Chamber and committees

There is a range of investment and resources available to support teachers to promote equality and address racism and other forms of discrimination within their school communities.

For example, Education Scotland, our national education improvement body, in partnership with Interfaith Scotland, has developed an Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning framework: Inclusion, Wellbeing and Equalities Professional Learning Framework | Leading professional learning | Professional Learning | Education Scotland which includes resources on religious literacy, aimed at supporting teachers’ understanding of the diverse needs, issues and discrimination experienced by different religious communities in the UK, including Jewish communities. Education Scotland also provides guidance on preventing radicalisation and extremism in schools; Prevent radicalisation and extremism | Resources | Education Scotland.

In relation to antisemitism specifically, the Scottish Government provides funding for the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Holocaust Educational Trust - LFA Project (het.org.uk) and Vision Schools Scotland’s Holocaust education programme: Vision Schools Scotland (uws.ac.uk) which aims to promote excellence in Holocaust teaching. While both programmes focus on the Holocaust, they also promote awareness of Jewish people, culture and their contribution to society and address antisemitism in the world today, including through professional learning and resources for teachers.

The Scottish Government is committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable educational environment. Engaging with key partners such as Education Scotland to gather feedback on professional learning, training and the information provided about antisemitism takes place in various ways, including during meetings of the Education Learning and Professional Leadership workstream of the Scottish Government’s Anti-Racism in Education programme.

Education Scotland supports a range of organisations who create resources for or deliver teaching about antisemitism. It is crucial that any approach to antisemitism within educational materials also considers the broader context of how race and racism operate in society. This includes understanding the role of structural racism, institutional discrimination, and the persistence of stereotypes.

The Building Racial Literacy (BRL) Programme is funded by the Scottish Government as part of the work of the Anti-Racism in Education Programme. An interim review Building Racial Literacy (education.gov.scot) was undertaken in 2022 and the programme underwent an external review in 2023 by The Collective, which can be viewed here. BRL External Evaluation (education.gov.scot).

While the programme does not focus on one single experience or type of racism, feedback from participants evidences the wide range of racialised experiences, including antisemitism, which are incorporated into the programme’s learning, as well as the ongoing commitment to spotlighting the social evolution of systemic racism.

In 2023, Scottish Government published revised guidance on the Provision of Equipment and Adaptations, which includes actions regarding provision for short-term wheelchair loans. Officials are currently engaging with Health and Social Care Partnerships to better understand how this and the related guidance on the Provision of Wheelchairs for Short-Term Loan is being locally implemented. Throughout the course of their engagement, officials will consider if any updates to this guidance or additional materials are necessary.

Since 2018, NHS boards across Scotland have had a legislative duty to provide children and adults who have lost their voice or have difficulty speaking with communication equipment and support, necessary to meet their requirements.

As such, this information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government as it is for local NHS Boards to determine the levels of funding required for services providing Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), based on local priorities and clinical needs.

The legislative duty provides flexibility for the development of future communication equipment technology. Through the assessment process health boards should ensure they have justification based on the circumstances of each individual regarding necessity and reasonability, and taking into consideration the needs, views, and choices of each individual, as is the case with other health provision.

Information on the specific technology and communication equipment that is available in NHS boards is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) support is being delivered across Scotland by NHS boards, primarily through speech and language therapy and often in collaboration with Education, Social Work, and the Third Sector, as appropriate to the assessed needs of each individual.

This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Since 2018, NHS Boards across Scotland have had a legislative duty to provide children and adults who have lost their voice or have difficulty speaking with communication equipment and support, necessary to meet their requirements.

Since 2018, NHS boards across Scotland have had a legislative duty to provide children and adults who have lost their voice or have difficulty speaking with communication equipment and support, necessary to meet their requirements.

To support and monitor the delivery of this duty, a National Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) advisory group with representation from AAC Executive Leads across all NHS boards including NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, was established. Its membership brought together knowledge and influence, as well as specialist expertise to enable best practice to be shared to drive improvement.

In February 2020, the Provision of Communication Equipment and Support Progress Report was published, informed by contributions from the National AAC Advisory Group members, local government, people who use AAC and third sector providers. The report set out progress in the implementation of the legislative duty since commencement in 2018, which included:

• The publication of guidance on the Provision of Communication and Support,
• The development of a National AAC core pathway
• The development of AAC topic related learning modules

More information can be found in the report: Provision of Communication Equipment and Support : Part 4 of the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 (www.gov.scot).

Following an assessment by a healthcare worker, the NHS will provide the necessary equipment to support the clinical needs of a patient free of charge. This includes the provision of a wheelchair. Seating is also provided to individuals free of charge following an assessment. For those living in a care home (residential and nursing), it is the responsibility of the care home to purchase and provide seating to their residents.

However, should an individual choose to purchase other forms of equipment which is not available on the NHS or not assessed by the healthcare worker as required for their needs, they may be able to do so by using their Self-Directed Support (SDS) budget, if the equipment clearly meets an identified personal outcome in their support plan.

Another option is support via Adult Disability Payment. The key intent of Adult Disability Payment is to provide individuals with payments to help mitigate the costs they incur because of a disability or long-term condition. This means individuals can use it to pay for things such as care, access to community resources, transport, social activities, and any other goods or services of their choosing, including aids or equipment.