The Minister for Public Health launched The Scottish Strategy for Autism on 2 November 2011 in partnership with COSLA announcing that the Scottish Government was allocating funding of £13.4 million over 4 years to deliver the recommendations of the Strategy. The funding will be used to build on improvements to autism services and access to these services. The Strategy details goals over a 10 year period which will help to make sure that all the recommendations are addressed by the time the strategy concludes.

The ASD Reference Group consisting of users, carers and professionals will work in Sub-groups, with additional representation, to deliver the Recommendations of the Strategy and provide annual progress reports report to Ministers. The ASD Reference Group, chaired by the Scottish Government leads in the monitoring and tracking of improvements in service provision for people with autism and their families.

The Scottish Government is seeking volunteers to form a User and Carer Sub-group to represent people on the spectrum in the delivery of the Strategy’s Recommendations.

For more information on the remit of the group and the nominatin process, please download the information sheet or contact Kirsty Butts by 27 April 2012. Email: kirsty.butts@scotland.gsi.gov.uk