As part of the Welsh Government’s ongoing special educational needs reform which resulted in the passing of the Additional Learning Need (ALN) and Educational Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018, Kirsty Williams, Minister for Education, issued a written statement in September 2019 setting out the Welsh Government’s intention to lay a draft ALN Code and associated regulations for National Assembly approval during the course of 2020.

The Minister recently issued a further written statement announcing that although the ALN code and regulations remain a key priority they will now be laid before the Senedd in February 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, she also confirmed that the commencement and phased roll out of the Act will start in September 2021 as previously announced.

In addition, the introduction of the new statutory roles created by the Act scheduled for January 2021 will continue as planned

The statutory roles are:

• Additional Learning Needs Coordinators;
• Designated Education Clinical Lead Officers; and
• Early Years Additional Learning Needs Lead Officers.