Polisi’r Awdurdod Lleol yw bod pob plentyn, cyn belled ag y bo hynny’n bosibl dan amodau Deddf Addysg 1996 (sydd wedi'i ddiwygio o dan ofynion Deddf Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig ac Anableddau 2001), yn cael ei addysgu mewn ysgol brif ffrwd yn ei gymuned leol ac yn derbyn cymorth ychwanegol ble fo angen

Mae'r Gwasanaeth Mynediad a Chynhwysiant yn Rhondda Cynon Taf yn rhan allweddol o drefniadau'r Cyngor i gefnogi disgyblion sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol, gan gynnwys anghenion addysgol arbennig. Mae'r Gwasanaeth yn cynnwys:

• Gwasanaeth Seicoleg Addysg
• Gwasanaeth Cynnal Dysgu (gan gynnwys Gwasanaeth Cynnal Ymddygiad)

Mae'r gwasanaethau yma wedi ymrwymo i'r amcanion craidd canlynol:

• Cyfleoedd Cyfartal i bob plentyn
• Cynhwysiant Cymdeithasol ac Addysgol
• Gwella Ysgolion
• Gweithio mewn partneriaeth ac ar y cyd
• Cyfathrebu Effeithiol

Mae'r gwasanaeth yn dilyn canllawiau Cod Ymarfer Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig (AAA) Cymru 2002. Mae'r gwasanaeth wedi ymrwymo i weithio mewn partneriaeth ag eraill. Mae anghenion byr dymor a hir dymor pob plentyn wrth wraidd gwaith pob aelod o staff. Mae diogelu plant, pobl ifainc ac oedolion sy'n agored i niwed yn sail i'n gwaith.

Me'r cyfle i gael mynediad at addysg yn rhan allweddol o ddyfodol pob plentyn a pherson ifanc. Mynychu'r ysgol leol gyda'i ffrindiau yw'r opsiwn gorau, ond rhaid i ni gydnabod nad yw hyn yn bosib, nac er lles pennaf rhai dysgwyr; bob amser.

Mae cynhwysiant yn broses ble mae'r rhwystrau sy'n bodoli ac sy'n atal mynediad at ddysgu a chymryd rhan yn cael eu herydu. Mae Gwasanaeth Mynediad a Chynhwysiant, ar y cyd ag eraill, yn gweithio tuag at gyflawni cyfleoedd cyfatal a sicrhau bod amrywiaeth yn cael ei ddathlu.

Mae'r Gwasanaeth Mynediad a Chynhwysiant yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth ag asiantaethau statudol a gwirfoddol. Mae hyn er mwyn sicrhau bod pob plentyn a pherson ifanc sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol gyfle i gyflawni'i botensial mewn amgylchedd cefnogol sy'n paratoi'r unigolyn ar gyfer bywyd fel oedolyn. Byddan nhw hefyd yn gallu:

• Bod yn iach
• Aros yn ddiogel
• Mwynhau bywyd a llwyddo
• Gwneud cyfraniad cadarnhaol
• Cyflawni llesiant economaidd

Ein swyddogaeth ni yw darparu cymorth i blant a phobl ifainc sydd ag amrywiaeth o anawsterau gan gynnwys namau synhwyraidd, anawsterau cymdeithasol, emosiynol ac ymddygiadol. Rydyn ni hefyd yn darparu cymorth i blant a phobl ifainc sydd ag anhwylderau iaith a lleferydd a chyfathrebu gan gynnwys anhwylder y sbectrwm awtistig, anableddau corfforol a meddygol, anawsterau cyffredinol ac anawsterau dysgu penodol.

Mae'r Gwasanaethu Mynediad a Chynhwysiant yn cydnabod:

• Bydd y Gwasanaeth yn cael ei gynllunio ar sail aml-asiantaeth er mwyn darparu cymorth o ansawdd uchel, di-dor ac effeithlon i blant, pobl ifainc a'u teuluoedd ac ysgolion.
• Rhaid i ni oresgyn y rhwystrau sy'n bodoli sy'n atal gweithio mewn partneriaeth drwy gyfathrebu'n  effeithiol ac ymgysylltu'n fwriadol ar bob lefel.
• Rhaid i bolisïau a gweithdrefnau, sy'n golygu bod anghenion addysgol arbennig disgyblion yn cael eu cydnabod ac yn cael eu bodloni, bod yn gadarn ac yn dryloyw.
• Dylai Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig plant a phobl ifainc Rhondda Cynon Taf cael eu bodloni'n lleol ble'n bosib.
• Bydd rhaid ailstrwythuro carfanau a gweithredu newidiadau i arferion gwaith, gan gynnwys technoleg, er mwyn gwneud yn fawr o effeithlonrwydd.
• Mae dysgwyr sydd ag anghenion dysgu ychwanegol a'u teuluoedd/cynhalwyr yn haeddu cyfleoedd cyfartal.

Mae'r term Anghenion Dysgu Ychwanegol yn cwmpasu plant a phobl ifainc sydd ag anghenion dysgu sy'n fwy na'r mwyafrif o'u cyfoedion ac nid y rheiny sy'n cael eu cydnabod fel unigolyn sydd ag Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig (AAA) fel y diffiniwyd yn Neddf Addysg 1996 a Chod Ymarfer Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig (AAA) Cymru 2002 yn unig.

