Creating inspirational outreach to engage children and young people with the natural world has brought international recognition for Edinburgh’s Eve Armstrong.
School visits around the country, virtual lessons, and a series of videos have won her the Botanic Garden Conservation International (BGCI) 2026 Marsh Award for education in botanic gardens.
Since 2023 Eve, an Education Outreach Officer at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, has built up an extensive Scotland-wide outreach programme. She has engaged with over 7,000 pupils, by visiting schools from the Borders to Aberdeen and the Outer Hebrides.
In addition, she has reached a further 13,000 pupils in live streaming and enabling virtual visits to the research institute’s Glasshouses, Herbarium, Plant Nursery and Herbology room, as well as the Garden itself.
These interactive experiences have beamed into classrooms in 23 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. Along the way, Eve has enthused primary and secondary age pupils on topics ranging from Rainforests to Scottish Native Plants and Botanic Careers.
Amy McDonald, Project Engagement Manager, nominated Eve for the award. She explained: “Eve always goes the extra mile to share the joy and importance of plants. The enthusiastic feedback we receive shows that pupils and teachers love her approach and session content.
“She always finds innovative and creative ways to connect with pupils in-person and virtually. Her videos have seen her don waders to film in a pond and borrow an infrared camera to map the heat emitted from a magnificent Amorphophallus titanum.
“Many of her lessons encourage young people to think about what actions they could take to conserve biodiversity – from looking after the natural spaces around their home, school, or local area, to lobbying adults to take action.”
As well as professional recognition, Eve receives £1,000 in prize money.
She said: “I am very fortunate to be in the position of working with children and young people right around the country. They are the future guardians of our planet and the starting point for them should be about having fun, learning about the vast number of positive experiences they can have by engaging with plants.
“We need their enthusiasm. At a time when 40 per cent of all known species are in danger of extinction, the determination of the next generation can make massive changes for the better in combating the impact of the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency. To inspire a sense of wonder in the natural world turns out to be fun and inspiring for me as well as them.”
As dozens of brightly decorated taxis made their way through the Capital’s streets in the annual Edinburgh Taxi Outing yesterday, the Lord Provost and Council Leader reflect on another unforgettable day:
City of Edinburgh Council Leader Jane Meagher said: “I am absolutely delighted that the annual Edinburgh Taxi Outing has gone ahead as planned.
“Once again, our cabbies have raised the bar with their fantastic taxi decorations and my thanks to them, and all those who volunteer to make this such a special day for Edinburgh children.
“It was such a wonderful sight to see the parade of taxis making its way through our streets – they were clearly enjoying soaking all of the bystanders with water balloons and pistols! As ever, it was fun, hilarious, uplifting and wet! I am sure lasting memories have been made for everyone involved.
“This very special event has been a firm fixture in Edinburgh’s calendar since the 40s. It means so much to many people and seeing the smiles, excitement and community spirit on display reinforced just how special it is.
“Personally, I have fond memories of the event over many years and attending with my own daughter. We will do everything we can to ensure this cherished tradition continues for many years to come.”
City of Edinburgh Lord Provost Robert Aldridge added: “The annual Taxi Outing Parade is one of my personal highlights of the year – even if I do get soaked! It is a real pleasure to take part in the parade and present rosettes to the best decorated taxi and best fancy-dress costume.
“I’m sure all those children and drivers taking part had a fantastic day, but it’s also a brilliant sight for the many spectators who line the streets to cheer it on.
“The recent outpouring of support has shown just how much this wonderful event means to people, and I’m sure it will continue long into the future.”
Best Start Grant School Age Payment is paid automatically to those who already receive Scottish Child Paymentbut some people still need to apply.
Applications are now open to those who:
don’t qualify for Scottish Child Payment but get Housing Benefit.
have opted out of automatic Best Start Grant payments
are under 19 and dependent on someone else who gets benefits for you
If you’re currently receiving Scottish Child Payment you will receive a text when we’re checking eligibility and we will send a letter to let you know if you will get the payment automatically.
Britain will become the first country in the world where it is impossible for children to take, share or view naked pictures on their devices
Under the new plans, Big Tech companies like Apple and Google must activate built-in features or implement technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children, the Prime Minister announced in a speech at London Tech Week yesterday (Monday 8 June).
This will prevent predators from being able to exploit and abuse victims through their devices, as well as stopping children from being able to access pornography. Adults will still be able to take, share or view nude content through an age verification process.
