18/05/2026
Call for Abstracts: The 10th National Autism Symposium is an annual event hosted by the North-West University, in partnership with Autism South Africa (A;SA) and supported by the South African Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (SA-ACAPAP).
The organising committee invites you to submit an abstract for a workshop presentation at the 10th National Autism Symposium, taking place in August 2026.
As we celebrate over a decade of learning, advocacy, and collaboration, our 2026 theme—Celebrating Autism: Next Steps—highlights the importance of moving forward with purpose, inclusivity, and innovation. We welcome submissions that present practical, compassionate, and forward-thinking approaches that support autistic individuals, their families, and the professionals who accompany them on their journeys.
Call for Abstracts:
We invite practical and interactive abstracts aimed at parents, autistic persons, educators, clinicians, and allied professionals. Workshops should focus on a clearly defined area within one of the following sub-themes:
Sub-Themes:
1. Unlocking Strengths: Recognising and valuing the diverse strengths, talents, and perspectives within the autistic community. This includes highlighting how autistic ways of thinking, learning, and engaging enrich families, schools, workplaces, and society. Submissions should shift from a deficit-based approach toward celebrating abilities and enabling autistic people to thrive.
2. Supporting Every Journey:
Every autistic person’s journey is unique. This sub-theme explores how families, professionals, communities, and systems can offer responsive, respectful, and person-centred support across the lifespan. We welcome practical strategies that honour autonomy, reduce barriers, and create environments where autistic people can navigate daily life with dignity and confidence.
3. Building Inclusive Futures:
Looking forward to a world where autistic people are fully included, represented, and supported. Submissions may focus on collaborative solutions, accessible design, meaningful inclusion of autistic voices, and policies that promote equity. The goal is to imagine and build a future where inclusion is the norm, not the exception.
4. Evidence Sparks Action and Change: This stream invites submissions that bridge the gap between research and practice. We welcome presentations offering insights from recent studies, innovative research proposals, and critical reflections on emerging evidence and methodologies. The focus is on translating knowledge into actionable strategies for clinical practice, education, policy, and community support—sparking dialogue and advancing real-world application.
We particularly encourage submissions that include:
• Evidence-informed and compassionate approaches
• Interactive and collaborative formats
• Practical tools, strategies, and real-world application
Abstracts are welcomed from:
• Researchers
• Healthcare clinicians
• Parents and caregivers
• Educators
• Social workers
• Neurodiverse adults, including autistic adults and individuals with other neurodevelopmental conditions
Submission Guidelines: Abstracts must be submitted in Word document format via email to [email protected]
no later than 31 May 2026.
Please ensure your abstract includes all of the following:
• Full name, email address, landline, and mobile number
• Title of the workshop (maximum 20 words)
• A statement explaining how the presentation relates to the symposium theme
• An indication of which sub-theme your presentation aligns with
• Your title, occupation, affiliation, and interest in autism, neurodevelopmental disorders and/or child or adolescent mental health
• An outline of the presentation slides
• Presentation summary (maximum 300 words)
• Presenter biography (50–80 words)
• A high-quality photograph suitable for marketing and media use
Only complete submissions will be considered.
Important Dates:
• Submission deadline: 31 May 2026
• Notification of acceptance: 30 June 2026
• Presenter registration deadline: 30 July 2026
• Symposium dates: 28–29 August 2026
• Venue: Potchefstroom, North-West Province
For more information, please contact [email protected] or 018-299-1737
We look forward to receiving your workshop proposal and advancing the next steps in Celebrating Autism together.
