Social Work Scotland response to Scottish Parliament call for views on Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) pathways and support inquiry
August 2025
Introduction
Social Work Scotland is the professional body for social work leaders and managers, working closely with our partners to shape policy and practice, and improve the quality and experience of social services. We welcome the opportunity to provide a response to the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) pathways and support inquiry.
Background
Social Work Scotland welcomes the aims of this inquiry into Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) pathways and support. Our response reflects the collective insights of our members, who work across local authorities and in partnership with third-sector organisations, and in both the adult and children’s fields, to support neurodivergent individuals and their families.
We recognise the inquiry’s focus on improving access, equity, and outcomes for people with ADHD and ASD, and we fully support its ambition to identify systemic barriers and opportunities for reform. From our perspective, the current system is under significant strain. Diagnosis has become the primary gateway to support, leading to long waiting times, inequitable access, and growing frustration among individuals and families. This is compounded by chronic under-resourcing, inconsistent eligibility criteria across areas, and a lack of strategic clarity, particularly in relation to transitions from child to adult services.
Despite these challenges, there are areas of good practice, particularly within the third sector, where flexible, needs-led support is being delivered effectively. However, these successes are often fragile, reliant on short-term funding and overstretched staff.
This submission outlines our views on the current landscape, highlights what is working well, and identifies key opportunities for improvement. These include embedding a stronger role for social work in triage and assessment; moving toward a needs-based rather than diagnosis-dependent model of support; securing sustainable funding; and investing in national resourcing to reduce waiting times and improve service capacity.
