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More than 28,000 Scots children are on waiting lists for autism and ADHD assessments – with some waiting four years without an appointment. Parents have spoken of the "emotional devastation" at being unable to get the help they desperately need for neurodiverse conditions because services cannot meet demand. Data secured by the Sunday Mail from Scottish health boards through freedom of information (FOI) showed that as of September, at least 28,487 children were on NHS waiting lists desperately seeking preliminary investigations for autism and ADHD. The staggering figure represents an increase of 4489 on the previous year despite the fact that neurodivergent people are more likely to experience worsening physical and mental health issues if left without treatment and support. In NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, a total of 9,960 children face delays of up to 3.9 years - an increase of 1,906 from 8,054 the previous year. In NHS Ayrshire and Arran, 2,262 youngsters are waiting up to 3.8 years whilst in NHS Lanarkshire, 9,600 children face a 3.5 year delay. Many desperate parents we spoke to revealed how they have been forced to seek diagnosis and treatment privately - but at a cost of up to £5,000 that is an option many families cannot afford. Politicians, parents and charities have now demanded quicker access to vital assessments and life-changing support for children. Daniel Johnson MSP says families are being "gaslit on an epic scale" by the Scottish Government in response to the shocking findings of our investigation and branded the crisis a "national scandal". The Edinburgh Southern MSP, who received his own ADHD diagnosis at 35 just over a decade ago, said: "Tens of thousands of children have been abandoned on neurodevelopmental waiting lists by the SNP Scottish Government at the most important time in their lives. "Instead of fixing children's mental health services the SNP are restricting access only to those in crisis or with the means to pay for a private diagnosis, undermining the principles of a free and accessible health service for so many children in Scotland. "I am very clear on the transformative benefit having a diagnosis has had to me. It helped me tackle some very difficult things that were going on in my life. "I also know from my own journey the difficulties and challenges that individuals and families are facing and that we are being gaslit on an epic scale by the system and professionals who tell us they can't provide shared care following a private diagnosis. "When I hear stories of families facing such desperate wait times for a diagnosis and then not being able to access support after that diagnosis on a personal level it makes me incredibly angry - it is a national scandal." Both autism and ADHD are neurodevelopmental conditions that can occur together, with considerable overlap between the two. Join Glasgow Live's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. ADHD is marked by difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behaviour, while autism is characterised by struggles with social communication and interaction. There has been a surge in cases in recent years with early assessment and treatment of both conditions considered enormously beneficial by medical professionals. The Sunday Mail contacted all 14 health boards requesting figures for children awaiting specifically autism and ADHD assessments. Just eight were able to provide data, meaning the actual extent of the waiting list crisis will be far more devastating. Experts estimate that roughly 44,000 individuals have autism across Scotland, with around 37,000 youngsters living with ADHD. The Scottish Children's Services Coalition (SCSC) represents an alliance of top providers delivering specialist care and education to vulnerable youngsters. They commented: "These statistics, while deeply alarming, are no surprise. "Behind each of these individuals languishing on waiting lists, for years in many cases, is a desperate child waiting to receive the care and support they are entitled to. "Failure to provide a timely assessment means that access to adequate support is being delayed, creating significant stress and frustration. "Health and education support often relies on a formal diagnosis. It is therefore vital that children are quickly assessed and receive the care and medication that they need when they need it, and more importantly, are adequately supported until they receive a diagnosis." Dorry McLaughlin, CEO of Scottish Autism, added: "These figures set out the stark situation facing many families in Scotland. "This is why we are calling for Scotland's politicians to commit to a National Neurodevelopmental Pathway Guarantee, so that people who need an assessment can access one and are able to access high quality support at every stage of their journey." We previously reported how Charmaine Lacock's 11-year old daughter Sarah, from Clydebank, has been waiting three years for an autism assessment with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) only to be informed that funding for the specialist assessments has been slashed by the government. An NHSGGC spokesperson said: "All our staff are doing all they can in challenging circumstances, prioritising those with the highest clinical need." The Neurodevelopmental Service for Children and Young People is managed by University Health and Social Care North Lanarkshire (UHSCNL). Claire Rae, UHSCNL Chief Officer, said: "We are looking at ways to reduce waiting times and also how we can empower families to address the needs of the child awaiting assessment. "The neurodevelopmental service has created a number of workshops for parents that cover the most challenging situations parents and carers face, including sleep, diet, communication and sensory needs. "The workshops run on a regular basis and are advertised on the service's Facebook and X pages. We encourage families to follow these pages as not only are the workshops advertised on these channels but there is also information and advice on a range of topics that we know are frequently asked about by parents and carers. A diagnosis is not required to attend these events." A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said:"We are taking action to improve support for children and young people with neurodevelopmental needs. "We are investing an additional £500,000 this year to improve access to support for children, young people and families and, together with COSLA, we have set up a new Children and Young People's Neurodevelopment Taskforce to drive real improvements." Last week, numerous ADHD services in England announced they were closing their doors to new NHS patients due to overwhelming demand. As of March, more than 42,000 kids across Scotland were awaiting neuro-developmental assessments across all conditions according to figures from the Scottish Parliament. Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox.
