We are delighted to announce that due to the success of last year’s Advancing Autism Conference we will be doing it all again this year on Wednesday 9th July!
And we can promise that the third annual staging of the Advancing Autism Conference will be even bigger, even better, and even more inspiring than the previous conferences!
9th July 2025
Come and join us on the 9th July to listen to some incredible speakers, watch some thought provoking films that will be screened in the Training 2 Care Cinema, access the life changing Autism Reality Experience, and meet other people who are committed like you are to playing their part in making the world a more inclusive place for everyone!
Ticket spaces will be limited, so you will need to act quickly. If you don't manage to grab yourself a ticket, don't fret. We will be offering a live stream again and tickets can be purchased for that, so you don't miss out on the speakers!
The Advancing Autism Conference will be held on 9th July 2025 and will take place at our main office, as it was last year. Training2Care is located at The Fairways, Spitfire Drive, Earls Colne Business Park, Earls Colne, Essex, CO6 2NS.
If you use the postcode in your satnav, you might not make it!! If you will be using a satnav, then please search for Training2Care and it will bring you directly to our building. Alternatively, click the link below >
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iwYR9smky35gRjD79
We are incredibly fortunate, and deeply grateful, to the amazing speakers who are joining us at this year’s Advancing Autism Conference, as well as those who have created exclusive content for the Training 2 Care Cinema.
Each of these individuals brings unique insight, passion, and expertise. Whether speaking live or on screen, these talks will help to educate, challenge, and inspire us all to take meaningful action in making the world a more inclusive place for everyone.
Every talk is a step forward towards greater understanding, better care, and a society that truly accepts people for the individuals that they are.
We are thrilled to launch the Training 2 Care Cinema, a brand-new addition to this year’s Advancing Autism Conference. This unique space will screen exclusive content created especially for the event by some truly inspiring individuals and organisations.
The cinema brings exciting new dimensions to the conference, offering attendees greater choice in the sessions they attend, while enabling the inclusion of contributors from around the world who otherwise wouldn’t be able to join us in person.
Featured contributors include:
We are also proud to announce that we will be screening an exclusive film recorded by Jodie Bradley and Jo McCausland from the organisation Speakup. Speakup are a Self-Advocacy Group run by and for people with learning disabilities and autistic people. They help people have a voice, employment opportunities and be valued and included in society.
They will be speaking about Oliver McGowan. They will be speaking about who Oliver McGowan was, what happened to him, how the mandatory training came about, and why and how the training is delivered.
Oliver’s story is one that every single person in society needs to know about to understand why it is so important society becomes a more inclusive place, making this film one of the highlights of this years conference.
Join us in the Training 2 Care Cinema for an unforgettable and thought-provoking experience.
What does acceptance mean to you?
For many of us, being accepted means being seen and valued for who we truly are, our strengths as well as our challenges. It means people don’t change how they treat us based on a label or on assumptions tied to that label. Acceptance means having the opportunity to participate fully in society, access the same opportunities as others, and not be defined by snap judgments.
For most people, this kind of acceptance is something we take for granted. But is that the reality for everyone?
Unfortunately, the answer is no.
Research shows that when many people hear the word autism, they form negative implicit attitudes, automatic thoughts and biases that arise without conscious awareness. These biases may be subtle, but their impact is profound. They contribute to the discrimination and exclusion that many autistic people experience throughout their lives.
This must change. So how do we create that change?
The answer lies in moving beyond awareness to true autism acceptance.
There has been significant work done to raise autism awareness, and it has played an important role in bringing the conversation into the public sphere. However, awareness alone has not led to meaningful improvements in the lives of autistic individuals. Often, the narratives that shape awareness campaigns come from neurotypical perspectives, and misinformation still circulates.
If we truly want to build a more inclusive and understanding society, we must start listening to those who live with autism every day.
Real change starts by listening to autistic voices—and acting on what we learn.
That’s exactly what the Advancing Autism Conference 2025 is designed to do. This event brings together autistic speakers, advocates, professionals, and allies to share lived experiences, best practices, and forward-thinking strategies for inclusion. By placing neurodivergent voices at the centre of the conversation, the conference offers an authentic, unfiltered understanding of what acceptance really means—and what it takes to achieve it.
Whether you’re a professional, a parent, a policymaker, or simply someone who wants to be part of creating a better world, the Advancing Autism Conference will leave you equipped and inspired to take real action. From practical tools to mindset-shifting insights, the conference is a catalyst for change—helping us all move from passive awareness to active, meaningful acceptance.
We are proud to offer every attendee the opportunity to take part in the life-changing Autism Reality Experience. This powerful, immersive experience allows you to see, hear, smell, and feel the world from the perspective of an autistic person. It’s a truly eye-opening insight into the challenges many neurodivergent individuals face daily, and we can absolutely guarantee it is an experience you will never forget.
This unique insight will empower you to understand how we can create meaningful change—so that every person, regardless of neurodiversity, can thrive and make the most of their strengths.
At the Advancing Autism Conference, we are not just talking about moving from autism awareness to autism acceptance, it is a mission, a necessity, and an achievable goal. No other event will equip you with the tools, understanding, and motivation to make this shift as powerfully as this one.
