Staged intervention framework Scotland: ASN stages explained
Staged intervention is the way many Scottish local authorities organise identification, planning and review of support. In 2026, local models still vary. A new National Staged Intervention Model is being developed, but national rollout is planned to begin in August 2028.
Scotland has a separate additional support for learning framework. Check current Scottish Government guidance and your education authority’s procedures.
What happens now
Scottish Government guidance says local authorities and agencies currently use different staged approaches, commonly with three to six stages. The idea is to identify needs early, use proportionate support and involve additional expertise or agencies as needed.
What changed in August 2026
The Scottish Government published a route map for a National Staged Intervention Model on 31 August 2026. The aim is to create greater consistency across all 32 council areas in how needs are identified, support is planned and delivered, and progress is reviewed.
What has not changed yet
The national model is still being designed. Co-design is scheduled through February 2027, followed by guidance development, phased testing and national rollout beginning in August 2028. Families should therefore continue to use their council’s current procedures while watching for local implementation updates.
Four common levels of staged intervention
The Scottish Government's 2026 Code of Practice describes four common components of staged intervention. These are not a single mandatory national four-stage scale: councils currently use different models, including different stage numbers and names. Ask your school for its own staged-intervention policy.
| Illustrative level | What support may involve | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Universal support | Inclusive teaching and everyday classroom adaptations. | What changes are being tried, and how is their impact recorded? |
| Additional support | Targeted approaches, extra assessment or small-group support, with a named school coordinator. | What targets and review date have been agreed? |
| Enhanced support | Individualised planning, potentially with educational psychology, speech and language therapy or other specialists. | Who coordinates the plan and specialist advice? |
| Intensive support | More extensive, often multi-agency support coordinated by a lead professional. | Is a statutory Co-ordinated Support Plan assessment relevant? |
These levels describe increasing coordination and individualisation, not an automatic waiting list. Support should be based on the child's needs and the applicable duties, rather than requiring families to work through every stage first.
IEPs, Child's Plans and Co-ordinated Support Plans
A school may record support in an Individualised Educational Programme (IEP), an Additional Support for Learning Plan or a Child's Plan. The plan name and local staged-intervention level do not themselves determine statutory rights. A Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) is a separate statutory plan, considered where the legal criteria are met. Ask the education authority about assessment and your rights if needs are significant or support is not working.
Questions to ask school now
- Which stage of the local support process is my child at?
- What support is attached to that stage?
- What evidence would trigger a review or move to a different level of support?
- Who is coordinating the plan?
- When is the next review date?
Free staged intervention meeting checklist
Print this page or save it as a PDF to take the questions to a school meeting.
- ☐ Ask for the current local authority staged intervention policy and your child's recorded stage.
- ☐ List the learning or participation barriers and support already tried.
- ☐ Record your child's views and your own observations.
- ☐ Agree adjustments, named responsibilities and a review date.
- ☐ Ask what evidence would prompt further assessment or specialist input.
- ☐ Request a written summary and ask whether an IEP, Child's Plan or CSP consideration is appropriate.
Free Scotland parent toolkit
Organise additional-support evidence, meetings, support tracking and reviews with our free Scotland Additional Support for Learning Parent Toolkit.
Official and authoritative sources
Scottish Government — 2026 Code of Practice summary, staged intervention and four common components
Education Scotland Parentzone — Types of plan and local staged intervention
Scottish Government — Identifying and Assessing Needs
Scottish Government — National Staged Intervention Model route map
Scottish Government — Consistent additional support for learning (31 August 2026)
Community
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