New learning difficulties programme to assist all age groups

The Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Skills, Jeff Cuthbert, has announced a new programme of actions to help people with specific learning difficulties, including dyslexia, at all ages and at all stages of life.

The Welsh Government has set out how it will develop a framework for specific learning difficulties. The aim of the framework would be to provide guidance for people of all ages as well as parents and carers, education establishments, employers, public employees and the general public. The framework would take account of current provision for specific learning difficulties available in each local authority and tools that have already been developed for individual specific learning needs, including dyslexia.

The framework will also seek to engage with all education establishments to ensure that all learners who have specific learning difficulties are supported. To take this work further, the Deputy Minister has also announced the establishment of a Task Group to assess existing resources, develop new resources for Dyslexia in English and Welsh as required and also ensure that links are made with policy across Welsh Government Departments. These will focus specifically on:

• Identifying appropriate actions within the national literacy programme;
• Employability policies and support;
• Refining data collection for specific learning difficulties to enable better comparative data for all ages and stages.