Tomorrow, polls open for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election and all six major parties have published manifestos outlining what they will do if they are to form the next Scottish Government.

There are positive commitments from parties on diagnosis, support in schools, and in employment.

We welcome commitments in particular for mandatory autism training for health and social care staff, teachers and relevant education staff, and police and justice services. Additional Support Needs (ASN) in education were also prominent, with widespread commitments to increase the number of classroom and pupil support assistants to help teachers support ASN pupils.

As part of our election campaign, we called on all parties to Act Now for Autistic Rights by introducing the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill as soon as possible. It’s welcome therefore to see commitment to the Bill in some (not all) of the party manifestos and we will keep working hard to maintain cross party support for this work. 

Throughout our Act Now for Autistic Rights campaign, we have highlighted the systemic barriers autistic people and their families face in their daily lives and we will continue to insist the LDAN Bill is crucial in ensuring autistic people’s rights are upheld and promoted, with equal access to services and opportunities in order to thrive. 

As supporters you have played a massive role in realising these positive commitments so thank you! 

If you haven’t been involved, don’t worry - there is still time to take our call to action urging party leaders to commit to introducing the LDAN Bill as soon as possible.

It is also vitally important that the voices of autistic people and families are heard this election at the ballot box itself. This voting guide provides valuable guidance to ensure the democratic process is accessible and inclusive for all. In addition, you can look the six main party manifestos to help you make a decision.