Our response to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities Committee’s Neurodivergence in Scotland report
In February, our Head of Learning Services, Angela Evans, gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights, and Civil Justice Committee as part of its ‘Neurodivergence in Scotland’ inquiry.
Prior to the election recess, the Committee published its report, drawing on the evidence – including, we are happy to see, Angela’s – and neurodivergent lived experiences that it gathered earlier in the year.
Together with the findings of two other parliamentary inquiries – on Additional Support for Learning and neuro-developmental assessment and support by Holyrood’s Education and Health Committees – this report’s conclusions crystalise what neurodivergent people, families, and organisations who advocate with these communities have been saying for years:
- There is a significant gap between what is written in policy and what neurodivergent people will experience in reality
- ‘Neuro-affirming’ practice is an obligation, not an added extra
- More needs to be done to combat the stigma and discrimination that neurodivergent people experience – and that training will play a role in addressing this
- A more coherent approach to neuro-developmental assessment and support is needed, in light of significant waiting times and increased demand for services
- Neurodivergence is difference – not deficit
It is incumbent on the Scottish Government to deliver the change necessary across the public sector and society – including in education, assessments, employment and justice – to tackle these systemic challenges. Each of Scotland’s political parties should re-commit themselves to delivering a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill in government in the first year of the upcoming parliamentary session.
