About

About the conference

What does it truly take to support autistic girls and gender-diverse students? Understanding is only the first step. We believe meaningful action is what drives real change, especially in addressing the often hidden and overlooked needs of our ladybugs.

The 2026 Yellow Ladybugs Conference is your opportunity to learn from over 50 different perspectives, blending lived and professional expertise. You will gather authentic insights and practical tools to create safer, more inclusive spaces for our ladybugs.

This isn't just about learning. It is about addressing the unique and often misunderstood challenges faced by our community, and about driving authentic and meaningful change. Across three transformative days, you will explore deeply nuanced, neuro-affirming and trauma-informed strategies that can empower autistic girls and gender-diverse students to thrive at school, at home and in the world.

Who is this conference for?

The conference is for anyone passionate about creating safer, more inclusive environments for our ladybugs:

  • Parents and carers seeking strategies to support sensory needs, emotional well-being, relationships, and their own self-care.
  • Educators looking for practical tools to build neuro-affirming classrooms and effectively support high-masking students.
  • Allied health professionals aiming to refine their practice with up-to-date lived experience insights and evidence-based approaches.
  • Autistic girls and gender-diverse folk who want to celebrate their identity, gain practical tools, and connect with a supportive community.

What can you expect?

The 2026 Yellow Ladybugs Conference offers three transformative days of online interactive content, including expert panels, in-depth presentations, and immersive spaces designed with our community’s unique needs in mind.


Day 1 is where we go back to the classrooms, starting with autistic teachers talking about what school felt like for them and what they want you to know to better support our ladybugs, then moving into why our ladybugs are still being missed, mental health, shame, rejection sensitivity, PDA, issues with behaviourism, and helping our families support our ladybugs while trying to break generational patterns. 

Day 2 is where we further step inside what is actually going on for our ladybugs that adults often don’t see, why school doesn’t feel safe for many of them, what authentic autistic communication really looks like, extreme distress and what helps, eating differences, puberty and hormones and why families say “everything changed at this point”, how we design environments around autistic experiences instead of trying to change our ladybugs, technology, online spaces, connection and risk, and hearing directly from autistic voices about their lived experience.

Day 3 is a bit different and for those joining us in Melbourne and those watching online, it’s a powerful mix of people speaking from both their lived experience and their professional roles, and the whole day is just magical and memorable. This year we are covering some really important topics around identity, safety, rejection sensitivity, burnout, trauma and nervous systems, and then finishing very deliberately by talking about the mistakes from the past that we don’t want to repeat in the future. 

What sets this conference apart is its interactive format. The purpose-built virtual platform replicates the energy of a live event, with a virtual stage, resource booth, sensory room, and more. For Hybrid (in-person) attendees on Day 3, enjoy catered lunch, gift bags, sensory-friendly networking, and access to exhibitors.

Where and when does it take place?

The conference runs from 2 to 4 June 2026, offering flexibility and accessibility to suit your needs.

Online: Watch live from anywhere in the world, whether from the comfort of your home or office, and enjoy the flexibility of accessing recordings OnDemand for 90 days at your own pace.

Hybrid: Join us for Day 3 at Hyatt Place, Essendon Fields, Melbourne, on 4 June 2026, for a sensory-friendly, neuro-affirming Hybrid (in-person) experience featuring catered lunch, networking, and exhibitors.

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Hear from past attendees


Janine, Occupational Therapist
"Let’s just say I have attended MANY conferences over the years, and none have had such an impact on me. I have laughed, cried, and been angry at how people have treated neurodivergent people. I feel so connected with your community, and I thank you for what you are doing."

Imelda, Paediatric Occupational Therapist
"This was my second year of participating in the conference. I have really enjoyed both years and found the content very helpful. The conference has given me a greater understanding of how I can support my daughter and my clients in a more compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming way."

Dave, Teacher with 38 Years of Experience
"I attended the recent Yellow Ladybugs conference, and it was absolutely brilliant. One of the best professional learning experiences of my career. Thank you for the amazing work you do—I now feel equipped to better support my autistic students and advocate for change in my school."

Rachael, Speech Pathologist
"The conference was the best professional learning I have ever attended. It has really invigorated me to advocate for our autistic students, including my own daughter. The information has been so helpful in educating my team, and we are all hoping to attend next year!"

Parent of a Recently Diagnosed Teen
"We just got a diagnosis for my 14-year-old daughter, and attending the conference has been life-changing. I’m learning so much to understand her better and support her in ways that truly matter. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

We can't wait to see you there.