The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training

Learning Disability and Autism Training in Health and Social Care

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training was developed to improve the knowledge and skills of health and social care staff when supporting autistic people and people with a learning disability.

This guide explains why the training exists, how it is structured and how lived experience forms an important part of its delivery. It also explores how the principles connect with safer everyday practice.

It includes:

• Why the training was developed
• The current statutory training requirement
• Tier 1 and Tier 2 training
• The role of lived-experience trainers
• Reasonable adjustments
• Accessible communication
• Diagnostic overshadowing
• Recognising changes from a person’s usual presentation
• Listening to the person and people who know them well
• What completing the training does and does not demonstrate
• Practical considerations for professionals, people using services and families

An accessible introduction to the training and the safer, more individualised healthcare practices it is intended to support.

Space to Breathe Therapy