Act Now for Autistic Rights - Campaign Toolkit

In the run-up to the Scottish Parliament election, we want to make sure that every political candidate hears directly from autistic people.

Urgent change is needed in many areas including on diagnosis and support, accessible healthcare, education and employment to ensure autistic people across Scotland receive the support they need.

Get your voice heard

We know that it can be challenging to share your voice as an autistic person. This toolkit has been designed to support you to campaign in a way that works for you, however you want to use your voice.

We want to change how people talk about autism, help increase understanding and find new ways for autistic people to be politically involved. Given that for many autistic people conversations and communication can be difficult, politicians need to be open to, and informed about, different ways of interacting with constituents.

What's in this toolkit

It is also time to Act Now for Autistic Rights to address the lack of services available for autistic people across health, education, employment and other public services, and it’s time to start ensuring all autistic people can get the support they need to thrive.

We’ve included lots of different ways to get involved, including writing to candidates, speaking to political campaigners on your doorstep, and campaigning creatively. Plus, we have some tips from autistic campaigners who are determined to Act Now for Autistic Rights.

Getting in touch with candidates

Sharing information with political party candidates in your constituency can be an effective way to raise their awareness of the common issues faced by autistic people and the policy changes we urgently need.

You can find out who is standing for election in your area on the electoral commission website or by searching for candidates in your postcode once candidates are confirmed on Thursday 2 April.

1. Include personal stories if you have them and are happy to share

Candidates are interested in the real experiences of their potential constituents. It is their role to represent you and sharing the ways that Scottish Government policy directly impacts you can make a big impact.

2. Share your communication needs

If you need to share your voice in a specific way that works for you, let the candidate know so that they can facilitate this. This can be a great way to improve understanding and highlight the need to make engaging with politicians more accessible.

For example, if you would like to meet online, rather than in person, or if you’d like to use a chat function rather than having a meeting, do ask.

3. Carry on communicating

It may take a while to receive a response from a candidate but don’t be afraid to reply again and keep the conversation going. You could suggest a meeting to talk in more detail if this is something you feel comfortable with.

If not, you could take the opportunity to explain why meetings are challenging for you and any ways they could be made easier.

4. If writing to a candidate, be specific and concise

Candidates are often very busy and receive correspondence about all sorts of issues. Keeping your message concise and impactful makes it more likely that the candidate will engage with it.

You can also contact party leaders directly to make your voice heard by taking part in our call to action. Head to our write to party leaders page to get involved.

Paul, a member of our Autistic Campaigner’s Group, shares his experience and the need to continue raising awareness of autism in policy, education, and the workplace:

"Being Autistic is hard in a neurotypical world. I have mainly kept my diagnosis private because of the added stigma it can bring. I have masked my way through education and the workplace and this is so utterly exhausting to do each and every day. I personally felt that disclosing being Autistic would negatively affect the way I was treated in society. I think we have started to see a bit of a shift in people's understanding but there is a long way to go. Awareness, education and policy are so important to allow Autistic people to access education, the workforce and feel like we have a place in society."

Questions to ask on the doorstep

In the run up to a Scottish Parliament election, you may be visited by campaigners or candidates from political parties. This can be a good opportunity to ask about their party's positions on key issues for autistic people. If lots of people are interested in talking to party activists about autism, this can show candidates how important this is to constituents.

We know that face-to-face unexpected communication is not the preference for many autistic people. You might prefer to print out questions and pass them to party activists and ask them to write information down for you.

Tip: If this is something you are comfortable with, feel free to share the impact that a particular policy or issue has had on your life and explain what you would like a future Scottish Government to change.

Act Now for Diagnosis and Support

As of March 2025, over 42,000 children were waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment. How will your party ensure children and young people receive an assessment and support before they reach a crisis point?
Does your party plan to improve the availability of pre- and post-diagnostic support for autistic people?
Adults can often only get a diagnosis if they also have a learning disability or a severe mental health problem – what will your party do to address this if elected.

Act Now for Accessible Healthcare

If elected, will your party commit to mandatory autism training for health and social care staff?
What will your party do to ensure GP and other health services are accessible for autistic people, and that they are able to book and attend appointments flexibly?
How does your party aim to address the poorer health outcomes autistic people experience?

Act Now for Support in Schools

If elected, will your party commit to mandatory autism training for teachers and relevant school staff to help them recognise and meet autistic pupils’ needs?
43% of students are categorised as having Additional Support Needs according to government statistics. What will your party do to ensure the classroom is inclusive to the needs of all pupils?
If elected, how will your party reform the education system, so ASN support is funded transparently and sustainably?

Act Now for Inclusive Communities

If elected, how would your party tackle the unemployment gap for autistic people and ensure the workplace is inclusive?
Many autistic individuals live in institutions such as hospitals and inappropriate out-of-area placements because of a lack of support in the community. How will your party ensure autistic people are able to live independently in homes of their choosing, close to support networks and services in their community?
How will your party seek to ensure there is a strong awareness of autism, and how will it challenge harmful narratives or misinformation about autism?

Messages to send to friends, family and colleagues

The more people that campaign to #ActNowForAutisticRights, the bigger our impact. We want everybody to understand how important it is to do the right thing for autistic people. Sometimes the best place to start is with your own friends and family.

Make sure to share this toolkit with friends and family so they can start campaigning to Act Now for Autistic Rights too. We also have a social media toolkit for tips and resources to campaign effectively on social media.

David, a member of our Autistic Campaigner Group, shares his advice for anyone interested in campaigning:

“My advice to anyone who wants to campaign on issues around autism and Neurodiversity is to go for it. Be true to yourself and what you believe in. Be focused and positive and engage with as wide a range of people as possible including fellow autistic people, politicians from across the political spectrum, local and national charities and organisations from the public and private sectors. Also keep daring to believe, to keep fighting and to never ever give up on what you want to achieve through your campaigning.”