Voices Unheard: Autism Across Cultures

  • 7 August 2026

Reflecting on Autism Independence's First Conference

On 5 March 2026, we proudly hosted its first ever conference, Voices Unheard: Autism Across Cultures. This brought together professionals, community leaders, families, and individuals with lived experience for a day of learning, reflection and collaboration.

The conference was held as part of our celebration of 15 years of work providing an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come while looking ahead to the future of autism, learning disability, health, social care and SEND services. Throughout the day, speakers explored the barriers faced by autistic people and people with learning disabilities from global majority communities and challenged us all to think differently about how support is designed and delivered.

Why Voices Unheard?

The conference explored how culture, identity and community can shape the experiences of autistic people, people with learning disabilities, and their families. By bringing together professionals, community organisations and people with lived experience, the event created an opportunity to share learning, strengthen partnerships and consider how support can continue to evolve to meet the needs of increasingly diverse communities.

Our conference created a space for voices from across communities, services and lived experience to be heard and valued. Together, we explored how culture influences experiences of autism and learning disability, the importance of cultural intelligence, and how partnership working can help ensure support is inclusive, accessible and responsive to the needs of diverse communities.

A Day of Insight and Inspiration

The conference featured a range of speakers from across health, social care, education and the voluntary sector, alongside people with lived experience.

Discussions covered a wide range of important topics, including:

  • Transition to adulthood for autistic young people and young people with learning disabilities from global majority communities.
  • The importance of culturally responsive practice in health, education and social care.
  • Barriers to accessing services and how systems can become more equitable.
  • The role of community organisations in supporting families.
  • Improving health outcomes through our NHS Health Navigator Project.
  • Building stronger partnerships between communities, statutory services and decision-makers.

Celebrating Community and Partnership

One of the strongest messages from the day was that meaningful change happens when people work together.

The conference brought together representatives from the NHS, local authorities, community organisations, education providers and family-led groups, all with a shared commitment to improving outcomes for autistic people and people with learning disabilities.

There was a clear recognition that families possess invaluable expertise through their lived experience and that services are most effective when they listen, learn and work in genuine partnership with the communities they serve.

Showcasing Our Work

The conference also provided an opportunity to highlight our growing impact, including our NHS Health Navigator Project, research activities, community outreach programmes and support for families navigating complex systems.

We shared how our work continues to bridge the gap between communities and services, helping families access the support they need while enabling professionals to develop a deeper understanding of the diverse communities they serve.

Looking Ahead

Voices Unheard was more than a conference. It was a call to action.

The conversations, ideas and connections formed throughout the day reinforced the need for continued collaboration, cultural understanding and system-wide change. While progress has been made, there is still much work to do to ensure autistic people and people with learning disabilities from all backgrounds can access the support, opportunities and understanding they deserve.

As we continue our journey, we remain committed to amplifying underrepresented voices, challenging inequalities and working alongside families, professionals and communities to create a more inclusive future for everyone.

Thank You

We would like to thank all our speakers, attendees, partners, volunteers and supporters who helped make Voices Unheard: Autism Across Cultures such a meaningful and memorable event.

If you attended the conference and would like to continue the conversation, access shared resources, or learn more about Autism Independence’s work, please get in touch with our team.