Abstract
Autistic students in mainstream schools often need additional support to feel included and experience a sense of well-being. While school leaders play a key role in fostering inclusive environments, research on the views of autistic students about these leaders’ roles, particularly principals, remains limited. This article addresses this gap, presenting findings from a photovoice study with autistic adolescents (aged 12–15) about their sense of safety and well-being in mainstream schools in Victoria, Australia, with findings on school leadership drawn from three participants’ accounts. Data analysis, conducted through a constructivist grounded theory approach, suggested that school leaders who engaged, listened, allocated resources, and facilitated school-level transitions were perceived as contributing positively to participants’ comfort and inclusion. The findings highlight the importance of inclusive leadership in supporting autistic students. Future studies should incorporate student voices in exploring leadership practices and examine the broader role of school leaders in promoting well-being and inclusion.