Support for disabled people’s transition to adulthood to be examined in new Scottish Parliament bill

A new government minister charged with improving opportunities for disabled young people could be appointed under new plans for a change in disability law.

A change in the current law would also mean that the Scottish Government would need to have a strategy explaining how they are going to improve opportunities for disabled children and young people and local authorities would need to have plans for each disabled child and young person as they move into adulthood.

In a consultation which opens on September 1, the public are being asked to share their views on the support which is currently available for disabled children and young people as they grow into adulthood.

The findings will then be considered by the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee as part of their scrutiny of a new bill which seeks to introduce more structured support for disabled children and young people in their transition to adulthood and implement the law changes.

The bill was initially proposed by Scottish Labour MP Pam Duncan-Glancy, following on from work started by Johann Lamont in the last session of Parliament.

Sue Webber MSP, convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee said: “A young person’s transition to adulthood is a critical stage in their lives and our Committee wants to be sure that the right kind of support is available to help disabled children and young people as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

“We want to hear the views of disabled children and young people, their parents and their carers on these proposals.

“We’re particularly keen to understand more about the how the support that is currently available is viewed.”

The Committee’s call for views and survey on the bill opens on September 1, 2022, and people can share their views until October 27, 2022.