Current status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 November 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that NHS boards’ neurodevelopmental pathways comply with the National Neurodevelopmental Specification, which was published in 2021 and requires needs-led, case-by-case assessment, rather than purely chronological waiting lists.
The National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People sets out the seven standards for all children’s services to support children and young people with neurodevelopmental support needs, including NHS boards and local authorities.
The Specification takes a needs-based approach to providing neurodevelopmental support. It is underpinned by principles of GIRFEC and intended to be delivered by all children’s services partners through a multi-agency approach.
The National Neurodevelopmental Specification should be used by all children’s services, including health boards, local authorities and community partners through a whole system, multi-agency approach. It is vital that the support provided by these children’s services are based on the Getting it Right for Every Child approach.
The Scottish Government is working to support children’s services partners to implement the Specification in full and, in partnership with COSLA, has undertaken a review of implementation. This was informed by engagement with local authorities, health boards and a range of stakeholders – including representatives of parents and lived experience.
The review identified a number of key challenges in implementing the Specification and set out a number of actions to support progress. The Scottish Government and COSLA are working with the newly established Children and Young People’s Neurodevelopment Taskforce to take forward these actions, which will support local authorities and NHS Boards to implement the Specification.