Now is the time for tech companies to step up and work with government to solve this horrific issue. If companies do not act within 3 months, the government will bring forward legislation to force them to activate the technology. This will include fines for companies. Nothing is off the table, and as a last resort we are exploring criminal liability for tech bosses who fail to comply.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “When it comes to the safety of our children, standing by is not an option. Nobody gets a free pass. That is why I’m making sure Britain is the first country in the world to make it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images.
“And I expect tech firms to make that happen. This is not an impossible challenge – these are some of the most innovative companies in the world. But if they choose not to, then we will act and change the law.”
The changes will apply to UK devices, including both existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets. Legislation could cover operating system providers and others in the supply chain, such as retailers, and will not affect the use of devices owned and used by adults who verify their age.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: “As a society, we have not kept pace with the changing threats that children face. Abuse online is far too common, and we will not tolerate it.
“Tech companies have a moral duty to act, by making it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images. If they don’t, we will legislate.”
These measures build on progress already made in the UK. Since the publication of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, Apple has already taken significant steps to combat this harm and shown the art of the possible, launching world-first features in the UK.
Apple recently introduced age checks for iPhone users, making it the first company to activate safety features by default for those who are not verified as over 18. This is a significant step forward following the government’s commitments to work with industry, and one this announcement builds on.
Despite this, the nudity detection is not applied to the camera or broader apps, third-party messaging services, or search functions, meaning children can still take, view, share and save nude images. The government therefore wants Apple and Google to block nudity across the whole device by default, so they can only be deactivated via age assurance.
Alongside the changes announced today, the consultation on children’s use of social media has now closed, with more than 100,000 responses received from parents, young people and experts. The government will publish its response soon and will continue working with international partners to tackle this shared global challenge to drive better protections for children online.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “No parent should have to worry that giving their child a smartphone opens the door to abuse and exploitation.
“We are holding social media platforms to account and will soon announce our next steps to keep children safe online. But this doesn’t stop with platforms; the devices themselves are part of the problem – and they can be part of the solution.
“Companies should switch these protections on by default, for every child, on every device. We are giving them 3 months to show us that they will do the right thing.”
91% of online child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 contained self-generated content from children themselves and the average child now views pornography by age 13. The effects of this can have long lasting impacts on young people’s lives and contributes to abuse in younger relationships, with 39% of teenagers aged 13–17 experiencing emotional or physical abuse from a partner.
Child sexual abuse material and pornography are also increasing misogyny and the normalisation of harmful sexual behaviour. 52% of all child sexual abuse and exploitation cases involve children aged 10–17 offending against other children.
Chief Executive Officer of Internet Watch Foundation, Kerry Smith, said: “On-device protections are a pivotal part of coordinated, multi-layered approach to safeguarding children online.
“An alarming amount of child sexual abuse material, which our analysts see every day, is self-generated by children as a result of grooming, coercion or manipulation. We need device-level detection and blocking alongside platform-level protections.
“That is why we warmly welcome the government’s announcement and see these protections as playing a powerful role in a whole-system response to the threats children face in digital spaces.
“With nudity blocking in place, it will make it much harder to create new images and videos of child sexual abuse and better protect children from harms on the internet.”
Measures to protect children already exist within smartphones and tablets, but are applied inconsistently, often switched off by default and only blurring content rather than blocking it. But the government is working closely with technology companies – some of whom, like Apple, have already taken steps to implement protective features – to make this goal a reality.
Companies must introduce these measures without threatening privacy or collecting any data. The device should simply block harmful content across all apps and services. Over-18s will still be able to view adult content by providing proof of age.
British safety tech firm SafeToNet has shown this change is already achievable, with software that blocks nude content and prevents images being taken if the camera detects a child.
Richard Pursey, Chairman of SafeTo Net, said: “The government is right to act. Children have been failed for too long. This news will be welcomed by parents across the UK and hopefully, will inspire other countries to follow the UK’s lead.
“We can put an end to so much online misery with this approach. SafeToNet’s HarmBlock technology is a proven example that it is possible to make the device safe by default and not as some optional add-on.
“We have proven that with HarmBlock, on-device, tamperproof, embedded safeguards can prevent children from seeing, filming and broadcasting explicit content. It works in real-time including livestream and crucially also protects the privacy rights of the child as no data enters or leaves the application.
“Let’s be blunt: manufacturers have built devices capable of facilitating illegal, explicit, image-based harm to children. That’s the reality. But with this world-leading announcement we are finally shifting the battle ground of a child’s online safety to the device.”
