Girls with autism remain a disadvantaged and vulnerable group in our society. The work of NAHT's Autism and Girls Forum over the last two years has identified multiple and various factors which cause this.

Building on the highly successful 2017 'The Big Shout' conference, this one day event intends to shout even louder about the inequalities and injustices that pervade the lives of girls with autism.

Significantly this conference will launch the book 'Girls and Autism: educational, family and personal perspectives' (Routledge publishers). This book has contributions from leading practitioners and academics in the field of autism, plus family members and girls who live with autism and its challenges. Many of the contributors will offer workshops sharing their insights in the public arena for the first time.

This is a conference not to be missed: its ground-breaking message is a landmark in our understanding of Autism in Girls. (Professor Barry Carpenter, CBE)

This event is running back-to-back with NAHT's Leading on SEND across all schools conference 2019 - to see details of this event please click here.

To book to attend both events at a special offer price please click here. 

This conference will cover:     
• The launch of a book about Autism and Girls, written by NAHT's Autism and Girls Forum 
• An update on the work of the Girls with Autism Forum
• An insight from the perspective of girls on the autism spectrum 
• The effective practice emerging in the field.

The conference is suitable for school leaders and SENCos from primary, secondary and special schools and academies; clinical and educational psychologists; neuroscientists, health professionals, including speech and language therapists, psychiatrists and CAMHS teams; LA officers with responsibilities for SEND/ASD contact, LGA named links for clinical leads; parents, carers and adults with autism.

Conference programme:
0830 - Registration, refreshments and exhibition viewing
0930 - Professor Barry Carpenter CBE - Welcome to the Many Voices conference
0940 - Professor Francesca Happé - What is known about girls on the Autism Spectrum?
1025 - Professor Sheila, the Baroness Hollins & Alison Foyle, Senior Editor, Routledge Publishers - Launch of the book 'Girls and Autism'
1100 - Refreshments and exhibition viewing
1130 - Breakout session 1
1230 - Lunch, exhibition viewing and book signing
1330 - Girls from Limpsfield Grange - Let's hear it from the girls
1400 - Breakout session 2
1505 - Q&A Panel
1530 - Carrie Grant, Parent and TV Presenter - A parent's perspective
1550 - Professor Barry Carpenter CBE 
1600 - Exhibition viewing/conference ends

Please note the programme may be subject to change.

Keynote speakers include:
• Professor Barry Carpenter CBE
• Professor Francesca Happé
• Professor Sheila, the Baroness Hollins
• Carrie Grant.

During the day attendees will have the opportunity to attend two of the fourteen breakout sessions. These sessions are designed to inspire, stimulate and empower those working in the girls and autism field, to share current educational thinking and good practice:

• Included or excluded? Girls on the autism spectrum - the disappearing statistic
• Gender bias and the lost girls on the autism spectrum
• Building a specialist curriculum for girls on the autism spectrum
• Effective provision for girls with autism in the mainstream environment
• Girls who can't help won't:  Understanding the distinct profile and support needs of girls with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
• How school leaders can provide the right environment in the current educational climate 
• Mental health and the girls with Autism - Developing a group intervention
• Friendships on the autism spectrum
• Puberty/sex/sexuality
• Girls for the future: preparing for post-school transitions
• The Advantages of Autism
• Training, standards, competences and partnerships: developing skills in the workforce
• "Run the world, girls!":  Success as an adult autistic female
• Living with autism - a female perspective

Please note breakout sessions are subject to availability.