Additional Needs
There are many practical ways in which we can ensure all young people can fully participate in Scouting. We are a values based movement and membership is open to all those who share our fundamental values.
Scouting is designed to be flexible to support all young people to take part, achieve and reach their full potential. When joining a Group, moving between Sections or just “growing up”, the young person should be encouraged to progress through Scouting with their peers.
An additional need is any personal condition or situation that could make it more challenging for a young person to participate fully in Scouting. All our leaders are supported to remove real and perceived barriers to get young people participating.
Additional Needs Scouting
These are some of the many ways we achieve this:
- Leaders communicate carefully with parents and carers
- All leaders are trained in making scouting accessible to all
- All our badges can be modified to make them achievable by all. Each young person should face a similar degree of challenge and leaders can adapt requirements according to each young person’s abilities.
- Young People who need one-to-one support can have their parent or designated person attend with them
- All Young People take part in a programme that raises awareness in disabilities and faiths and how everyone is part of the community
- Scouting believes that it is our responsibility of to make changes to remove or reduce any disadvantage a young person might face when joining in their Sectional or Group activities.
- What is reasonable is dependent upon the effectiveness of the adjustment, whether it can actually be done; and the cost and resources available to the Group at that time.
Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable adjustments should, as far as reasonably possible, remove or reduce the disadvantage faced by Scouts being inclusive to Disabled Young People.
Scouts use the social model of disability. Scouts believes that Disabled People are disabled by society and therefore it is the responsibility of the organisation to make changes to remove or reduce that disadvantage. Our commitment is outlined within Policy, Organisation and Rules (POR), chapter 2 Key Policies.
Further detail on making reasonable adjustments including adjustments to badges and awards is available at the following LINK
Who you can ask for help and support ?
Here are some of the places that we can go to for help:
- The young person themselves
- Their parent(s) or carer
- The GSL or other adults in the Group
- Your District Team
- The County Team
- Diversity & Inclusion Team at Gilwell
- External specialist organisations and agencies
Please remember, when discussing individuals to respect confidentiality
What Support Materials are available ?
Here are some of the resources to provide help and guidance.
- How to speak about additional needs
- Policy & Approach
- Working in Partnership with Parents & Carers
- Parent / Carer Conversation Framework
- Funding to support Additional Needs
- Cognition & Learning Support (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Downs Syndrome)
- Communication & Interaction (Autism, PDA, Speech & Language)
- Sensory & Physical Needs (Asthma, Allergies, Cerebral Palsy, Hearing Loss, Visual Impairment)
- Social, Emotional & Mental Health (Anxiety, Eating Disorders, Panic Disorders, PTSD, Hyperactivity)
- Section Flexibility
Scouting nationally has partnered with the National Autistic Society (NAS) to enable adults to access their e-learning modules on autism.
There are 3 modules you can complete. These have been created by the National Autistic Society and are about people with autism (not just young people). The modules have not been developed specifically for Scouting however the learning can be applied to Scouting.