Safety Before Skills: Creating Neuroaffirmative, Emotionally Safe Systems for Autistic Learners

This event will recorded and everyone who registers will receive a recording for 4 weeks after the event and a cert of attendance.

Session 1 | 9.30 – 10.40

Beyond Behaviour: Understanding the Autistic Nervous System

This opening session establishes a shared foundation and language for the day. It explores autism as a neurological and sensory experience rather than a behavioural one, introducing key concepts such as dynamic disability, autistic energy depletion, and why stress and anxiety often present as behaviour. The focus is on reframing behaviour as communication of distress and understanding what sits beneath distress.

Session 2 | 10.50 – 11.50

Connection Before Correction: Co-Regulation, Language and Adult Presence

This session moves into practical, in-the-moment support strategies. It focuses on co-regulation, the role of adult tone and body language, and how language choices can either regulate or escalate a situation. We explore common assumptions that drive conflict and look at supportive alternatives grounded in compassion and nervous system awareness.

Session 3 | 12.00 – 1.00

Belonging Over Masking: Supporting Inclusion Without Burnout

The final session widens the lens to long-term emotional wellbeing and inclusion. It explores the cost of masking, the difference between inclusion and assimilation, social navigation versus traditional social skills approaches, and the Double Empathy Problem. The emphasis is on the role of adults as translators of intent and creators of environments where authenticity and belonging are genuinely safe.

Presenter: Laura Crowley

Laura Crowley is an Autistic autism consultant, additional needs sleep consultant, and award-winning advocate with over 25 years’ experience supporting neurodivergent children, teens, and families. A late-identified Autistic woman and parent to an Autistic child, Laura’s work is grounded in both lived experience and professional expertise. She is passionate about promoting neuroaffirmative practice, challenging outdated myths, and creating environments where Autistic people can thrive authentically. Through her consultancy, training, and advocacy, Laura focuses on truth, inclusion, empathy, and equity; helping families, schools, and professionals understand that different is not less, it is human diversity to be embraced.