Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism four-day Tier 2 lead trainer tra

The National Autistic Society and our partner the Estia Centre are proud to be commissioned by NHS England to train lead trainers for The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. The training is named after Oliver McGowan, whose death shone a light on the need for health and social care staff to have better training.

About the Estia Centre

Based within South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, the Estia Centre’s mission is to build a healthier future for people with a learning disability and autistic adults by providing specialist training that is uniquely co-produced and delivered in partnership with clinical and subject matter experts alongside people with lived experience. The Estia Centre lead on delivering the learning disability content of Oliver's Training.

Together we are delivering the programme’s Tier 2 lead trainer training course for health and social care professionals. The National Autistic Society deliver the autism training and the Estia Centre deliver the learning disability training. All training is co-delivered with NHS England approved co-trainers who are autistic or have a learning disability.

Scheduled dates and locations for 2026

October: 13 /14 and 22 / 23 Leeds
November: 4 / 5 and 10 / 11 Cambridge
November: 18 / 19 and 25 / 26 Birmingham
December: 1 / 2 and 8 / 9 London

If none of the current locations meet your needs, please let us know where you are based. If we get enough requests for that location we might be able to organise a course closer to you.

Who is it for?

This training is aimed at professionals who work within NHS services or organisations that offer NHS commissioned services and have experience supporting people with a learning disability and autistic people.

If you are interested in this training but do not work within an NHS service, please contact us.

About the four-day lead trainer training

The course takes four days and is delivered over two weeks. The first two days are delivered consecutively in the first week and are focused on learning disability. The last two days are delivered consecutively in the second week and are focused on autism.

The course is delivered face-to-face in locations across England. For more information on the application criteria, please see the Tier 2 Lead Trainer Specification.

Completing the course (and the quality assurance process) means that delegates become Approved Trainers for The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training.

They can then deliver the following courses to the health and care workforce:

One-day Tier 2 course
Two-day facilitating trainer training
Three-day autistic expert co-trainer training
Three-day expert with a learning disability co-trainer training

If you have questions, please see our frequently asked questions.

Why is this important?

Oliver McGowan was a young autistic man with a learning disability. Oliver sadly died because staff who cared for him did not have the skills and knowledge to look after him.

Oliver’s Training aims to ensure health and social care staff have the right skills and knowledge to provide safe, compassionate and informed care to autistic people and people with a learning disability. It has been co-produced, trialled and evaluated with people with a learning disability and autistic people. For more information on the background to this training, please see the NHS England website.

The Health and Care Act 2022 says that all staff working in Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulated services should be trained in how to care for people with a learning disability and autistic people. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the government’s preferred and recommended training to meet the requirements of the Act.

If you have questions, please visit NHS England's FAQs - The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training page.

Certification

Upon completion of the course, delegates will be awarded a certificate of attendance from NHS England. They will become approved trainers and will also receive a trainer number.

Please note: There is a quality assurance process for everyone attending the training. This is because we need to ensure that those applying for the course have the necessary knowledge and experience. Please see Lead Trainer person specification published by NHS England.

Further information and applying for the course

Please see our frequently asked questions.

If you have further questions about the course, are interested in applying or would like to nominate trainers, please contact us at nasommttraining@nas.org.uk.

Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism four-day Tier 2 lead trainer training