Campaigning and Advocacy
Our campaign and advocacy work is informed by our experience providing services and ongoing engagement with autistic people and families.
Public Policy and Campaigning
Autistic people and their families currently face many barriers to getting the support that they need throughout their life journey. Too often the rights of autistic people are undermined by services, employers, or environments which do not accommodate or understand their needs. Systemic issues require broad societal change, which is why Scottish Autism campaigns and advocates for public policy that will create this change.
Some of the Scottish Autism team with Anas Sarwar MSP at the Scottish Labour Party Conference in February 2025.
We engage regularly with policy-makers at all levels within Scotland. Current activities include the following:
- Scottish Autism is part of the secretariat for the Cross Party Group on Autism at the Scottish Parliament
- We provide input into the Scottish Government’s Learning Disability Autism and Neurodivergence Bill stakeholder group, based on extensive engagement with our own community of stakeholders. The Bill consultation came about after campaigning for legislation from Scottish Autism and partner organisations for greater accountability from government and public services for meeting the needs and upholding the rights of autistic people.
- Along with Children in Scotland and National Autistic Society Scotland, we have raised awareness of widespread informal school inclusion and use of part-time timetables for autistic learners at school. We continue to advocate for better recording of exclusion, and more comprehensive autism training for teachers and school leaders. We are particularly concerned at the erosion of specialism withing Additional Support Needs provision in Scotland
- We wish to see proper acknowledgement of specialist, third-sector services in the governance and commissioning of social care in Scotland. In particular, we seek greater recognition and reward for the social care workforce.
- We have supported private members bills on reducing restraint and seclusion in education settings, and proper planning for transition to adulthood for disabled young people.
- Ahead of the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections we will be engaging with all political parties in Scotland to advocate for the rights and needs of autistic people to be considered and addressed in their manifestos and policy programmes.
Some of the Scottish Autism team with Maree Todd at Inspire service in Alloa in January 2025.
Our campaigning and advocacy work is informed by our experience providing services, including our advice line and community support services, as well as regular engagement with the autistic people and families that we support in social care and education.