The Online Safety Act was a landmark step forward in holding companies to account, but the government is clear that more must be done. Big Tech has the money and capability to put a stop to this. Online harms must be confronted with the same urgency as offline abuse.
This announcement makes clear that, in the modern world, the technology industry is central to this mission. Protecting children from sexual abuse should not be optional – it is a moral duty.
Roxy Longworth, author and founder of Behind Our Screens, said: “I told myself, back in 2021, that if I went public with what happened to me and it stopped one life from being ruined, then it was worth it, but the more I campaigned the angrier I became.
“Every child needs to be protected from platforms who for far too long have been allowed to turn a blind eye to the damage being done to them. This announcement makes me hopeful that there won’t be kids sat in their room feeling the same pressure and shame that consumed my teenage years.”
Sara Kirkpatrick CEO of Welsh Women’s Aid, said: “We are delighted to see proposals which require tech companies to design in safety rather than leaving the responsibility solely on parents and young people to ‘keep themselves safe’.
“We would call on the government to ensure that expectation, and regulation is coupled with monitoring and effective sanctions for non compliance.”
Chief Executive of the NSPCC, Chris Sherwood, said: “Online grooming, sexual exploitation and the proliferation of child sexual abuse material could be prevented if tech companies did the right thing and introduced nudity blocking technology on children’s phones.
“Every day these protections are not in place, more children will continue to face devastating harm in the online world. That’s why we strongly support the government’s decision to make it mandatory for these companies to block inappropriate material at device level. This marks a major step forward in our fight against online child sexual abuse.
“Time is up for Big Tech. Now government must focus on holding them to account to ensure this transformational change for young people’s safety is quickly delivered.”
Dr Elly Hanson, Strategy Director for CEASE, said: “Device level tech to prevent all children seeing, sending or receiving explicit imagery will be a total game changer in the battle against online child abuse and the harms of pornography.
“We wholeheartedly support the government’s demand on tech companies to roll this out, and see legislation that mandates it as the critical and necessary next step.
“For far too long, many thousands of people have sexually abused and extorted children online because tech companies have let them – giving them all the access and tools they need.
“In tandem pornography has further fuelled abuse and violated young people’s right to author a sexuality rooted in respect and connection. This tech will tackle both problems, bringing us a major step closer in ending this appalling profit-driven experiment on our children.”
Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, said: “One child seeing porn is one too many – but my research shows more than a quarter (27%) of young people who had seen porn said they had seen it online by 11.
“Tech firms have the power to turn it off but have dragged their feet. I fully support requiring devices to have Highly Effective Age Assurance and content-screening technology in place.
“This will create an additional layer of protection for children against the harmful content that we know is causing them harm. There are no silver bullets to making the online world safe, that’s why I also want to see platforms and services banned from accessing under 18s until they can prove they are safe. But device level protections are one thing that will meaningfully limit children’s access to harmful content.”
Lynn Perry, chief executive of Barnardo’s, said: “Far too many children are exposed to harmful sexual content online or are pressured into sharing sexual images.
“Barnardo’s research found that a quarter of all young people have seen a nude photo which was originally sent privately and then shared further – while around one in seven 13- to 15-year-old girls have been asked to share a nude photo of themselves. The impact of this can last a lifetime.
“This is a strong step from the government towards keeping children safe and we look forward to seeing how these proposals will work in practice. Good intentions are not enough, however, so they need to be backed up by strong regulation and enforcement – as well as keeping pace with how quickly online harms evolve.
“It is absolutely vital that the focus also remains on protecting children, not criminalising them. Any system must make sure that children who share images are supported, not shamed, and that strong reporting and safeguarding mechanisms are in place.
“Online or offline, child safety must come first. Technology companies need to build it in from the start.”
Lawrence Jordan, Marie Collins Foundation CEO, said: “At the Marie Collins Foundation, we see first-hand the devastating and lasting impact that online grooming, sexual extortion and image-based abuse can have on children, young people and their families.
“For many victims and survivors, the harm does not end when the abuse itself ends – whether through the fear that images may continue to circulate, or the lasting impact abuse can have on mental health, relationships and a person’s sense of safety and trust.
“We strongly welcome the government’s focus on device-level protections. For too long, much of our response to online harm has come after abuse has already occurred.
