Do you see me? is the theme of this year’s Learning Disability Week. It is an event about making sure people with a learning disability are seen, heard, included, and valued in all aspects of life.

Many charities and communities mark Learning Disability Week including, for example, Mencap. Mencap Cymru estimate that there are 70,000 people with a learning disability in Wales.

Mencap describes that people with a learning disability may need support to develop new skills, understand information, and interact with other people. With the right support, people with a learning disability can flourish.

The Additional Learning Needs Act

One aspect of learning new skills for people with a learning disability is the provision and support under the Additional Learning Needs and Educational Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018.

The Act sets out that a person has additional learning needs if they have a learning difficulty or disability (whether from a medical condition or otherwise) which calls for additional learning provision.

Our work on Additional Learning Needs (ALN)

At Audit Wales we are looking at whether public bodies have a good understanding about the performance and sustainability of the ALN system?

Our work will look at public bodies’ understanding of trends in demand for ALN support. We will also consider how well they understand the cost and if current approaches to supporting learners with ALN, including pupils with learning disabilities, are performing well and are sustainable.

Our focus is on the role of the Welsh Government and local authorities, although we will touch on issues relevant to the health sector and further education.   

The work will aim to support improvement in the provision of ALN by highlighting issues and making recommendations.

What next?

We are currently gathering evidence, including hearing from public bodies, organisations representing learners, and other stakeholders.

Do you see me?

We will be keeping this in mind as we progress through the audit. The perspective of what the ALN system in Wales feels and looks like to people who receive services and support is a crucial part of the picture. This is why we are including reviews of surveys, themes from key organisations’ casework, and interviews with providers and representative bodies as part of our methods.

Our report

We are currently planning to publish our findings around February 2026.

Get in touch

We cannot investigate or become involved with individual cases. But if you have views about, or experiences of, the ALN system in Wales, feel free to contact us at aln@audit.wales

About the authors

Sara Leahy and Seth Newman are auditors in the national studies team at Audit Wales. Sara and Seth are part of the team working on this audit of Additional Learning Needs.