Consultation explores support for learning disabilities

A consultation on what to include in a proposed bill to enhance the position of people with learning disabilities, and neurodivergent people, has been opened by the Scottish Government.

Working with their Lived Experience Advisory Panel, ministers plan to introduce a statutory duty on  public bodies to produce national or local strategies specifically for people with such conditions, accompanied by mandatory training in the public sector, the use of inclusive communication, better data collection and reporting, and the provision of independent advocacy.

Among the issues for consideration is who the bill should cover – whether those with specific conditions such as autism or ADHD, or a broader definition which names such conditions as among those covered by the bill. 

"We have been dedicated to taking a human rights based approach to the development of this consultation. It has been co-designed with people with lived experience at the heart of it," Minister for Social Care Maree Todd writes in the foreword.

"We now want to stimulate a public discussion and provide everyone with an opportunity to tell us about where they think rights could be better protected, respected and championed for people with learning disabilities and neurodivergent people. It is crucial that we get this right and that we consider these issues carefully to make real, groundbreaking improvements to people's experiences and outcomes, seizing the opportunity to be innovative whilst focusing on delivering sustainable person-centred public services."

Find the consultation here. Responses are due by 21 April 2024.