Neurodevelopmental support: Scotland announces extra £3.4m

The Scottish Government has announced an additional £3.4 million to improve access to neurodevelopmental support for children, young people and families, including more than £1 million for direct family support and digital services.

An additional £3.4 million has been announced by the Scottish Government to improve access to neurodevelopmental support for children, young people and their families. The funding was announced by social care and mental wellbeing minister Tom Arthur, who said it aims to deliver meaningful improvements for neurodivergent people. More than £1 million will be used to directly support families, including access to digital support for conditions such as autism and ADHD. The government said this builds on previous funding and brings investment in neurodevelopmental supports and services this year to more than £5 million. Key details: - The announcement was made by the Scottish Government and highlighted by minister Tom Arthur. - More than £1 million of the new package is aimed at direct family support, including digital resources for autism and ADHD. - Funding will support a range of projects, including measures to supplement health board assessment capacity for young people approaching adult services. - The £3.4 million adds to a £500,000 uplift announced in June 2025, with the total additional investment for 2025-26 noted as £3.9 million. - Officials said the funding is intended to provide earlier and more local access to information, practical support and services. Summary: The government says the funding is intended to improve early and community-based support and to strengthen assessment capacity where needed. Officials also described the money as groundwork for further investment, as proposed in the next year’s budget. Allocation to specific projects and any further budget proposals are the next steps.