Learning Services Befriending Service Online Safety Policy work News About Us
What We Do Learn With Lead
Volunteer Become a member
Helpline

Lead Scotland Manifesto 2026: A Right to Learn

Lead Scotland’s Manifesto for 2026: A Right to Learn

We want a fair society where disabled people and carers have an equal opportunity to learn, participate and achieve their potential.

As the Scottish Parliament elections approach, we have decided to publish our own manifesto for change. We consulted staff and stakeholders online, in person and via video conferencing to find out what changes they wanted to see over the course over the next government term. We asked what they wanted to see candidates commit to and support in promoting fairer access to to post school learning for disabled people.

We have identified six key priorities for disabled people in post-school learning:

  1. Guarantee Digital Inclusion

  2. Offer more accessible and flexible learning choices

  3. Improve transitions for young disabled people

  4. Strengthen communities and tackle loneliness

  5. Deliver fair sustainable funding

  6. Improve access to justice for disabled people

Click on the links at the side to read further detail and access letter templates to contact your local candidates to ask them to stand up for disabled people and commit to these changes.

We call upon parties to commit to the following six priorities:

1.    Guarantee digital inclusion

 

2.    Offer more accessible and flexible learning choices

3.    Improve transitions for young disabled people

4.    Strengthen communities and tackle loneliness

5.    Deliver fair sustainable funding

6.    Improve access to justice for disabled students

 

Why it matters and what you said

1.    Guarantee digital inclusion

Why this matters

Many of us were already living a big chunk of our lives online and in digital spaces before the Covid-19 pandemic. But with the onset of lockdowns and social distancing, it became more urgent to have access to a device and reliable Wi-Fi. From shopping, claiming benefits and banking, to learning, working and socialising, it is almost impossible to avoid the need to engage with digital tools and spaces at some point, especially as we move deeper into the strange new world of Automated Intelligence (AI). Essentially, if you can’t get online, you are likely to face some level of disadvantage and exclusion.

Our staff work with disabled and older people in communities across Scotland and witness the barriers they face firsthand. We know from our work and wider evidence that disabled and older people are less likely to have access to an up-to-date device, a reliable connection to the internet and the skills necessary to navigate it all. The need for assistive technology creates further disadvantage for disabled people.

“We need more longer-term digital inclusion support that is made a clear priority. It needs to be both embedded in existing services, and there needs to be specific support to bridge the skills gap.” (Respondent to online survey)

“One of the barriers (to post-school learning) is definitely digital access, the assumption everyone can use, access, and troubleshoot a device is beyond ridiculous.  Digital poverty is very real and present.” (Respondent to online survey)

“We need more one to one opportunities, access to up to date equipment, constant training to stay up dated.” (Respondent to online survey).

“Rapid changes in digital platforms, including government websites overwhelm service users, especially those with autism or neurodiverse conditions who cannot negotiate change.” (Lead Scotland staff member during in-person plenary feedback)

“Many lack the skills to troubleshoot issues independently, particularly concerning digital devices when they go wrong.” (Lead Scotland staff member during in-person plenary feedback)

2.    Offer more accessible and flexible learning choices

Why this matters

Disabled people are more likely to live in poverty, and less likely to have qualifications at advanced levels or be in work in comparison to non-disabled people. We know education can help lift people out of poverty, so it is absolutely vital disabled people can access, participate, progress and succeed in post-school learning.

Evidence from our Disabled Students’ Helpline suggests there is still much work to be done to ensure post-school learning in Scotland is genuinely accessible. Despite many examples of good practice across the sector, we know disabled people can still experience discrimination and disadvantage at college and university. Issues reported include classes being held in inaccessible spaces, practical support being refused and tutors banning the recording of lectures. When issues like these are acute and persistent, it can result in a higher rate of early withdrawals for some disabled students, further perpetuating the cycle of poverty and worklessness.

We have also received multiple calls on our helpline over the last few years from disabled people asking about their rights to learn remotely. Despite the lightning speed at which classes shifted to online delivery during the pandemic, much of that practice has been lost now and most courses are only available in-person. Some disabled people cannot physically attend in-person courses due to the limitations of their condition, thus preventing them from even getting started, despite having the motivation and capacity to learn.

Parents and carers also report the type of courses available for young disabled people with support needs leaving school can be generic and too limiting, with most being offered the option to learn life or employability skills and very little else. Young disabled people can then be faced with having a lack of choice and control over what they learn or trying to access a mainstream course without inefficient support.

