ASN checklist and CSP organiser (Scotland)
For parents and carers in Scotland dealing with additional support for learning, a CSP or a tribunal reference. Here is a practical way to organise the reports, letters and plans so you can find everything quickly and keep track of every time limit.
Checked against official sources on 3 November 2026.
The quick version
- Keep every report, letter and plan in one binder, split into the sections below.
- Write down every date and time limit the moment you get a letter.
- Follow up every call or meeting with an email, and log it.
- Check each week that the support in the plan is actually happening.
Asking for support or a csp
- Write down what your child finds hard and what helps
- Ask the school what support is in place and how it's recorded
- Ask if there's a school plan (IEP or similar) and get a copy
- Collect reports from health, therapy or other professionals
- Write to the education authority and say what you're asking for
- Say if you want it to decide on a CSP or on additional support needs
- Keep a copy and note the date you sent it
- Note the eight week response time for a CSP request
- Add your child's views to the file
- Ask about other assessments, such as educational or psychological
- Keep notes of every call and meeting
- Call Enquire if you're unsure what to do next
- File the decision letter and the reasons given
- Note any dates for review or appeal in your key dates
- Think about mediation if you disagree
- Check the tribunal time limit before it passes
Documents to gather
Gather these before you ask for support or go to a review. Tick each one off as you find it.
- Full name, date of birth and address
- Recent photo and child profile
- Diagnosis letters or reports
- Your child's own views, written or recorded
- Contact list of school and professionals
- GP and consultant letters
- Speech and language reports
- Occupational therapy reports
- CAMHS or paediatric reports
- Medication and care notes
- School reports and progress notes
- Attendance and exclusion records
- Notes from parents' evenings
- Emails with teachers and support staff
- Examples of your child's work
- Educational psychologist report
- School assessments and screening results
- Independent reports you've paid for
- Your own written views
- Social work or family support reports
- School plan (IEP or similar)
- Draft and final CSP
- Review invitations and reports
- Past versions of each plan
- Review preparation pages
- Your written requests, with dates
- Authority replies and reasons
- Mediation or adjudication papers
- Tribunal reference form and papers
- Correspondence Log
- Receipts for reports or equipment
- Travel costs to meetings
- School transport letters, if any
Dates and deadlines to track
- Request for CSP or assessment sent
- Authority reply due (8 weeks)
- Co-ordinated support plan issued
- Plan review starts (12 months)
- Plan review finished (12 weeks)
- Mediation or adjudication requested
- Tribunal reference sent (check limit)
- Next school review meeting
Use the exact dates on the letters, forms and notices you receive.
How to section your binder
What this binder is for
Case Ready is a document organisation tool for parents and carers. This edition is designed with reference to the Additional Support for Learning Act and its Supporting Children's Learning code of practice, with mygov.scot and Enquire guidance.
- Keep reports, letters and the plan in one place
- Track every time limit and meeting
- Check the support in the plan is actually happening
What this binder is not
Case Ready:
- Does not provide legal or educational advice
- Does not tell you what to argue or what your child is entitled to
- Does not replace the advice of a specialist adviser
For free, impartial advice, speak to Enquire, the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning (0345 123 2303), or Let's Talk ASN.
How the process works here
In Scotland, extra help is called additional support for learning. Your child's school usually notices a need first, and your education authority has duties towards your child.
- Additional support needs means help beyond what most children of the same age get. It can be short or long term.
- Causes include disability or health, the learning environment, family life, and social and emotional factors.
- Talk to the school first. Many children get a school plan, often called an IEP or something similar.
- You, an eligible child or a young person can ask the authority to decide on additional support needs or a CSP.
- The authority has eight weeks to respond to a request about a co-ordinated support plan.
- You can also ask for other assessments, such as educational, medical or psychological ones.
- Keep a copy of each request and the date you sent it.
The draft code allows 16 weeks if you ask during a school holiday of four weeks or more. Get dates confirmed in writing.
