Monday April 27th 2026
Caitlin Stott, Scottish Labour candidate for Midlothian North
This View has been written by Caitlin Stott, Scottish Labour and Cooperative Party candidate for the Midlothian North Constituency in the Scottish Parliamentary elections – 7th May 2026.
As I’ve been out campaigning to become Midlothian North’s next Scottish Labour MSP, hundreds of families have spoken to me with deep concern about the lack of support for children with additional support needs (ASN).
Time and again, parents have told me the same thing — the system is not working for their children. They feel they are fighting for support that should already be there.
That is why I believe Scottish Labour’s commitment to recruit 2,000 specialist teachers — alongside 1,500 additional classroom assistants, including dedicated ASN support — is so important. It is a clear plan to begin rebuilding the support that families in Midlothian have lost.
It’s not just families of children with ASN raising this with me. Teachers have told me how stretched classrooms have become, as they are asked to do more and more with fewer resources. And parents whose children do not have additional needs have also shared their concerns, not out of frustration, but from a place of understanding and empathy. They recognise the importance of supporting children with additional needs, but they also see that when resources are stretched so thinly, it inevitably impacts the time and attention available for every child in the classroom.
The scale of the challenge locally is stark. There are now 5,908 pupils in Midlothian with identified ASN, yet only 62 specialist teachers. That means each teacher is, on average, responsible for around 95 pupils. In some of our high schools, nearly one in two young people now has an identified additional support need.
Behind these numbers are real families and real pressures. I’ve spoken to parents worried their child is being left behind, and to teachers who are doing everything they can but are stretched to breaking point. Without the right support in place early, too many young people risk falling through the cracks.
And this is not just what I’m hearing on the doorstep. Teachers in Midlothian have formally raised concerns about reductions in support staff, warning they are increasingly expected to take on work previously done by others. Across Scotland, support staff have told Parliament that rising ASN numbers are being met with fewer resources, leaving schools unable to meet children’s needs.
At the same time, demand has surged. A record 43% of pupils in Scotland now have an additional support need — but the number of specialist teachers has not kept pace. At a time when families needed more support, they saw it reduced.
For me, this is about fairness. Every child in Midlothian deserves the best possible education, regardless of challenges they face. But that will only happen if we properly support those who need it most.
ASN support benefits everyone. Pupils, teachers, and families alike. It allows classrooms to function better, ensures children get the attention they need, and rebuilds confidence in our education system.
Families in Midlothian have told me loud and clear that things need to change. I am determined to be their voice — and to fight for an education system that works for every child.
