Thank you to Martin Whitfield MSP for asking such an important question in the Scottish Parliament last week. It is not right that families have to fight the system to get the support their child needs in school 👇

Our Spectrum Colour Walk took place last Friday and was a great success! The walk was organised by our Moving Forward team, and it raised over £600! Well done to everyone who took part! 👏

“I was masking so much throughout my life. It’s quite sad looking back. If I got the right support, I would have understood there was nothing wrong with me. I didn’t need to feel like an outsider.'

Read Ailsa's story here 👇

bit.ly/3Wc36EJ

It was great to hear Neil Gray MSP highlight the Learning Disabilities, Autism, and Neurodivergence Bill in his speech at the @AllianceScot conference today!

The Bill is of vital importance, as it could deliver better outcomes for autistic people in Scotland.

#ALLIANCEconf24

It’s disgraceful that one of the biggest streaming services in the world, with an audience of hundreds of millions of people, has given a platform to a show that casually promotes dodgy and untested science about autism. Netflix should take this down immediately. (1/4)

Ailsa told STV News about her experience of misdiagnosis and mismedication to raise awareness of the importance of the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill. The public consultation on the Bill closes tomorrow - have your say now👉bit.ly/4azeY8h

On tonight's STV News at Six
An autistic woman who spent years in a psychiatric ward after being misdiagnosed as bipolar, says the proposed Learning Disabilities,Autism & Neurodivergence Bill is needed now to prevent others enduring the same trauma.The consultation ends on Sunday

There are identified scandals in each of the other 3 UK nations. If Wales doesn't have the same issue, we need to see evidence. It's not enough to just say it. This is something National Autistic Society Cymru has raised with ministers.

Today we've published a second piece for #AutismAcceptanceWeek

heraldscotland.com/news/24231397.…

I simply cannot tell you how happy I am to see this as the most-read article on The Herald during #AutismAcceptanceWeek .

It was written by a 14 year old autistic girl, and there's no paywall.

Please, please read it. It's so important.

heraldscotland.com/opinion/242291…

For me I loved school (because of the routine), but as someone who masked all my years at school, as soon as I got home I would just explode because the day was too much and I hid it!

What's it like going to school when you're autistic? heraldscotland.com/opinion/242291…

What's it like going to school when you're autistic?

heraldscotland.com/opinion/242291…

“I’m stressing about a class and I still need to go to it, I just know it is going to be bad and I sit there the whole time feeling so overwhelmed. I’m not sure I’m learning anything when I feel like this”.

🩷

This is a powerful read👇 heraldscotland.com/opinion/242291…

This story will be so familiar to many young girls and parents, including our own group’s chairperson and a group member’s daughter’s experiences. We hope Emily’s story highlights how many young girls may be feeling right now and how we can support them 💛
#AutismAcceptanceWeek

Thank you James McEnaney and The Herald for supporting Emily to have her voice heard. #WorldAutismAcceptanceWeek is about celebrating what it is to be autistic, but also recognising how far we still have to go. Emily's experience is her own, but it is also shared by many.

If you're going to read one thing today, make it this.

For #AutismAcceptanceWeek , we're running a piece by a 14 year old autistic girl who explains her experience of school in Scotland. It is not an easy read.

National Autistic Society Scotland

heraldscotland.com/opinion/242291…

The Legal Services Agency's Disability and Social Justice Project is currently researching the experiences of people with hidden disabilities in accessing justice.

If you have a hidden disability, you can complete their survey here 👇

bit.ly/3TfaCNw