FamilyFX: The Family Reset System
Local support in Aberdeen City

Additional support needs in Aberdeen City: where to begin

Aberdeen City Council is the education authority, while NHS Grampian provides health services across a wider area. School is usually the clearest first contact for support with learning.

Sources checked 14 August 2026Next review 14 August 2027
An illustrated Aberdeen coastline with a sandy bay, pale granite buildings, church spires and harbour walls.
Stylised illustration representing the area's character, not an exact photograph of a landmark or service location.

How support is organised in Aberdeen City

Aberdeen City is a separate council area from Aberdeenshire, even though the two share NHS Grampian services and many families move between them for school, work and healthcare. Use the home council area when you need an education authority decision, then check the named provider for any health referral.

If a child is struggling to learn, attend, communicate or take part in school life, begin with the teacher, support for learning staff or headteacher. Describe what is happening in ordinary situations and ask what can change now. Additional support in Scotland is based on barriers to learning, not on waiting for a particular diagnosis.

Aberdeen City Council is responsible for education and publishes local information for children and young people with additional support needs. The school will usually coordinate the first assessment and plan, bringing in council specialists or other agencies when that is needed.

NHS Grampian covers Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray. A referral may therefore use a regional service name even though education decisions remain with Aberdeen City Council. Enquire provides independent national advice about additional support for learning and can help families understand rights, assessments and planning.

FamilyFX local support signals

The local picture in Aberdeen City

This section maps the current health bodies serving this area and, where a comparable official measure is available, presents it alongside the national figure. It is not a rating of the area or the quality of an individual service.

Health

NHS boards for Aberdeen City

Territorial NHS boards plan and provide many local health services in Scotland. A particular assessment or treatment may be delivered by another team or through a regional pathway.

NHS GrampianCovers NHS Grampian areaVisit NHS board website

Urgent help

Urgent mental health help in Scotland

NHS inform guidance for urgent mental health support. Call 999 if life is at immediate risk.

Visit Urgent mental health help in Scotland

Local organisations and advice

Aberdeen City Council

Covers Aberdeen City

The council is responsible for school education and local additional support decisions.

Visit website

NHS Grampian

Covers NHS Grampian area

NHS Grampian also covers Aberdeenshire and Moray; individual referrals are managed by the receiving provider.

Visit website

Enquire

Covers Scotland

Independent national advice about additional support for learning and education rights.

Visit website

NHS inform

Covers Scotland

Use current NHS inform guidance for urgent mental health help; call 999 if life is at immediate risk.

Visit website

Services and local pathways

Additional support for learning guidance

Scottish Government additional support for learning

Official Scottish Government guidance about additional support for learning.

Who it is for: Children and young people in Scotland who need extra help to benefit from education.

How to access it: Raise the concern with the nursery, school or education authority and use the official guidance to understand the framework.

Check current details

Enquire advice for families

Enquire

Independent advice for parents, carers, children and young people.

Who it is for: Parents, carers, children and young people in Scotland, as well as people supporting them.

How to access it: Read the guidance online or contact Enquire for advice about a specific education question.

Check current details

Practical next steps

Ask the school to write down the barrier, the support being tried, who is responsible and when it will be reviewed. A list of service names without frequency or intended outcome is difficult to use, so ask for those details too.

If education and health teams are both involved, keep the council process and the NHS referral in the same timeline but record them separately. Note the referring professional, receiving service and date sent. For a placement, transport or council assessment question, confirm that Aberdeen City Council is the responsible authority rather than assuming a shared NHS boundary changes this.

Related FamilyFX help

Library articleSchool Support Scotland Wales Northern IrelandUse the correct Scottish education framework and terminology.Library articleSend Rights Scotland Wales Northern IrelandUnderstand how rights and formal plans differ across the UK.Library articleKeeping A Record For School And Gp MeetingsBuild a concise record for education and health conversations.
Help us strengthen this directory

Do you support SEND families in Aberdeen City?

If you are part of a charity, parent group, advice service, inclusive activity or another organisation supporting SEND families in Aberdeen City, we would like to hear from you. Send us your website, the area you cover, who the service is for and how families can get in touch. We check submissions before deciding whether to add them.

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Sources and checking dates

Local services change. We check the sources below and review any substantive change before altering the page.