Chamber and committees

Thanks for letting me get that on the record.

I suppose that my questions follow on from what Jenny Brotchie was saying, so I will come to her first. Kate Wallace from Victim Support Scotland told us in evidence about a “lack of information sharing” and that

“People who have been harmed by children or young people do not get ... information”—[Official Report, Education, Children and Young People Committee, 29 March 2023; c 33.]

about their cases. Is the bill strong enough in dealing with that aspect?

That would happen if, for example, it was serious—if there had been a serious sexual assault or something like that. There was also a suggestion that there should be a victim notification scheme, similar to the existing one for adults, so that people would feel that they could keep themselves safe and have agency. What about that aspect of it?

Ben Farrugia and Tony Buchanan both mentioned in their submissions that having a single point of contact could be quite important for victims. I suppose that goes back to what Jenny Brotchie said about having that trust in being able to get information about the process.

How important is that? How critical is that? Does that to some extent support the victims so that it is not really about getting too much individual information but about them feeling that they can have trust in the system and that they are being supported through the process?

Yes, that is great. Stephen Bermingham, do you want to comment?

Jackie Irvine mentioned ASN and Tony Buchanan spoke about intensive support and intervention. From the evidence that we have heard, it seems that people are trying to get the most out of their time in young offenders institutions and secure care. It seems that, at that point, everything speeds up and a young person can get a diagnosis that, if they had had it earlier, would have perhaps prevented them from ending up in the place that they are in. Does anyone have any comments on that?

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish connections framework will help to address any demographic challenges. (S6O-02136)

I am absolutely delighted to be leading this debate during autism acceptance month.

I thank colleagues for coming together to celebrate the rich talents, strengths and contribution of the fantastic autistic people in our lives. Most of all, I want to thank the National Autistic Society—members of which are up there at the back of the public gallery this evening—for continually advocating for autistic people’s rights. For more than 25 years, NAS has provided specialised care and support to the autistic community, and I am sure that we can all agree that that is something that is well worth celebrating.

Every time that we talk about autism, we improve awareness and promote understanding, but that does not quite cut it. What autistic people really need is our acceptance—they need to be accepted, valued and respected exactly as they are and without pressure to fit into other people’s idea of normal. Together, we must create a society that works for autistic people, not against them.

The National Autistic Society tells us that more than one in every 100 people in Scotland has an autism diagnosis—and that is forgetting the people who are not yet diagnosed. However, if you have met one autistic person, you have met only one autistic person. It is time to banish the outdated stereotypes and incorrect assumptions that limit society’s understanding of autism and also to put more focus on early diagnosis.

Records show that, across Scotland, waiting times for an autism diagnosis can be lengthy, with one person waiting more than four years. Clearly, that is not good enough. However, support need not wait for diagnosis; it can start wherever there is a need.

There is a particular issue around women and girls, with research showing that they often struggle in silence. Too often, females who query a possible autism diagnosis are dismissed, because they excel at mimicking others and masking the symptoms. It is suggested instead that they are just naturally shy or anxious, or that other mental health issues are to blame. However, as we know, women in our society are often fobbed off, so it probably does not come as a huge surprise that autism diagnostic tools are focused on the common traits that we see in men and boys, which means that female symptoms are easily missed—even by professionals.

Last year, the National Autistic Society launched a brilliant campaign called “Now I Know”, which highlights the immense struggles and the liberating experiences of women who receive a late diagnosis. One such woman is Zara, whose diagnosis has allowed her to become comfortable with her true self. She has been told that, since she had her autism diagnosis, she has seemed more autistic. However, behind the masking, Zara has always been that way. The difference is that, today, she is proud of who she is, and she does not try to hide those autistic traits.

Autistic children and young people can also struggle to access their right to education. In 2018, the National Autistic Society, Scottish Autism and Children in Scotland released their joint report entitled “Not included, not engaged, not involved: A report on the experiences of autistic children missing school”. The report highlights the sensory challenges that schools bring—bright lights, loud noises, chaos and uncertainty—and states that they can create the perfect storm for sensory overload in autistic pupils.

I will give members an example that illustrates that. During his primary 7 year, my autistic son delivered a presentation to his class in which he asked his classmates to sit in silence for one whole minute, and then he asked about the sounds that they heard. They had noticed birds tweeting, tummies rumbling, clocks ticking and all the sounds that we do not notice but which some autistic people are constantly aware of. He pointed out to his classmates how those noises can make it hard to listen, to do maths and to write essays, and how exhausting it can be to concentrate and focus on the things that he needs to focus on. His classmates really understood. I encourage everyone here to try out that minute’s silence, become aware of all of those noises, and then imagine them constantly ringing in their ears every day as they try to focus and concentrate.

The “Not included, not engaged, not involved” report also tells us that one in three parents says that their autistic child has been unlawfully excluded from a school and that young people can find themselves spending vital education time away from classroom activities. Sometimes, teachers lack key training or resources that are needed to support autistic pupils in the classroom.

Although autistic behaviours are often still misunderstood as bad behaviour, understanding is improving. However, it is still too common for parents to feel blamed. Too many hear, “Your child is disruptive. Are there issues at home?” That said, I recently had an encouraging chat with a friend about her child’s positive experience of the education system. She said, “My son’s school put in place flexi schooling and allowed him full autonomy over his learning. Teachers let him choose how to mix remote and in-person learning, and he achieved an A in advanced higher English and then went on to study an HND at college. Now, he is completing a degree at Strathclyde uni. They created an environment where my son could thrive.”

We need to see much more of that, and it is up to all of us to ensure that that type of positive strategy becomes the new normal.

Recently, I visited a couple of local groups: the autism resource co-ordination hub—ARCH—in Hamilton and Hope for Autism in Airdrie. I learned from them about the programmes that they are running to support autistic communities. ARCH has co-designed its model and services with autistic people and families, and Hope for Autism has an autism team developing and delivering training for families and professionals. It is vital that we invest in and learn from such organisations so that we can build available post-diagnostic support that really allows autistic people to excel.

However, we have come a long way, and the Scottish Government’s forthcoming learning disability, autism and neurodiversity bill, which will establish a learning disability, autism and neurodiversity commissioner, will be a world first. It will be a landmark legislative move to benefit autistic people. I am delighted that the First Minister is committed to introducing the bill by the end of this parliamentary session, and I encourage the minister to pledge her commitment today, too, and to ensure that autistic voices remain central and at the core of policy making in our Scottish Parliament.

I thank all the autistic people who light up our lives. I will finish with the words of the autistic author Paul Isaacs:

“Do not fear people with Autism, embrace them, Do not spite people with Autism unite them, Do not deny people with Autism accept them for then their abilities will shine.”

Does the cabinet secretary agree that encouraging young talent to migrate to Scotland will help to address Scotland’s demographic challenges and support our economy and public services? Will he outline how the talent attraction and migration service, which will be launched this year, plans to encourage immigration and the retention of young people in areas of Scotland where tourism is not as prevalent?

I, too, welcome the minister to his new role. The findings of the report are deeply concerning. I appreciate that the Scottish Government is carrying out a review of the provision of purpose-built student accommodation and the sector to inform a student accommodation strategy for Scotland. Will the minister provide details on the scope of the review? Does he agree with me that the responsibility lies with universities, which, as private institutions, have a duty to look after their students’ wellbeing?