The evidence base
A plain-English, fully-sourced summary of the need for our work and the research behind it — built for families, professionals and funders alike. This is a living document, reviewed regularly and updated as new data is published.
The scale of the need
Autism & additional support needs in Scotland
| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autism identified in schools | 4.3% — about 1 in 24 pupils | By the December 2023 pupil census; roughly 1 in 16 boys. | [1] |
| Rate of change | 43 per 1,000 pupils | Up from just 10 per 1,000 in 2010 — more than a fourfold rise. | [1] |
| Additional support needs (ASN) | 36.7% — 259,036 pupils | A record high in 2023; numbers have nearly doubled (+96.8%) in a decade. | [2] [3] |
| Neurodevelopmental profile | ~77% of children with ASN | Have a need type consistent with a neurodevelopmental difference (peer-reviewed study of Scottish primary schools). | [4] |
What it means for us: demand for autism-friendly, one-to-one support is large and rising across Scotland — including in our three council areas of East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire.
The gap
Waiting for support
Families routinely wait years, not weeks — and much specialist provision is group-based, oversubscribed, and a long drive away.
| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children waiting for a neurodevelopmental assessment | 42,000+ (Scotland) | As of March 2025, with rises of over 500% for children since 2020 in some areas. | [5] |
| Meeting the assessment standard | Fewer than 50% | In almost every health board, under half are seen within the National Autism Implementation Team's recommended 36-week standard. | [5] |
| CAMHS 18-week target | ~92% seen in 18 weeks | But neurodevelopmental (autism/ADHD) assessments are largely excluded from CAMHS figures and sit on separate, far longer lists. | [6] |
| Local specialist riding demand | ~400 people a year | Glasgow RDA alone provides equine therapy to around 400 disabled children and adults annually — provision is stretched. | [7] |
The research
Does animal-assisted & equine work actually help?
The evidence is early-stage but consistently positive. Reviews and controlled studies report real, measurable gains for autistic children.
11 of 12 studies
A systematic review of equine therapy for autism found efficacy in 11 of 12 studies — across social functioning, communication, sensory processing, self-regulation, adaptive and motor skills, with reduced aberrant behaviour.
Source [8]Communication & more words
In a controlled therapeutic-riding study, after 10 weeks riders gained more new words and total words spoken, and scored better on social cognition, than controls.
Source [9]Irritability & hyperactivity ↓
A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis reported improvements in social cognition, communication, irritability and hyperactivity.
Source [10]Lower anxiety
Reduced anxiety — particularly in interventions involving horses — is a consistent finding, supporting better overall wellbeing and functioning.
Source [11]Small animals count too
Guinea pigs in a classroom increased autistic children's social contact and prosocial behaviours not seen without the animal present.
Source [11]Social functioning
A dedicated review of animal-assisted interventions found improvements in social functioning for autistic children across multiple animal types.
Source [12]We describe the evidence honestly: promising and growing, not a “cure”. That's exactly why we measure our own outcomes from day one.
Beyond the child
The impact on families & carers
Parents and carers of autistic children report higher levels of stress, burnout and depression than other caregivers. Social support and respite are shown to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing and quality of life.
That's why our model deliberately includes siblings and carers — a parallel siblings' offer and a warm parents' corner — turning a child's session into a breather for the whole family.
References
Sources
Figures are drawn from Scottish Government / pupil census reporting, the Scottish Parliament, Public Health Scotland, Audit Scotland, and peer-reviewed research. Please verify current figures at source before citing in a formal application, as data is updated periodically.
- Scottish pupil census analysis (autism identification 4.3%, 43 per 1,000): The Lauriston Centre / Scottish Government pupil census — thelauristoncentre.co.uk
- Additional support needs record high (259,036; 36.7%): Scottish Children's Services Coalition — thescsc.org.uk
- Additional support for learning briefing (2025): Audit Scotland — audit.scot (PDF)
- Maciver et al. (2023), “Prevalence of neurodevelopmental differences and autism in Scottish primary schools 2018–2022”, Autism Research — Wiley Online Library
- “Neurodevelopmental Pathways and Waiting Times in Scotland” (42,000+ children; <50% within 36 weeks): Scottish Parliament SPICe, June 2025 — spice-spotlight.scot
- CAMHS waiting times (18-week performance; ND exclusion note): Public Health Scotland — publichealthscotland.scot
- Glasgow RDA (~400 people a year): Murdoch Forrest Charitable Trust case study — murdochforrest.org
- “Effects of Equine Therapy on Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review” — PMC6178825
- “Effects of a Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program on Social Interaction and Communication in Children with Autism” — PMC7967314
- “Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Individuals with ASD: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” (2023) — IJERPH / MDPI
- Human-Animal Bond Research Institute — Autism research summary (anxiety; guinea-pig classroom study) — habri.org
- “Calm with horses? A systematic review of animal-assisted interventions for improving social functioning in children with autism” — PMC9344573
- “Effects of therapeutic horsemanship on caregiver stress scores of children with autism” — PMC12261109
- “Effects of Respite Care on the Quality of Life of Caregivers of Children With ASD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” — PMC12900424
assets/data/resources.json so the evidence base can be updated and reused across grant applications.Building a case for support?
We keep a fuller reference pack and our Case for Support ready for partners and funders. Get in touch and we'll share what you need.
Request the funder pack