Letter of support for appointment of an autism commissioner
As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, many with autism and a learning disability, we would add our support to the Our Voice Our Rights campaign.
This aims to make Scotland the best country in the world for the 56,000 autistic people, the 120,000 people with a learning disability, and their families.
While there have been many ambitious and well-intentioned strategies over the years from Government and partners, and an extensive regulatory framework, we hear all the time that too many people are struggling to access their human rights to education, work, a family life, healthcare, to high quality social care services, and to be free from discrimination in their communities.
While not by any means a panacea, a commissioner for autism and learning disability would be the first of its kind in the world, established in law to champion the human rights of autistic people and people with a learning disability.
It would be a powerful voice, improving access to services and advocating on people’s behalf when they cannot. A Commissioner would also close the current gap between what the law says and what actually happens, leading improvements. Importantly people would also have recourse when the system falls short and fails to deliver for them.
Many of those with autism and learning disabilities feel invisible, and such a role can help people live good lives with choice and control, free from discrimination.
Yours faithfully
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition:
Kenny Graham, Falkland House School
Lynn Bell, LOVE Learning
Stephen McGhee, Spark of Genius
Niall Kelly, Young Foundations
Related Posts
- Budget call as figures show more than 1,500 children have been waiting over a year for mental health treatment ( March 2, 2021 )
- Coalition urges action as figures highlight a more than 50 per cent drop in legal support for children with complex needs ( December 24, 2020 )
- Concerns raised as a third of pupils identified with additional support needs while support falls ( December 15, 2020 )
- Mental health emergency warning as more than 1,000 children have been waiting more than a year for treatment ( December 1, 2020 )
- World Mental Health Day ( October 10, 2020 )
- Call for a ‘national crusade’ as requests for mental health support slump ( September 4, 2020 )
- Coalition raises major concerns over falling levels of school leavers with additional support needs in positive destinations ( June 16, 2020 )
- Latest waiting time figures highlight perfect COVID-19 storm for children’s mental health ( June 2, 2020 )
- Let’s be mindful of the impact on mental health that crisis will have ( April 17, 2020 )
- Coalition raises concerns over falling support for vulnerable children ( April 8, 2020 )
Archives
- March 2021
- February 2021
- December 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- June 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
- March 2015
- February 2015