Day 1 – Wednesday, 18th May

Conference welcome

Tracie Coultas-Pitman, CEO, BeyondAutism

Keynote: Bests interests and the good life (Danny’s story)

Dr Virginia Bovell OBE, Co-Founder, Ambitious about Autism. Read more

Key takeaway: considerations around advocating for a learning-disabled adult with autism, from lived experience

The impact of racism on service provision for autistic individuals*

Sheila Sekasi, BCBA, Founder, Advancements ABA Ltd. Read more

Key takeaway: tips on how to teach, support and care for non-white autistic individuals

Promoting stakeholder engagement in autism research: video-based interventions for promoting social behaviour*

Dr Catherine Storey, BCBA, Lecturer in Behaviour Analysis, Queen’s University Belfast. Read more

Key takeaway: how to identify the gaps in autism research and effective ways to involve autistic people in research about their lives

How wellbeing and choice build independence*

Jordana Smallwood, BCBA, Head of Sixth Form, BeyondAutism. Read more

Emma Price, Head of Tram House School, BeyondAutism. Read more

Key takeaway: achieving a wellbeing award in your setting, and the impact this has

How to give people a voice and how it changes outcomes

Tom Bailey, Head of Therapy Services, BeyondAutism. Read more

Key takeaway: tools and strategies to enable every child to communicate effectively

My life in the future: ensuring independence for all

Elizabeth Robinson, Head of Post-19, BeyondAutism. Read more

Key takeaway: ways to teach young adults to share their aspirations; tools and resources that can help build independence as they step into adulthood

Day 2 – Thursday, 19th May

Increasing autonomy and control among persons requiring additional support*

Dr Sandy Toogood, BEM, BCBA-D, Honorary Professor, College of Human Sciences, Bangor University. Read more

Key takeaway: how to build opportunities and support within services to enable people with autism to take control of their lives

Goal formation and engaging people directly in their own functional assessment*

Dr Nick Gore, BCBA, Senior Lecturer in Learning Disability, University of Kent. Read more

Key takeaway: ways to involve people with communication complexities in creating their own goals for behavioural support

Engage, communicate and play: Early Years model*

Sarah Larner, BCBA, ABA Supervisor, BeyondAutism. Read more

Key takeaway: tips and resources to engage families at an early intervention stage

Venn diagrams and icebergs: how the right information can help drive the right decisions

Fin O’Regan, ADHD and Neurodiversity Consultant and Trainer. Read more

Key takeaway: a new framework to help you support students in their learning, behaviour and social skills

Independence is everyone’s right: how do we deliver it?*

Bobbie Stone, BCBA, ABA Consultant, BeyondAutism. Read more

Key takeaway: strategies for working with children to build independence

Panel: Whose decision is it anyway?

Discussant: Dr Louise Denne, BCBA, Senior Research Fellow, University of Warwick

Panellists: Dr Virginia Bovell OBE, Sheila Sekasi, Dr Nick Gore, Elizabeth Robinson, Dr Sandy Toogood