FamilyFX: The Family Reset System
Local support in East Lothian

Additional support needs in East Lothian: planning help around the child

East Lothian Council publishes a child-planning framework for additional support. NHS Lothian provides health services across the wider Lothian area.

Sources checked 14 August 2026Next review 14 August 2027
An illustrated East Lothian coast with a broad bay, farm fields, stone town and a flat-topped hill.
Stylised illustration representing the area's character, not an exact photograph of a landmark or service location.

How support is organised in East Lothian

In East Lothian, families may use schools and services in coastal towns, rural communities or nearer Edinburgh. Begin with the child's experience rather than the service map. Explain what happens in lessons, transitions, attendance, communication or less structured parts of the day, and include what already makes those moments easier.

Ask the school what it can change now and how the concern will enter the local planning process. A planning framework is useful when it produces clear actions and shared responsibility. It is less useful if the family receives only meeting language without knowing what will be different next week.

East Lothian Council is the education authority. Its additional support for learning section covers identification, assessment, child planning, placements, disagreement routes and funding. The school is normally the first place to discuss how that framework applies to an individual child.

NHS Lothian covers East Lothian as well as Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian. Some services therefore operate regionally, while education decisions remain with East Lothian Council. Enquire provides independent advice about additional support for learning across Scotland.

FamilyFX local support signals

The local picture in East Lothian

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 East Lothian

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 LothianCovers NHS Lothian 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

East Lothian Council

Covers East Lothian

The council publishes child-planning, assessment and support information.

Visit website

NHS Lothian

Covers NHS Lothian area

The health board also covers Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian.

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 for the child's plan to name the barrier, intended outcome, action, responsible person and review date. If the council's Education Resource Group or another panel is mentioned, ask what decision it will make, what evidence it needs and what support continues before that decision.

Check whether appointments or specialist input are local, elsewhere in East Lothian or in Edinburgh. Travel time and missed learning can affect whether an arrangement helps. Keep the receiving NHS team and the school contact separate in your notes, then use one chronology to track handovers between them.

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 East Lothian?

If you are part of a charity, parent group, advice service, inclusive activity or another organisation supporting SEND families in East Lothian, 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.