Mae'n bosib bod yna nifer o grwpiau o ddisgyblion y mae modd eu cydnabod fel pobl sydd ag Anghenion Dysgu Ychwanegol ac sydd angen sylw. Fodd bynnag, y prif grwpiau yw:

• Plant o deuluoedd mewn amgylchiadau anodd
• Disgyblion ag Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig
• Disgyblion ag anabledd
• Rhai disgyblion o leiafrifoedd ethnig, gan gynnwys y rheiny sy'n dysgu Saesneg fel iaith ychwanegol (EAL)
• Plant sy'n ceisio lloches ac/neu sy'n ffoaduriaid
• Sipsiwn neu Deithiwr
• Plant gweithwyr mudol
• Disgyblion sy'n fwy galluog a dawnus
• Plant sy'n derbyn gofal gan yr awdurdod lleol
• Disgyblion sydd ag anghenion meddygol
• Rhieni Ifainc a menywod ifainc sy'n feichiog
• Troseddwyr ifainc
• Cynhalwyr ifainc
• Pobl Lesbiaidd, Hoyw, Deurywiol a Thrawsrywiol
• Disgyblion sy'n gwrthod mynd i'r ysgol neu sydd â ffobia am fynd i'r ysgol
• Disgyblion sy'n perfformio neu sydd â swydd

Mae'r rhan fwyaf o ysgolion fel arfer yn bodloni anghenion eu disgyblion sydd ag amrywiaeth o anghenion addysgol. Mae'r ysgolion yma'n trefnu amgylchedd yr ysgol er mwyn gwneud y gorau posibl o'u potensial. Y mwyaf hyblyg ac ymatebol y mae'r ysgolion, y mwyaf tebygol y mae disgyblion i wneud cynnydd. Bydd angen sefydlu camau gweithredu fel bod modd rhoi ymyraethau mwy grymus ar waith er mwyn ateb y galw. Mae hyn yn adlewyrchu canllawiau Cod Ymarfer Anghenion Addysgol Arbennig (AAA) Cymru drwy fabwysiadu ymateb graddedig. Pan fydd disgybl angen cymorth ychwanegol, bydd y cymorth yma, gan amlaf, ar gael o fewn adnoddau'r dosbarth a bydd modd i'r athro dosbarth/pwnc rheoli'r cymorth yma. Hyd yn oed os yw disgybl angen cymorth ychwanegol tu allan i'r dosbarth, dylai hwn fod yng nghyd-destun cwricwlwm cynhwysol. Mae cynnydd pob plentyn sydd ag anghenion addysgol arbennig yn cael ei fonitro’n fanwl a’i adolygu’n flynyddol.

It is the Local Authority’s policy that all children, as far as possible within the terms of the Education Act 1996 (amended by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001), should be educated in mainstream schools with support provided where necessary. In addition we believe that our children and young people should, as far as possible, be educated within the County Borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Special Educational Needs (SEN) Code of Practice for Wales 2002 provides practical advice to professionals regarding their roles and responsibilities and further guidance is provided within the Equality Act 2010.

The Access and Inclusion Service in Rhondda Cynon Taf is a key element of the Council’s arrangements for the support of pupils with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). The service consists of:

• Educational Psychology Service
• Learner Support Service (including Behaviour Support Services)

These services are committed to the following core objectives:

• Equality of opportunity for all children
• Social and educational inclusion
• School improvement
• Partnership and collaboration
• Effective communication

The service follows the guidelines of the SEN Code of Practice for Wales 2002 and is committed to working in partnership with others. All staff have the short and long term needs of the individual child or young person at the heart of their work. Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults underpins all our work.

Being given the opportunity to access education is key to the future of all children and young people. Attending their local schools alongside their friends is the best option but for some learners we must recognise this is not always possible, or in everyone’s best interests.

Inclusion is a process whereby the barriers that exist to prevent access to participation and learning are eroded. The Access and Inclusion Service, alongside others, works towards achieving equality of opportunity and ensuring that diversity is celebrated.

Access and Inclusion works in partnership with agencies, both statutory and voluntary, to ensure that all children and young people with additional learning needs have the opportunity to reach their potential in a supportive environment that prepares them well for adult life and allows them to:

• Be healthy
• Stay safe
• Enjoy and achieve
• Make a positive contribution
• Achieve economic well-being

The main function is to provide support for children and young people with a range of difficulties including sensory impairments, social, emotional and behavioural difficulties, speech language and communication disorders including Autistic Spectrum, physical and medical disabilities and general complex and specific learning difficulties.

Access and Inclusion Service recognises that:

• Services will be planned on a multi-agency basis to provide a seamless, efficient, quality support for children, young people and their families and schools.
• Barriers that exist to prevent partnership working must be overcome through effective communication and purposeful engagement at all levels.
• Policies and procedures, which enable pupils to have their special educational need identified and appropriately met, must be robust and transparent.
• The special educational needs of Rhondda Cynon Taf children and young people should be met locally wherever possible.
• Reconfiguration of teams and embracing changes in working practices, including technology, will be necessary to maximise efficiency.
• Learners with additional learning needs and their families/carers deserve equality of opportunity.

The term additional learning needs encompasses all children and young people with learning needs which are greater than those of the majority of their peers and not just those identified as having special educational needs as defined with the Education Act 1996 and the SEN Code of Practice for Wales 2002.

Potentially there are many pupil groups who could be identified as having additional learning needs which need to be addressed.

Most schools can usually meet the needs of pupils with a wide range of learning needs and organise the school’s environment to maximise potential. The more flexible and responsive schools are, the more likely pupils are to make progress. Strands of action will need to be organised so that progressively more powerful interventions can be put in place to meet increasing need. This reflects the guidance of the SEN Code of Practice for Wales by adopting a graduated response. When a pupil requires additional help, it will usually be available within the classroom resources and managed by the class or subject teacher. Even if a pupil requires additional support outside the classroom, this should still be in the context of an inclusive curriculum. The progress of each child with additional learning needs is closely monitored and reviewed at least annually.