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Leeds, September 5, 2025
Afrikindness Parenting & Inclusion Conference 2025 – A Day of Unity, Insight & Empowerment
“Beyond Assumptions: Rethinking Parenting, Culture and Professional Care.”
We were deeply honoured to have Councillor Ed Carlisle open the day with a keynote that set the tone for a conference rooted in equity, inclusion, and resilience. The Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Dan Cohen, followed with a powerful keynote that touched on kindness, empowerment, and disruption—challenging us to envision the future of inclusion built on trust, courageous disruption, and collaboration.
Download the APIC 2025 Brochure here: Conference Brochure PDF
Highlights of the day – Inspiring Voices and Lived Experience
- Sainabou’s powerful story of resilience left the room in silence. It was one of the most emotional moments when Sainabou shared her lived experience—a raw, poignant account of the deep struggles parents of neurodiverse children face, particularly in underserved communities, where stigma and systemic barriers compound the challenges. Her courage literally shook the room and touched every heart.
- Outstanding Speakers: From clinical experts to community advocates, every presenter brought insight and authenticity. Their collective contributions—blending data, lived experience, and cultural context—sparked meaningful conversation and reflection throughout the day. Check out the speakers here:- Conference Speakers
- Theme in Focus – Beyond Assumptions: Our central theme challenged stereotypes head-on and called for culturally informed models of care. It resonated throughout sessions examining how cultural identity, systemic bias, and community perception influence parenting, safeguarding, and mental health in families.
- Faith & Neurodiversity Dialogue: One of the most enriching sessions featured faith leaders engaging in open conversations on inclusion, spiritual support, and how religious communities can better ally with neurodiverse families.
- Vibrant Exhibition & Resources: Over 20 exhibitors, including Leeds City Council and local non-profits, offered practical tools for autism, ADHD, speech support, emotional wellbeing, and safeguarding. Attendees engaged directly with service providers, building lasting connections. Check our exhibitors here:- Exhibitors
- One-to-One Drop-in Support: Parents and carers accessed confidential, personalised guidance—covering anything from navigating a diagnosis to connecting with appropriate services.
Unforgettable Moments & Feedback
- Attendees found the disruptive conversation panels and plenary conversation particularly empowering—creating a rare space for open, culture-sensitive debate that invited reflection and co-creation of solutions.
- Many parents noted how reassuring it felt to be seen, validated, and supported by people who understood their cultural context, not just their challenges.
- Feedback was overwhelmingly positive: Families left with not just ideas but actionable strategies—and a renewed sense of confidence in advocating for their children, while professionals valued the cultural insights and disruptive yet constructive conversations that challenged traditional thinking.
One parent said: “For the first time, I felt my story mattered. The conference gave me tools, but more importantly, it gave me hope.”
Another feedback:– “Very interesting exhibition, very helpful. Not realising that we have this much support around our community. Thanks for bringing them out.”
Plenary Session – Forum Central
The plenary session, facilitated by Forum Central, gathered voices from parents, carers, and professionals in honest and constructive dialogue. These lived experiences will be collated into a Community Report and shared at strategic levels, including local boards, the council, and regional partnerships, ensuring real impact beyond the day.
Digital Inclusion & Raffle Draw
Digital inclusion was also a key highlight:
- A dedicated digital workshop, led by the Afrikindness Digital Inclusion Team, trained 9 families on iPad use, accessing online resources, and healthy eating, supported by 100% Digital Leeds. Each family also received a £15 Tesco Healthy Start Voucher. This training will continue with families beyond the conference.
- Raffle Draw: Thanks to GIPSIL, two families won brand-new laptops! The raffle was open to parents facing digital challenges who completed our Digital Inclusion Survey. Afrikindness will now support these families further, training the two young people and their parents to use digital tools to access resources, services, and integrating them into our GCSEPod Supplementary Education Programme.
Why This Matters
APIC 2025 wasn’t just an event—it was a movement. It demonstrated the power of inclusive dialogue, the depth of strength in diverse parenting communities, and the importance of culturally relevant support networks. By centering voices like Sainabou’s and integrating spiritual, clinical, and grassroots perspectives, the day affirmed that real change requires listening, trust, unity—and getting practical.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
We are deeply grateful to our sponsors — The National Lottery Community Fund, Leeds Community Foundation, Sir George Martin Trust and Davecr8s Expressions for supporting the Afrikindness Parenting & Inclusion Conference 2025. Your partnership made this transformative event possible.
Looking Ahead – APIC 2026
This is just the beginning. Afrikindness is proud to have delivered its first Parenting & Inclusion Conference, and we are already preparing for APIC 2026.
We invite sponsors, partners, and collaborators to join us in building on this momentum—amplifying parent voices, equipping families with tools to thrive, and reshaping how parenting, culture, and professional care intersect.
👉 Visit Conference Brochure to learn more about APIC2026.
For sponsorship opportunities for APIC 2026, please contact us at ceo@afrikindness.org.
Together, we are rethinking parenting. Together, we are creating inclusion. Together, we are building a future where every child can thrive in Leeds and beyond.
View all pictures here:-
