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