Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Supporters and advocacy

14 Supporters and advocacy

(1) Where, in connection with the exercise of an education authority’s functions under this Act in relation to any child or young person, the relevant person wishes—

(a) to have another person (referred to as a “supporter”) present at any discussions with the authority for the purpose of supporting the relevant person in the course of those discussions, or

(b) another person (referred to as an “advocate”) to—

(i) conduct such discussions or any part of them, or

(ii) make representations to the authority,

on the relevant person’s behalf,

the education authority must comply with the relevant person’s wishes, unless the wishes are unreasonable.

(2) In subsection (1), “the relevant person” means—

(a) in the case of a child, the child’s parent,

(b) in the case of a young person—

(i) the young person, or

(ii) if the authority are satisfied that the young person lacks capacity to participate in discussions or make representations as referred to in subsection (1), the young person’s parent.

(3) Nothing in subsection (1) is to be read as requiring an education authority to provide or pay for a supporter or advocate.