“Technology companies have repeatedly shown they can solve complex challenges when they choose to prioritise them. Protecting children should be one of those priorities. Companies now have an opportunity – and a moral responsibility – to ensure the digital environments children use every day are safe for them to participate in.”
David Wright CBE, CEO of SWGfL and UK Safer Internet Centre Director, said: “This is an important and ambitious step in recognising the scale of harm children face online, particularly as sexual abuse and exploitation are increasingly linked to self-generated imagery.
“We have seen positive progress from parts of the technology sector in recent years, but more must be done to ensure a consistent and high standard of protection for all children across devices and services. Raising the baseline of safety across the digital ecosystem is essential.
“As these proposals develop, it will be important to ensure they are effective in practice, proportionate, and implemented in ways that maintain trust, particularly in relation to privacy and the needs of victims.
“At SWGfL, we look forward to continuing to work with government and industry to ensure protections are victim-focused and genuinely reduce harm.”
Dr Alexandra Bailey, Head of Psychology at child protection charity Lucy Faithfull Foundation and Associate Professor at the University of Roehampton, says: “Our work with both adults and young people tells us how damaging exposure to sexual content online can be at a young age, and therefore we welcome the government’s announcement [today] on stronger online protections for children.
“We see firsthand how sending and receiving nudes, and early exposure to pornography, can cause real harm in young people’s lives, leaving them vulnerable to grooming, exploitation or viewing illegal, harmful content themselves. Through our anonymous Shore live chat service, we support young people navigating these issues every day.
“In our work with adults whose pornography use has become problematic and escalated into harmful or illegal behaviour, many tell us this developed over time and often began with exposure at a young age.
“What begins as curiosity can shift over time. People can become desensitised to mainstream content and seek out more extreme material, sometimes crossing into illegal territory without fully realising the consequences. This is one of the most common pathways to online child sexual abuse we see on our anonymous Stop It Now helpline.
“If you’re concerned about what you or someone else has seen or done online, contact Shore or Stop It Now for anonymous and confidential support.”
Soma Sara, CEO of Everyone’s Invited, said: “At Everyone’s Invited, we welcome this announcement. Over the past 5 years, through our education programmes in schools across the UK, we have witnessed a significant increase in the sharing and creation of child sexual abuse material online, alongside rapidly evolving technologies that are amplifying harm.
“For too long, the responsibility has fallen disproportionately on children and young people to protect themselves from the non-consensual sharing of images and other forms of online abuse. The burden must now shift to the platforms and services that enable and profit from digital engagement.
“With the continued rise in child sexual abuse material, the time to act is now. We urge technology companies, platform providers, and those who work with them to treat this announcement as a foundation rather than a finish line and to proactively go further in strengthening safeguards for children.
“The emergence of AI-enabled harms and increasing access to violent pornography are accelerating risks and normalising harmful behaviours. Addressing these challenges requires sustained action, stronger accountability, and a clear commitment from all of us to put children’s safety first.”
Farah Nazeer, Chief Executive of Women’s Aid, comments: “Despite it being a criminal offence to create or share explicit images of a child, the reality is that sharing nude images is still prevalent among children and young people, with many feeling coerced into doing so.
“Under no circumstances should coercive control and pressure be applied to a child to share intimate images of themselves and we welcome any measures that will make the taking and sharing of such images more difficult.
“This form of abuse is just as real, and just as damaging to the wellbeing of children and young people as other forms of violence against women and children – it is high time that technology companies are held to account and do more to ensure that the most vulnerable of their users are safe.”
Sara Kirkpatrick, CEO of Welsh Women’s Aid, said: “We are delighted to see proposals which require tech companies to design in safety rather than leaving the responsibility solely on parents and young people to ‘keep themselves safe’.
“We would call on the government to ensure that expectation, and regulation is coupled with monitoring and effective sanctions for non compliance.”
New parents in Lothian could be missing out on free support to help with the cost of everyday baby essentials.
Britain’s biggest discounter is continuing to give away a £100 Aldi voucher to one family every week as part of its Mamia New Parent Fund, to be used on everything from nappies and wipes to toiletries.
It comes as new Aldi analysis reveals parents who choose Mamia nappies, baby wipes and formula could save over £550 during their baby’s first year compared with leading branded equivalents*.
Since the initiative launched earlier this year, Aldi has already gifted thousands of pounds in vouchers to parents across the UK.
Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, said:“The reality is that the costs don’t stop once you’ve bought the pram and decorated the nursery – it’s the everyday essentials that really add up week after week for parents.
