Meeting of the Parliament 01 April 2025
I thank Daniel Johnson for bringing this important debate to the chamber. In working with other members across the parties, he has been a real champion in the Parliament for people with learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence.
The Scottish Government committed to the learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence bill in its programme for government for 2021-22. That was at the very start of my journey as an MSP. At that time, I was approached by constituents and by professional organisations that asked me to support the bill. I must say that people were extremely positive and excited to see that piece of legislation advance.
In summer 2022, I had the great pleasure of attending the Borders Additional Needs Group’s branching out transitional youth camp. It was at that point that I realised that the bill was not progressing as many had hoped, following the indication that another consultation period would be added. That consultation did not commence until December 2023. In the short time that I have in which to speak tonight, I want to raise the voices of my constituents. I do not think that the frustration of those people and their families can be overstated.
During the four years that I have been in Parliament, this subject has featured as one of the most frequent requests in my casework. Often, it starts with a simple request: people just ask, “Can you help me to understand?” I believe that my colleagues in the chamber will have had the same type of request time and again. As MSPs, we all know that that simple request becomes bigger and bigger as families have to fight every step of the way for assessment, treatment and support.
The lack of leadership and the lack of urgency from the Government to legislate in this area is absolutely and utterly unacceptable. It seems that there is little doubt among experts and families that the bill should be in the Government’s programme for government, and it is not good enough to delay it any further if we truly want to change outcomes for people.
I have some very dear friends who have experience of the service provision for both adults and children with autism and ADHD in Ayrshire. They and many other families across my South Scotland region have had considerable difficulty in finding adequately trained GPs. When families, out of sheer desperation, seek private consultations, there is a lack of shared care and of clarity and follow-up with treatment plans. That all causes undue stress as well as considerable debt for families who can little afford it.
Other families have approached me about the complex systems that are in place to divert referrals from CAMHS. That issue is raised with me regularly—families do not feel supported, and they are provided with few options for support with diagnosis and/or treatment and/or integration with other services such as education and employment. The systems lack any opportunity for appeal on rejected referral routes, and families are already struggling and exhausted by the system itself. It is absolutely unacceptable.
In addition, families have raised with me the lack of training for education professionals, which means that opportunities to break down barriers and to enable people to fulfil their potential are missed. Education services are asking for training and resources, but the Government seems to be unable to respond to the need.
There is little doubt that the legislation should be progressed, to address many of the issues that have been raised by my constituents and by other members in this debate. I hope that the minister provides some answers to my constituents in summing up.