I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
By the time someone finally put a name to the way my brain works, I’d already spent decades wondering what was wrong with me. Why I couldn’t sit still in class. Why I could build an entire business from nothing but couldn’t fill in a form without wanting to climb the walls. Why some days I could focus for twelve hours straight and other days I couldn’t finish a sentence.
I got through it. I found my own way. But I think about the years I lost — the confusion, the frustration, the quiet shame of feeling like you’re wired differently in a world that rewards conformity — and I think about the children in Paisley who are going through that right now.
And I think about their parents. Because I’ve spoken to them on the doorsteps of this constituency, and what they’ve told me is not acceptable.
The Waiting List Scandal
Across Scotland, children are waiting years for an ADHD or autism assessment. Not months. Years.
Behind every statistic is a child sitting in a classroom that doesn’t understand them, taught by a teacher who hasn’t been trained to support them, in a system that treats their differences as a problem to be managed rather than a strength to be nurtured.
Behind every statistic is a parent fighting the system — filling in forms, chasing referrals, sitting in meetings where they’re told to “wait and see” — while their child falls further behind.
This isn’t a niche issue. Additional support needs affect a significant and growing number of children in Scottish schools. And the system is failing them.
What I’ve Heard on the Doors
In the past two weeks, I’ve knocked on hundreds of doors across Paisley. ASN comes up more than almost any other issue. Here’s what parents are telling me:
“We waited eighteen months for an assessment. By the time it came through, my son had missed half of P4.”
“The school says they’re supportive but there’s one ASN assistant for the whole year group.”
“I had to go private in the end. Two thousand pounds we didn’t have. But I couldn’t watch her struggle any longer.”
These aren’t outliers. This is the norm. And it shouldn’t be.
What I’ll Fight For
If I’m elected as your MSP for Paisley, here is exactly what I will push for:
A six-month maximum wait for assessment. No child should wait more than six months from referral to diagnosis. This means dedicated funding to expand assessment capacity — more educational psychologists, more clinical assessors, and a system that treats urgency as the default.
Properly funded ASN provision in every school. Every primary and secondary in Paisley should have trained ASN staff, sensory-friendly spaces, and individualised learning plans that are actually followed through — not filed away and forgotten. This isn’t a luxury. It’s a legal obligation that too many schools are failing to meet.
Mandatory neurodiversity training for every teacher. Teachers are not the enemy here — most are doing their best with inadequate training and stretched resources. I will push for neurodiversity to be a core part of teacher training, not an optional module. Every teacher should understand how ADHD, autism, dyslexia, and other conditions affect learning, and every teacher should have practical strategies for supporting diverse learners in their classroom.
Supported transitions into work and further education. The support can’t end at the school gate. Young people with additional support needs deserve structured pathways into employment, apprenticeships, or further education — with adjustments, mentoring, and follow-up that recognise the transition from school to adult life is harder when the system hasn’t been designed for you.
Neurodivergent voices in policy. Nothing about us without us. I will push for neurodivergent representation on every policy panel, advisory group, and consultation process that affects ASN provision. The people who understand these challenges best are the people who live them.
Why This Is Personal
I’m not raising this issue because a focus group told me to. I’m raising it because I am one of these children — grown up, successful by most measures, but still carrying the scars of a system that didn’t see me.
I built a business. I achieved financial independence. I own things that most people would call successful. But none of that erases the memory of sitting in a classroom, knowing you’re different, and having no one explain why.
Every child in Paisley with additional support needs deserves to be understood. Not just tolerated. Not just accommodated. Understood.
If you’re a parent fighting this fight, I want you to know: I see you. I hear you. And if you give me your vote on 7 May, I will take this fight to Holyrood with everything I have.
William Wallace
Independent Candidate for Paisley
If you have a story about ASN provision in Paisley that you’d like to share, I want to hear it. Message me on Instagram @votewallace2026 or through VoteWilliamWallace.com.