The co-ordinated support plan
A CSP is a statutory plan for some children with complex or multiple needs. A child or young person needs one when all three of these apply.
- Their needs come from one or more complex factors, or from multiple factors.
- Their needs are likely to last more than a year.
- They need significant input from a body other than the education authority, such as health or social work.
- The plan holds a profile, the factors behind the needs, and educational objectives set for about a year.
- It lists the additional support needed, the professions providing it and the school.
- It records the views of the child or young person and a parent, and a review timetable.
- The authority must date and sign it, and it names contact points for advice.
A school plan (IEP or similar) isn't set out in law. Support can be good without a CSP.
Reviews
A CSP review must begin within 12 months of the date the plan was made or changed. It must be completed within 12 weeks of starting.
- The views of your child and the parents should be recorded.
- After a review, the authority amends the plan as it thinks necessary.
- If you think the plan needs looking at sooner, ask the authority in writing.
- If a review is late or refused, ask Enquire whether you can refer it to the tribunal.
- Before each review, use the review preparation page and bring evidence.
School plan reviews follow your school's own timetable, so ask when the next one is.
If you disagree
Talk to the school, then the authority. These routes are also open to you, and you can use more than one.
- Mediation is voluntary, confidential and free for parents and young people. Use it at any stage, more than once.
- Independent adjudication: ask Scottish Ministers. The adjudicator usually reviews papers and makes recommendations.
- Adjudication doesn't cover CSP matters, special school placing refusals or transitions. These go to the tribunal.
- The ASN Tribunal is part of the Health and Education Chamber. It hears references against authority decisions.
- It covers CSP matters, special school placing request refusals and school to post-school transitions.
- Children 12 to 15 with capacity can make some references. Limits are often two months from being told of the right.
- You can bring a supporter or an advocate. The Scottish Ministers must provide free advocacy during tribunal proceedings.
Check the date in your decision letter, and ask Enquire or Let's Talk ASN early.
Terms used in this organiser
- Additional support needs (ASN): needs that call for help beyond what most children of the same age get.
- Education authority: the local council body responsible for school education.
- CSP: co-ordinated support plan, the statutory plan for some children with complex or multiple needs.
- IEP: individualised educational programme, a school plan that isn't statutory.
- Eligible child: a child aged 12 to 15 with capacity who can make certain references.
- Young person: someone aged 16 or over who is still at school.
- Reference: a tribunal application.
Different authorities use different names for school plans. Ask what yours calls it.
Who this is for and where to get help
Parents, carers and young people in Scotland. This is general information, not legal advice. England, Wales and Northern Ireland work differently, so use their editions.
- Enquire, the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning: 0345 123 2303.
- Let's Talk ASN: free advocacy for parents and young people aged 16 and over still at school. 0141 445 1955.
- My Rights, My Say: free advice and advocacy for children aged 12 to 15.
- Equality Advisory and Support Service: 0808 800 0082, for disability discrimination.
- Health and Education Chamber (tribunal): 0141 302 5860.
- A fourth edition of the code of practice is out as a draft, so wording may change.
Phone numbers are as listed on the official pages. Check them if you can't get through.
Before the review or hearing
- Written request or concern sent, with the date
- Latest reports and assessments copied and filed
- Current school plan (IEP or similar) brought along
- CSP, or reasons for no CSP, in front of me
- Child's views written down or recorded
- My own views and examples written down
- Supporter or advocate arranged, if wanted
- Questions and requested changes listed
- Notes page ready to record decisions and dates
Save time with Case Ready
Case Ready is a printable, fillable organiser for Scotland: one-page profile, provision tracker, review preparation pages, reports index and a tracker workbook for Excel and Google Sheets, with your child’s details on every page. Type into it on screen or print it at home.
This binder is a general organisational aid. Rules, time limits and terms vary by country and area, and can change. Always follow the letters and decisions you receive and check current guidance. Nothing in this binder is legal advice.