We have put in place specific exemptions for autistic people where restrictions have adversely impacted them, for example enabling people to leave their homes more than once a day and putting in place exemptions on face covering rules. All children and young people in Scotland have a number of entitlements - find further information in What is my child entitled to?

Some autistic people will have lost their jobs, while others are finding it even more difficult to get into work due to the increased competition for roles. As part of this, in December 2020, we launched our disability equality training for transport operators, which is vital in enabling them to understand the types of adjustments people might need.

While autism is not a learning disability, around 4 in 10 autistic people have a learning disability (Autistica). It's also important to let parents and carers know what children are being taught so that messages can be mirrored at home (Franklin, Toft and Goff, 2019). By 2026, we want the SEND system to enable autistic children and young people to access the right support, both within and outside of education settings.

Please also list any non-financial associations or interests (personal, professional, political, institutional, religious or other) that a reasonable reader would want to know about in relation to the submitted work. We want schools to become more inclusive to those with protected characteristics, including autistic children and young people, which is why we will launch a new anti-bullying programme. The ALNCo is also responsible for ensuring all children and young people with ALN have an individual development plan (IDP) or individual education plan (IEP) which sets out the additional learning provision and support they will receive (Welsh Government 2021; 2013).

We will improve the police and wider criminal and youth justice system staff’s understanding of autism so that autistic people are more able to receive the right support, adjusted to their needs, as well as ensuring that different parts of the justice system – from prisons to courts – become more autism-inclusive.

We will continue to review how our provision meets the needs of autistic people as we move out of the COVID-19 pandemic, and tailor our response based on this. The Welsh Government passed the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act in 2018.We will have also made progress on improving early identification of autism, so more children and young people can get the support they need at an early age. Each UK nation also has legislation and guidance on supporting children and young people who have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As government, we will lead the way in becoming a more autism-inclusive employer by expanding our Autism Exchange Internship Programme, which is aimed at providing more autistic people with experience of working in the Civil Service. We will do this by engaging with employers, providers, apprentices and the disability sector to determine what works and how best to disseminate this. ACTsmart – development and feasibility of digital Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for adults with chronic pain.