The Bloom global parent education and training programme is a partner project between Naked Heart Foundation, the University of Cape Town and the University of Edinburgh.

Working with the Project team, graphic designer Zanmari Norman created a unique visual design language which formed the illustrations of the six family workbooks to be tested at the pre-pilot starting from February 2025.

At the centre of the creative development is the Bloom Flower Metaphor, which is a simple visual concept to help families understand autism.

Imagine a flower growing in a garden. When we look at it, we naturally notice the colourful part above the ground - the part everyone can see. But there’s another important part we can’t see: the roots.

Even though the roots are hidden underground, they help the flower grow, stay strong and eventually bloom. This reminds us that there is often more beneath the surface than what we can see.

The same idea was used in Bloom to help explain autism.

• Some things are invisible, like how a child’s brain processes information, or what they are feeling in their body and emotions.
• Other things are visible, like how they behave, the words they use (or don’t use), and how they move or play.

By paying attention to both what is visible and what is hidden, we can support autistic children in a more compassionate and helpful way.

Like flowers, no two autistic children are the same. Some may grow with lots of support, while others may need different kinds of care along the way. But every flower is important – and with the right support, each one can thrive.

This design is just the starting point in the development of Bloom’s visual identity. At this stage, it is not yet intended for wider public use. The project team will use it for pre-pilot testing of the Bloom programme materials, and some changes are expected based on the results of the pre-pilot.