“When you’re suddenly buying supplies like nappies and baby wipes alongside your normal shop, even small savings can make a meaningful difference over the course of a year.
“That’s exactly why we continue to invest in keeping everyday baby essentials affordable through our Mamia range, while our New Parent Fund is another way we’re helping families during those early years.”
New parents in Scotland who want to apply for Aldi’s Mamia New Parent Fund should email mamiaparentfund@aldi.co.uk with a receipt showing their latest Mamia purchase. One family will be chosen each week throughout 2026 to receive a £100 voucher to spend in any UK Aldi store.
Don’t miss these 30 minute shows as part of your Dynamic Earth admission, or as a standalone experience.
What’s Up: Summer Skies | Presenter-led Show
In the latest version of our flagship live Planetarium show ‘What’s Up?’ we’ll go stargazing in the summer sky, and take a look at the incredible Artemis II mission! In our Planetarium, we’re going to (temporarily!) delete the Sun so we can stargaze in summer skies of perfect darkness to spot stars, planets and galaxies.
Under Pressure | Presenter-led Show
Come with us as we take a deep dive into the global ocean; we’ll explore dark, hidden ecosystems and see the collective efforts of hundreds of marine scientists and engineers. We’ll also ponder on our ability to shape the future of this global ocean we all depend on.
We Are Guardians | Dome Film
Explore the ecosystems of our world that are intrinsically connected. Discover how, with the help of satellites, we can examine the links between human activities and climate change.
Experience our We are Guardians show with BSL interpretation as part of our daily schedule, with additional BSL interpreted screenings available upon request.
Find out more about our Planetarium, and explore the full schedule of shows here:
Applications have opened for nationwide breakfast club awards, giving schools across Scotland the chance to win £1,000 for their breakfast club and be recognised at a special ceremony at the Houses of Parliament.
The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards celebrate breakfast clubs up and down the country, recognising best practice and innovation among the thousands of breakfast clubs that take place at schools across the UK.
Applications are now open and close at midnight on Friday 29th June 2026. Schools are invited to share the work of their breakfast club and the teachers, support staff, volunteers and pupils who help children start the school day fuelled and ready to learn.
Andrew Ridge, Social Impact Manager at Kellogg’s, said:“We’ve been supporting breakfast clubs for nearly 30 years, so we understand the important role they play for children and families across the UK.
“Every morning, schools are creating safe, welcoming spaces where children can enjoy breakfast, build friendships and start the day ready to learn. The positive impact these clubs have is made possible by the passion and commitment of the teachers, support staff and volunteers behind them.
“That is why, over the last fifteen years, Kellogg’s has been proud to celebrate the amazing work that goes into breakfast clubs across the country through our awards. We are looking forward to hearing from schools again this year and recognising the people and pupils who help make these clubs so special.”
This year, Kellogg’s will recognise winners across eight award categories, including six regional awards for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, South England, Central England and North England.
New for 2026, the Breakfast Club Star Award will recognise an extraordinary pupil who consistently shows enthusiasm, kindness and commitment at their breakfast club, helping to create a positive, welcoming and supportive start to the day for others.
As part of the application process, schools will be asked to put forward a pupil they feel deserves to be named a Breakfast Club Star. The winning pupil will be named at the awards and invited to share their personal thoughts on what breakfast clubs mean to them.
Each category winner will receive a £1,000 cash grant to spend on their school breakfast club, helping them to enhance their provision, invest in new equipment, activities or resources, and continue creating a welcoming space for children at the start of the day.
The Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards typically receive more than 500 applications from schools across every corner of the UK, with entries highlighting the important role breakfast clubs play in supporting children’s wellbeing, attendance, learning and social development.
Winners will be revealed at a ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 18th November 2026, where schools will have the opportunity to share their stories in front of MPs and leading industry figures.
Kellogg’s has been supporting breakfast clubs for 28 years and since 1998, has donated more than £7 million to schools across the UK as part of its efforts to alleviate hunger and help provide children with the start they need to be fuelled and ready to learn.
Previous winners include Southbury Primary School in Enfield, which was named Kellogg’s Breakfast Club of the Year 2025, and Stranraer Academy in Scotland, which was recognised for the outstanding impact of its breakfast club on pupils and families.
Last year’s judging panel included Andrew Ranger, MP for Wrexham, Helen Hayes, MP for Dulwich and West Norwood, Professor Greta Defeyter OBE and Greggs CEO, Roisin Currie.
