The Scottish Autism Strategy

The Scottish Strategy for Autism was launched in 2011 to ensure that progress is made across Scotland in delivering quality services for autistic children and adults. This is a 10-year national strategy addressing the experience of all autistic people in Scotland, across their whole lifespan, as a national priority.

The vision was that autistic individuals are respected, accepted and valued by their communities and have confidence in services to treat them fairly so that they are able to have meaningful and satisfying lives. 

In 2015, the strategy was refreshed and reframed so that it was outcome-focused, under four key areas: A Healthy Life, Choice and Control, Independence and Active Citizenship.  It was further refined and re-launched in 2018 with the four outcomes continuing as the guiding themes for the final stage of the strategy (2018-2021).  

Staff education, training and development remain at the heart of the Scottish Strategy for Autism and the 2012 Autism Toolbox and the refreshed 2023 Autism Toolbox have been developed and published to support this. 

The ten-year Scottish Strategy for Autism concluded in 2021 with an independent evaluation to explore the delivery of the strategy’s recommendations and priorities, its impact on the services offered to autistic people and the local services and charities that support them, and the lessons learnt that could inform future policy direction.  This report presents the findings of the evaluation. 

Towards Transformation

In 2021, the Scottish Government published the Towards Transformation strategy to ensure that the human rights of autistic people, those with a learning/intellectual disability and individuals who are both autistic and have a learning/intellectual disability are : 

respected and protected and that they are empowered to live their lives, the same as everyone else.’ 

Towards Transformation.  Scottish Government. 2021 

The plan highlights a vision for the lives of people who are autistic or who have an learning/intellectual disability: 

  • To have and be supported to keep good health 
  • To have a good experience at school and for education to give us opportunities and choices for our futures 
  • To be able to work 
  • To be able to live independently but connect with our families and friends 
  • To choose to have a family of our own 

(Towards Transformation.  The Scottish Government. 2021)

Further information and resources

Evaluation of the Scottish Strategy for Autism (www.gov.scot) 

The Scottish Strategy for Autism – gov.scot (www.gov.scot) 

Scottish Strategy for Autism: evaluation – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)