A group of autistic campaigners have written to Scotland’s First Minister to highlight the need for the Learning Disabilities, Autism, and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill to be included in this year’s Programme for Government.
The group of 11 autistic advocates says the LDAN Bill would improve the lives of autistic people and lead to a greater understanding of autism both in public services and across the general population.
The Programme for Government is published annually in September and outlines the Scottish Government’s programme of work for the year ahead.
In the letter, the group says autistic people are currently at risk of ‘severe harm’ as a result of inadequate support and a lack of understanding of autism and neurodivergence, and including the LDAN Bill in the next Programme for Government would lead to ‘many positive changes.’
The letter also calls for ‘autism’ and ‘autistic people’ to be explicitly referenced on the face of the Bill, with the current consultation only referring to ‘neurodivergent people and people with learning disabilities’.
In addition, the group have called on the First Minister to introduce a commissioner for autistic people who would provide greater accountability in the public sector, ensure that autistic people’s rights are respected in a wide range of settings, and promote greater understanding of autism in the general population.
The group is comprised of 11 autistic adults, who bring a broad range of experience both personal and professional. Ailsa Lindsay is one of the members of the group who is calling for systemic changes.
She said: “Autistic people in society are facing huge inequalities in education, work, social life and relationships. We sent this letter as its crucial the government actions the Bill. Currently many autistic people are wrongly sectioned in psychiatric wards and face physical restraint and wrongful medicating. It’s imperative the whole system changes and treats autistic people with respect and upholds their human rights, which currently are being violated all over Scotland.”
With the Programme for Government set to be published in the next few weeks, the group has urged the First Minister to take heed of their recommendations, as this would “give hope” to those impact by the Bill and signal that their voices have and will be heard.
