Shaping policies that impact neurodivergent people

Last week, we responded to a Committee of The Scottish Parliament on their ongoing Review of Scotland’s Commission(er) ‘landscape’. 

While the Committee’s work is broader than one proposal for a new Commission(er) or one community’s interests, our response spoke to the urgent need for a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Commission(er) to be established in order to protect the rights of these communities and advocate with and for them to decision-makers. We support the creation of a Commission(er) as part of ongoing (delayed) work from the Scottish Government to develop a Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill.

We know that concerns exist amongst some MSPs that existing arrangements for the 7 SPCB Commission(er)s allegedly lack coherence; however, any perceived inadequacies in the wider Supported Body landscape to-date are not arguments against the creation of future bodies for which there is a clear case to be made.

The growth in rights-based roles is the product of the growing disillusionment with the status quo – and a desire to obtain real progress for marginalised communities. Owing to the transformative human rights impact that a Commission(er) can have for neurodivergent people – and the financial benefits for government of beginning to tackle the systemic challenges facing neurodivergent people – we believe that case is compelling.

Why a Commission(er)?

• Outcomes for neurodivergent people and families are among some of the worst of any group in Scotland today

• Outcomes are improving far too slow, or not at all

• A dedicated vehicle through which systemic injustices can be tackled is financially beneficial for the Scottish Government in the long-term

• Many proposals contained within the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (‘LDAN’) Bill (especially the five core themes) will be ineffective remedies and inadequately scrutinised if proposals for a Commission(er) do not go forward

You can read our full response below.