Call for support for Scots with �lifelong condition�

MORE than half of adults with autism in Scotland do not get enough support and thousands struggle through life feeling isolated and ignored.

The largest-ever survey into the experiences of adults with autism has revealed that many have to battle to access services and are often completely dependent on their families.

According to the National Autistic Society (NAS) Scotland report, due to be launched this week, 52% of adults have not had an assessment of their needs since the age of 18, just over one in 10 adults with autism is in full-time employment and more than half reported being bullied or harassed.

It is estimated that more than 35,000 adults in Scotland have the condition, but campaigners said they were "invisible" to local authorities, who are failing to record the number of people with autism in their area. The NAS's Exist campaign is the first major initiative to focus on the needs of adult with the disability.

Joanna Daly, policy and parliamentary officer for NAS Scotland, said one difficulty was that many people thought of autism as a childhood condition.

"A lot of people don't understand it is a lifelong condition, and this report is calling for adults with autism to be recognised," she said.

Daly added that many older adults had grown up when knowledge of autism was in its infancy and were only now being diagnosed.

"They have really just struggled through life ... a lot of the time they have relied on their families for support and are getting to a stage now where that support may not always be there for them," she said. "These adults need to be supported to make a smooth transition to a more independent life."

Issues in the report include limited access to diagnosis, with 56% of those surveyed saying they found it hard to get their condition recognised. One adult said: "The GP did nothing. She didn't see any point in diagnosis for an adult."

But even after diagnosis many say they do not get the support they need. One participant in the survey commented: "I have had little or no support ever - my mother has done everything."

Daly said the services most adults wanted were social groups, social skills training and befriending. These could open up opportunities for education, employment and the chance to be involved in the community, "because many adults with autism tell us they are completely isolated and ignored".

Bill Welsh, president of the Edinburgh-based Autism Treatment Trust, said the plight of many adults with autism had been "swept under the carpet", yet one child in 100 in the UK was diagnosed with the condition and the cost to society for each autistic child was estimated at £4 million. He added: "A major social, health and financial problem is upon us and urgent action is required."

Public health minister Shona Robison said the government had funded local and national projects aimed at improving services for people with autism.

"We are developing guidance for commissioners of health and social care services for people with autistic spectrum disorder, which will address the need for appropriate and responsive services."