The Oliver McGowan Training on Learning Disability and Autism

Aims:

• To ensure the health and social care workforce has the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate, and informed care to people with a learning disability and to autistic people.
• To highlight the importance of understanding autism and learning disability, including how to make reasonable adjustments and deliver person-centred support in practice, thereby improving the quality of care and reducing health inequalities
• To fulfil the new legislative requirements by providing the standardised training recommended by the government for learning disability and autism, ensuring staff training is appropriate to their role.
• To reinforce a culture of empathy and reflective practice by incorporating the expertise of people with lived experience throughout the training.

Topics covered:

• Understanding what a learning disability is and what autism is – covering definitions, common misconceptions, communication needs, and the spectrum of support required.
• Understanding the real-world challenges and health inequalities faced by people with learning disabilities and autistic people. Then highlighting how improved practices can address these disparities.
• Understanding how to make reasonable adjustments and provide person-centred, rights-based support – including effective communication strategies, sensory considerations, and adaptations to services to better support autistic individuals and those with learning disabilities.
• Understanding the two-part structure of Oliver’s Training: Part 1 is an e-learning module, and Part 2 is an interactive session (Tier 1 delivered online, Tier 2 delivered face-to-face), all co-delivered with trainers who have lived experience of learning disability or autism.
• Understanding Oliver McGowan’s story and why this training was developed – exploring the circumstances that led to the training’s creation and the vital lessons about advocacy, informed care, and the consequences of not getting it right.
• Understanding the legal and professional responsibilities of staff and how this mandatory training supports compliance and best practice in these areas.

Learning Outcomes - by the end of the course participants will be able to:

• Recognise the unique needs, communication preferences, and rights of autistic people and people with a learning disability and adapt their care approach to meet those needs effectively.
• Demonstrate improved communication and support skills – for example, using appropriate language, visual aids, or adjusted interaction styles – to provide better, more accessible care for people with a learning disability and autistic people.
• Apply person-centred thinking and make reasonable adjustments in their day-to-day practice, ensuring that services are inclusive and individualised for those with autism or learning disabilities.
• Understand and explain the importance of this training (including Oliver’s story and the statutory requirements behind it) to colleagues, leading to better autism and learning disability practice in their teams.
• Provide safer and more compassionate care that reflects the knowledge gained – helping to prevent avoidable harm and improve health outcomes for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.

Certification

Delegates will receive a CPD-accredited certificate upon successful completion of the course. Completion of The Oliver McGowan Training on Learning Disability and Autism is officially recognised as meeting the government’s recommended training requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022. 

(It is advised that staff refresh their training periodically in line with any future guidelines or organisational policy.)