Recorded June 5, 2025

Hosted by Autism Alberta’s Alliance’s Early Childhood Community of Practice, Join Maddy Dever, a non-binary Autistic advocate and parent, for an engaging presentation on Neurodivergent Affirming Practices tailored for Early Childhood educators and professionals. This session will explore strength-based approaches to supporting neurodivergent children, emphasizing inclusive language, acceptance, and practical strategies rooted in lived experience. Attendees will gain insights on evaluating sensory environments and goal-setting practices, ultimately learning to create supportive spaces where neurodivergent children can truly thrive.

About the Presenter

Maddy Dever (they/them) is a non-binary, wheelchair user with a spinal cord injury and an Autistic adult and parent of four children who are all also Autistic, living in rural Eastern Ontario in Canada. Maddy advocates with both provincial and federal governments for inclusion and acceptance of Autistic individuals and for Autistic people and all people with disabilities to have their own voice in policy decisions.

Maddy is a writer, speaker, coach, mentor, podcaster Maddy is a writer, speaker, podcaster and Interim Chair of the new National Autism Network. They are also a former member of the Ontario Autism Program Advisory Panel, and the Ontario Autism Program Implementation Working Group. Maddy is the President and founder of Autistic Bridge Inc, and is also an Autistic Job Coach and EmploymentWorks Facilitator with Spero Canada. Maddy was co-Vice Chair of Autism Alliance of Canada (formerly known as CASDA) and current member of the AAC Board of Directors, is on the Expert Hub Team for ECHO Ontario Autism, ECHO Ontario Brain Health and Family ECHO US, is an Autistic advocate and executive team member of Autism Care Network in the US, and is the Director of Policy for the Ontario Disability Coalition. Maddy writes and shares their speaking engagements at autisticrambler.com

Links from the presentation:

• How to be an Ally to the Autistic Community
• Neurodiversity-Affirming Practice by Sylvia Ramorasata

We acknowledge the land we are on is located across what we know as the Province of Alberta, which spans the traditional & ancestral territory of the people of Treaty 6, 7 and 8, plus the Metis Settlements and the Six Regions of the Metis Nation of Alberta. We remain committed to building meaningful and reciprocal relations with those whose land we work and reside on & we make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation and gratitude.