On 15 April 2026, organisations from across Scotland met in Edinburgh to explore opportunities for greater collaboration across neurodivergence community.
Participants represented a wide range of perspectives, including neurodivergences, mental health, justice, health, care experience, and lived experience. The discussion focused on shared challenges, areas of fragmentation, and whether a more coordinated approach could strengthen policy engagement and improve outcomes for individuals and families.
There was a clear and consistent view that neurodivergences are currently addressed across
multiple systems, often resulting in variation in support, gaps in provision, and complexity for those navigating services.
Key Priorities
The discussion identified several common issues across different neurodivergences. These have been grouped into four broad, cross-cutting themes.
- Access, Diagnosis and Data:
a. Assessment and diagnostic pathways
b. Data sharing and research gathering
Participants highlighted ongoing challenges in accessing timely and consistent assessment and diagnostic pathways across Scotland. Variation in provision can lead to delays in support and differing experiences depending on location.
There was also recognition of the need for improved data sharing and research as well as evidence gathering to better understand demand, outcomes and service gaps.
- Education, Inclusion and Workforce Capability:
a. Education, training, and CPD systems
b. Education workforce capability and capacity
c. Inclusive educational practice, adjustments and learning environments
The group identified the importance of ensuring that the education workforce, and professionals more broadly, are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support neurodevelopmental needs.
This includes consideration of initial training, continuous professional development (CPD), and the broader capacity of the workforce to respond effectively given overwhelming demand and lack of appropriate funding.
Participants also highlighted the importance of inclusive educational practice, including appropriate adjustments, supportive learning environments, ASN provision, and reducing harmful practices such as exclusion, seclusion and restraint.
- Lifelong Support and Transitions:
a. Transitions in services
b. Employment
c. Justice system
It was noted that support can become fragmented at key transition points, particularly between child and adult services, for those in care, and in relation to employment and involvement with the justice system.
There was a shared view that a more consistent, lifelong approach to support is needed.
- Holistic and Family-Centred Support:
a. Whole family support and capacity building
b. Holistic provision
c. Co-occurrence
d. Personal skills training (for certain neurodevelopmental aspects)
The discussion highlighted the importance of recognising co-occurrence and ensuring more holistic, responsive systems that better support neurodivergent people and those around them.
Participants highlighted the importance of holistic approaches that reflect the full context of individuals’ lives, rather than siloed or divergent-specific responses.
Co-ordination
There was broad interest in exploring a more coordinated approach across organisations, particularly where this could:
- Directly influence engagement with policymakers
- Provide practical shared working opportunities
- Support clearer and more consistent messaging for media and policymakers
- Enable shared use of evidence and insight
Proposed Next Steps
Building on the discussion, there was a clear appetite to move towards a more coordinated, collaborative approach across organisations working in neurodevelopment in Scotland.
The following next steps are proposed, with a focus on developing practical, shared work:
Short term (next 4 weeks)
- Develop a clear aims statement to articulate the purpose and scope of the collaboration
- Establish a light-touch coordination structure, (name, structure, membership) including a small steering group to support next steps
Medium term (4–8 weeks)
- Develop a short, shared priorities framework, based on the four agreed themes, to guide collaborative work
- Identify and deliver an initial piece of joint work, such as:
- System challenges paper setting out key cross-cutting challenges (which could serve as a foundation for further work)
- A short joint statement on a priority issue
- A strategic statement on what an ideal system would look like, including basic principles such as early identification, lifelong support, holistic approach.
- Begin to share insight, evidence and learning across organisations to build a stronger collective understanding of system-wide challenges
- Engage with Scottish Government, including Ministers, to share emerging priorities and support ongoing policy development
Longer term
- Establish 4 targeted working groups aligned to priority areas, where there is clear value and capacity to take forward specific pieces of work
- Develop mechanisms for ongoing collaboration, such as regular meetings or a standing forum
- Explore opportunities to coordinate activity where this adds value, including aligning messages, sharing resources, and supporting more joined-up approaches
These steps are intended to support a practical and flexible approach to collaboration, focusing on areas where working together can add value while maintaining the independence and expertise of individual organisations.
Conclusion
The meeting highlighted both the complexity of the current landscape and the opportunity to work more collaboratively across the neurodevelopment sector in Scotland.
There is clear potential and enthusiasm to build on this initial discussion to support a more joined-up approach, while respecting the diversity of organisations and perspectives involved.
Appendix
The initial meeting hosted the following attendees:
- Scottish ADHD Coalition
- ADHD Scotland (the charity)
- Alliance Scotland (Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland)
- Autism Initiatives
- Dyslexia Scotland
- INTAPA (no website)
- Kindred
- NHS Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership
- Public Service Delivery Scotland
- SAMH
- Scottish Autism
- Staf
- Suicide Prevention Scotland
- SWAN Autism
- The Donaldson Trust
- The Promise Scotland
- Tourette Scotland
A number of organisations indicated interest in attending but were unable to join on the day, and will be updated as to the content of the meeting:
- FASD Hub Scotland
- The PDA Society
- Apex Scotland
- Love Care
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- NHS Lothian
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland
One organisation who were approached to join the meeting indicated their preference to continue work in other ways – Association of Directors of Education for Scotland.
One organisation who attended has since indicated their refusal to continue – INTAPA.
The Scottish ADHD Coalition brings together voluntary organisations providing support to adults and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and their parents, carers and families. You can sign up to our mailing list here, read our FAQs, or find your nearest support group.