You told us

“It is a constant battle trying to get proper support. Why are the government making it so hard? It makes you just not want to be here. The system has let my family down very badly!” (Online survey respondent)

“I did a course and there was no support. It was a mainstream course.  I didn’t get the right kind of support that met my needs to allow me to fully access the learning.” (Online focus group respondent)

“If you could sum it up, during COVID, I can see how accessible learning can be when it’s flexible and online. Since then, too much has gone back to rigid, inaccessible models. If Scotland wants lifelong learning to be real, it has to fit around real lives, carers, disabled people.” (Online focus group respondent)

“My passion is assistive technology. We need to be aware that things are not accessible. Organisations need to put more effort into improving accessibility and have a variety of formats. Develop courses and documents in different formats. Ensure info sent in advance as standard is in a format that works for them. Know your service users, know who you’re involved with, and be prepared to respond. Listen to service users, and I include user-led groups in that.” (Online focus group respondent)

“Disabled learners want to access more in-depth and longer courses, not just short community courses.” (Online survey respondent)

3.    Improve transitions for young disabled people

Why it matters

The issues surrounding the transition of young disabled people into adult life are very well documented. Countless agencies, organisations, young people and carers have worked tirelessly to help schools, colleges and other public bodies get transitions right. But the fact is, it remains one the most common enquiries we receive on our helpline and one of the most contentious issues in the post-school policy landscape. Poorly planned transitions can result in young people not moving into the right placement for them, it can mean support isn’t in place from day one of college, it can mean parents having to give up work to ferry their young people to classes as transport is not in place. And in the worst-case scenarios in can result in young people dropping out of their course or placement early or not even starting in the first place. Instead they are left stuck at home with no activity, no stimulation, no learning. Parents calling our helpline tell us this leads to increased mental health difficulties and flare ups in their condition.

And no matter how good the preparation is, if the right opportunity isn’t available to move on to, transition planning is irrelevant. Provision in Scotland is wholly unsuitable for young people with more complex needs. It is a national disgrace that our most vulnerable young people have little to no choice of an appropriate supported educational placement after school. Instead, the majority of these young people are given inappropriate care placements, or their parents have to give up their jobs to stay at home with them, thus again perpetuating the cycle of poverty. These young people still have the capacity to learn and develop independence skills, so why are we content to allow them to be excluded from the same spaces and opportunities their non-disabled peers can enjoy?

Coresford College is the only government funded specialist college in Scotland, yet places are extremely limited (41 intakes per year), and access is still contingent on additional appropriate social care funding being in place. Scottish Government fund the educational provision at the college, but this is precarious and currently only in place until 2027. By comparison, there are over 140 specialist colleges across England and Wales as part of the National Association of Specialist Colleges.

What you told us

“We need a clearer path that is widely known. For many you don’t find out about help/support until you breakdown over your disability or caring role!” (Online survey respondent)

“This area seems to be going backwards for those with high needs/learning disabilities. People need long term options and choice.”  (Online survey respondent)

“Ensuring more is done to make it easier and smoother to access post school learning opportunities.” (Online survey respondent)

“Long term meaningful transitions from school (should be a priority for candidates).” (Online survey respondent)

“Create a passport of needs with disabled people, include their lived experience with anything you are creating.” (Online focus group participant)

“To make councils and IJBs have commitment to transition teams. Long term options for disabled people and not just tokenism of short-term courses.” (Online survey respondent).

4.    Strengthen communities and tackle loneliness

Why this matters

Evidence shows disabled people are more likely to experience social isolation and loneliness in comparison to non-disabled people.  Befriending services like the ones we deliver in Fife are absolutely vital to help combat loneliness. Barriers such as restricted mobility, ill health and low confidence can all contribute to feelings of isolation. And for some people, slowly developing confidence in safe, non-judgemental and supportive environments can be the first step back into the community.

Learners tell us accessing local learning and befriending services can be challenging or even impossible due to the limited accessible public transport options available, especially in rural areas. We provide learning support in people’s own homes when we can, but not all service providers have the capacity to do this. Improved accessible travel across rural areas therefore needs to be a priority for this next government.

Many of the people we work with at Lead Scotland left school without any formal qualifications or were unable to proceed with post-school learning. So having access to well resourced, local, person-centred community-based adult learning (CBAL) services can be a lifeline for disabled people and carers. The people we support might want to move into more formal learning, or volunteering, or start a job or even just know how to do their online banking. CBAL is so important for disadvantaged communities, and it plays a vital role in the tertiary education system yet rarely gets the national recognition, funding or resources it deserves.

What you told us

“Embracing social pedagogy can help address social inequalities by nurturing learning, well-being, and community connections.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“Stop penalising the disabled, let them live and make it easier. Give more support to disabled, there is practically none for post school. It is shocking and has huge impact on their health and wellbeing. Noone cares enough.” (Online survey respondent)

“Providing better transport links for those in rural communities- e.g Fife, Perth and Kinross, where it’s almost impossible to access relevant services if you do not live in a large town. There is also the impact then of not being able to even afford bus travel, meaning support is a postcode lottery and in some cases a luxury. This can compound existing issues with social isolation and loneliness.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“We need better access to local learning facilities.” (Online survey respondent)

“Day services closing and diagnostic services closing has seen an increase in referrals to Lead projects (befriending) as there are fewer services to refer to.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

5.    Deliver fair sustainable funding

Why this matters

It is absolutely soul destroying to face the same funding cliff edge every March, with organisations like ours not knowing if their staff will have a job in a few weeks, if learners and befriendees will have a service, even if we can keep the lights on. We know we are not alone in these challenges and many Scottish Government funded charities delivering lifesaving services go through the same perilous journey every year alongside us. When we don’t have sustainable multi-year funding, we can’t properly plan our service delivery. We struggle to recruit, develop and retain staff and our learners and befriendees face sudden detrimental closures. Charities need three to five year funding contracts in order to better serve our communities.

