Motion · S6M-03649 · 15 Mar 2022

World Autism Acceptance Week 2022

Lodged by Alexander Burnett (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party) Standard Motion 40 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament welcomes World Autism Acceptance Week (WAAW) 2022, which will be celebrated from 28 March to 3 April, including by many of the over one-in-100 people in Scotland who have a diagnosis of autism; notes the emphasis of the 2022 week on "acceptance", whereas previously "awareness" was used by those celebrating WAAW; understands that this shift is reflective of the wishes of people with autism, and is indicative of what it sees as the positive transformation made in Scotland, and across the UK, in recent decades, to advance the recognition of the term autism, and the understanding of it as a lifelong, neuro-developmental disability; recognises the work of people with autism, and their allies, including the National Autistic Society Scotland (NAS), in leading on these changes in attitudes; believes that society must deepen its understanding of autism and the lived experiences of autistic people, especially in relation to what it understands are the challenges that people with autism can experience, living in a neuro-typical setting; understands that the National Autistic Society Scotland’s staff, volunteers, and many of those autistic people whom NAS supports, will be participating in a charity Firewalk, hosted by Courtney Flynn and her team at Clockwise Glasgow, on 31 March 2022, to mark WAAW and raise funds for the continued success of NAS’ wide range of services, including a wide variety of social programmes, and notes what it sees as the Scottish Government’s commitment to the introduction of a Learning Disability, Autism, and Neurodiversity Bill within the current parliamentary session, underlining, it believes, the important role that Parliament continues to hold in delivering for autistic people in Scotland.

Supporters (40)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.