Nine in 10 children and young people begin mental health treatment within 18 weeks of referral
The latest figures, published today, show that 91.2% of children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) began treatment within 18 weeks — meeting the national standard for a sustained period.
One in two children referred to CAMHS is now starting treatment within six weeks — compared to one in two starting within 12 weeks before the pandemic.
Waits of over 18 weeks are at their lowest level since 2013, down nearly 20% in the past year.
The longest waits have fallen to their lowest level since 2015, with 12 out of 14 Boards now reporting zero patients waiting over a year.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Maree Todd said: “These figures reflect the dedication and hard work of CAMHS teams right across Scotland, and I am truly pleased to see these sustained and significant improvements in waiting times.
“We have increased CAMHS staffing by 51.6% over the last decade, and exceeded our commitment to fund 320 additional posts by 2026 — increasing capacity for cases by over 10,000. This investment is making a real difference to children and young people across the country.
“While there is still more to do, and we will not be complacent, today’s figures are genuinely encouraging. Long waits remain unacceptable and we will continue to support every Board to meet the standard.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition responded:“While we welcome the fact that one in two children referred to CAMHS is now starting treatment within six weeks — compared to one in two starting within 12 weeks before the pandemic, this is still in itself too long and there is much work to do to tackle the current mental health emergency.
“We still have just under 300 children and young people who have been waiting for more than nine months for treatment and 23 more than a year.
“Many children and young people are still waiting years for help, which worsens their mental health and is a sure-fire way to add to their pain.
“What we need is not just parity of esteem between mental health and physical health, it’s parity of action and parity of spend.
“Each one of these statistics is an individual, and we would urge the new Scottish Government to ensure the adequate resourcing of mental health services for our children and young people so that they can get the care and support they need, without lengthy waits.”
Autistic people and their families across Scotland continue to face significant barriers, including long waiting times for diagnosis, a lack of support in schools and low employment rates.
Too often, children are missing out on education or are excluded from the classroom, while many people are left without support until they reach crisis point.
We and others have long campaigned for the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill – a Bill which the SNP committed to as far back as 2021. This would provide an opportunity to address the challenges facing autistic people and deliver real change.
Legally binding national and local strategies would improve support and accountability, while mandatory training across public services such as health, education and criminal justice would ensure autistic people’s needs are recognised and supported earlier.
Years of consultation have shaped these proposals, with many in the autistic community sharing difficult and traumatic experiences in the hope of having their voices heard.
As part of the Act Now for Autistic Rights campaign, our charity has launched a petition urging the First Minister, John Swinney, to include the LDAN Bill in September’s Programme for Government, which will set out the Scottish Government’s key priorities and legislative programme for the coming year.
In the lead up to the recent election in Scotland, more than 5,500 letters were sent by supporters urging party leaders to commit to this legislation. This momentum must now be matched with action. Without a clear commitment from the First Minister, autistic people risk being left behind.
Rob Holland, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “Our campaign had a fantastic response during the election period. Thousands of letters were sent urging all parties to commit to the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill, demonstrating a significant level of support for legislation long overdue in helping secure the rights of autistic people and their families.
The importance of the LDAN Bill in tackling the inequalities faced by autistic people and their families cannot be underestimated and this legislation is a vital opportunity to improve outcomes and recognise the rights of some of our most marginalised communities.
“With the election behind us and attention now turning to the first Programme for Government, we need everyone who wants to see urgent change to sign our petition and ensure this vital piece of legislation is introduced as early as possible in the new term.”
Becca, NAS Scotland Campaigner, said: “The LDAN bill is vital for the wellbeing, safety and equality of autistic and neurodivergent people in Scotland.
“Access must be granted, training must be given and voices must be heard to ensure that autistic and neurodivergent people have equal access and opportunity as anybody else.
“The LDAN bill must be included in the Programme for Government to ensure this change happens and lives are improved.
“As an autistic person, it is a struggle to ensure my voice is heard and my opinions are taken into account, so by committing to the inclusion of the LDAN Bill in the Programme for Government, I matter.
“My voice and many others across the country matter.“
You can call on the First Minister to Act Now for Autistic Rights by signing the petition here.
What’s Up: Summer Skies | Presenter-led Show
Under Pressure | Presenter-led Show
We Are Guardians | Dome Film
Experience our We are Guardians show with BSL interpretation as part of our daily schedule, with additional BSL interpreted screenings available upon request.