We also need to see community-based adult learning services get a fairer share of Scotland’s tertiary education budget. CBAL organisations are reaching the most vulnerable people in society, bringing services to them when no one else can and working in the most holistic ways possible to see small but seismic shifts in wellbeing, behaviour and life chances. And yet CBAL faces year on year reductions and the smallest fraction of the budget. In 2022-23 spending on adult learning across all 32 local authorities was just £32.3 million compared to over £1 billion going to colleges and universities.

We also call on candidates to advocate for the streamlining of reporting requirements. Charities are already under resourced and stretched to their limit, with staff working multiple job roles. When a charity is working across multiple local authorities and must devote precious hours away from service development and fundraising to write reports, having consistent requirements would save everyone money and time.

What you told us

“It can be very hard to know where to look for up to date info. There’s so much stuff on offer that it’s overwhelming, yet it’s also hard to find that info. I think it’s because projects and offers change so quickly due to short term funding. So you are just reliant on someone who knows someone.” (Online survey respondent)

“There is a huge impact on individuals to when we don’t have long-term funding contracts in place. And I’m constantly having to shift staff or what we’re doing, then that will impact the learner. And I think that that makes a difference to whether they will be engaged and whether they’ll sustain.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“Staff observed significant disparities in funding/grant application procedures, processes, and outcome reporting across different local areas. This inconsistency necessitates tailoring each funding application individually, consuming considerable time and resources.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“Sudden cuts or reductions in funding adversely affects employers, staff, volunteers and service users. Service users face disruptions in their educational/befriendee journeys, leading to decreased motivation and engagement.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“Programmes like Multiply often cease with minimal notice, leaving service users without adequate exit planning or guidance on subsequent steps or signposting to other activities and resources and other sources of support.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“Such abrupt endings disrupt service users progress and erodes trust in the staff and services provided. These sudden endings also can result in loss of the volunteer and the amount of resources and support that has gone into their recruitment and retention.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

6.    Improve access to justice for disabled students

Why this matters

Approximately one third of our helpline calls relate to a dispute between a disabled student and their post school education provider, usually a college or university. When these disputes arise, disabled students have very restricted options to get support, advocacy and redress. There is limited availability for independent advocacy services for students as eligibility criteria can be restrictive and waiting lists are long.

The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman can look at complaints about colleges and universities but cannot determine that an education provider has discriminated against a disabled student under the Equality Act like a court can.

If a disabled student believes they have been subject to disability discrimination under the Equality Act, then they can theoretically raise a complaint to the courts. However, in reality this is almost impossible for most students to do because it is financially prohibitive to pay for a solicitor for an Equality Act case. Therefore, most people rely on using Scottish Legal Aid. However, we are only aware of one solicitor in Scotland with expertise in this field who is currently taking clients on using legal aid.

This whole system of redress and dispute resolution is in contrast to what is available to pupils with additional support needs and their parents when in dispute with their school. There is a funded system of mediation, independent adjudication, education appeal committees and an additional support needs tribunal service with Scottish Government funded legal representation from Govan Law Centre.

However, as soon as these disabled young people move on to college or university, those rights and access to justice are stripped away. This leaves disabled students distressed, without support and facing worsening health issues, early withdrawal from courses without completion, not reaching their full potential and facing reduced opportunities and poorer life outcomes.

What you told us

“Implement a better system of oversight and compliance to ensure colleges and universities are held to account when it comes to providing the right support and meeting disabled people’s learning needs.” (Online focus group participant)

“Stop using disabled people. Stop getting them to repeat their trauma, to repeat their stories. When we’re working with disabled people, we try to pay them when we can. That’s not something that, as far as I know, Scottish Government do, I think that there needs to be a kind of ethical review of how they’re working.” (Lead Scotland staff member)

“As a disabled applicant and litigant in person, I have experienced first-hand that the Equality Act 2010 provides rights in theory but not in practice. Admissions systems ask us to disclose disability, but structurally prevent that information from influencing decisions. Without access to legal aid or representation, enforcing those rights becomes a test of endurance rather than a matter of justice. Many disabled people cannot sustain that process. A right that cannot be enforced is not a protection, it is a promise the system has chosen not to keep.” (Helpline caller)