every young person with complex needs in Scotland.

“We welcome the UK Government’s investment in facilities across England and hope a similar desire to help young people with complex needs can be realised in Scotland.”

Corseford College, which opened in 2022, provides education, physical therapies, life skills, and comprehensive care.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “It is vital that young people with disabilities and those with long-term medical conditions or additional support needs are supported as they leave school towards work or training.

“Over the past three years, more than £1 million has been provided to Capability Scotland to support the Corseford pilot for young people with complex additional support needs, delivering physical therapies and life-skills development.

“We are working alongside Capability Scotland to commission an independent evaluation of the pilot which will allow us to explore a sustainable approach to specialist provision going forward.”