People who know the programme
Our team includes Alan Morrison, who has helped shape the national programme, an assessed Tier 1 delivery trio, experienced Tier 2 trainers and trainer-of-trainers expertise.
London Autism Group Charity · Training for organisations across the UK
Autistic-led Oliver McGowan training
Learn with the people whose lives your work affects.
Experienced trainers. Research and community knowledge. A flexible, thoughtful approach to helping your organisation put understanding into practice.
For organisations anywhere in the UK, not just London. Oliver McGowan Tier 1 online webinars · Tier 2 in-person training by arrangement · Bespoke training & consultancy
Training with a community behind it
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism helps health and social care staff provide safer, better-informed care. It is the government’s preferred and recommended package for meeting the role-appropriate training requirement for CQC-registered providers in England.
At LAGC, this work is led by autistic people. Our experienced, growing team brings together autistic and learning disability lived experience, public health research, national programme involvement and practical knowledge from our charity’s everyday work. Training income helps sustain that community work.
Who is legally required to complete this training?
CQC-registered providers in England. Since 1st July 2022, CQC-registered health and social care providers in England must ensure their staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their roles. The Health and Care Act 2022 introduced this requirement. It applies to general services as well as specialist services, including relevant administrative and support staff.
Where Oliver McGowan fits in. The law requires suitable training, rather than a particular named course. Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the government’s preferred and recommended package for meeting this requirement. The final Oliver McGowan Code of Practice came into force on 6th September 2025. CQC takes the Code into account when assessing providers’ training arrangements.
Other organisations and UK nations. This specific legal requirement applies to CQC-registered providers in England. It is not a blanket requirement for every school, university, employer or organisation across the UK. Other legal duties and contractual requirements may apply. We welcome training enquiries from organisations anywhere in the UK.
Employers must assess which training is appropriate for each role and ensure staff put their learning into practice. Attendance alone does not guarantee regulatory compliance.
Read CQC’s training guidance (opens in a new tab) · Read the official Code of Practice (opens in a new tab)
Why choose London Autism Group Charity?
Understanding rooted in real lives
Our community activities and support services keep us close to the experiences training needs to address: communication, sensory environments, dignity, wellbeing and access.
Respectful, neuroaffirming practice
We centre people’s voices and the barriers around them. Our aim is thoughtful reflection and practical change, with space for questions and honest conversation.
A flexible relationship with your team
We discuss dates, accessible arrangements and your organisation’s needs. Alongside the national programme, we can arrange bespoke training, consultancy and follow-up support.
We want the learning to keep making a difference after the session. Our packages bring together a LAGC organisations network, useful resources and recognition of the training your team has completed.
Choose the right support for your team
Oliver McGowan Tier 1 online webinar packages & prices
A one-hour interactive online session for your organisation, delivered by our three-person training team. Organisations anywhere in the UK can book.
Step 1: complete the required e-learning. Each participant must first complete the NHS Oliver McGowan e-learning (opens in a new tab). This introduces learning disability, autism, communication and reasonable adjustments, providing the foundation for the live session. The e-learning and live session are both required parts of the training.
Step 2: join your live online webinar. Our trainers build on that foundation through lived experience, discussion and questions.
Standard Oliver McGowan Tier 1 online webinar training
£1,195 per organisation
For up to 25 participants.
- The one-hour live webinar, delivered by three trainers
- Certificates of attendance and an organisation attendance record
- Participant feedback and a short feedback summary
- Access to the LAGC organisations network
- A digital badge recognising training delivered by LAGC
Premium Oliver McGowan Tier 1 online webinar training
£1,695 per organisation
For up to 25 participants. Everything in Standard, with support to carry the learning into your organisation.
- A training impact report covering key themes and recommendations for your organisation
- A practical resource sheet tailored to your sector and your organisation
- LAGC merchandise, with quantities agreed when booking
- An optional, friendly and supportive 30-minute follow-up session a few weeks after training
The written quote confirms your group size, package arrangements and total amount payable before booking. Tell us if you have several teams or a different group size in mind.
Oliver McGowan Tier 2 in-person training
A full day of face-to-face learning for staff who provide care or support.
This is the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism, for staff whose roles involve supporting autistic people or people with a learning disability. It is co-delivered with experts with lived experience, including autistic and learning disability co-trainers.
Participants must complete the required NHS e-learning (opens in a new tab) before attending. The in-person day then builds on that learning through discussion, practical examples and questions.
We welcome requests from organisations across the UK. Tell us your location, group size and preferred dates. We’ll discuss the delivery team, venue, accessible arrangements and travel, then provide a written quote.
Request an in-person Tier 2 quoteLooking for bespoke training or consultancy? These are separate services shaped around your organisation. Request a written quote based on your group, location and the support you need. Bespoke training does not replace the standard Oliver McGowan programme.
Stay connected. Keep learning.
Our packages include access to a moderated LAGC organisations network. This helps organisations that train with us stay connected with the charity and other teams, ask occasional questions, exchange practical ideas and receive updates and resources.
The digital badge lets you share that your team has completed training delivered by London Autism Group Charity, on your website, LinkedIn or other communications. It recognises the training completed; it is not an accreditation of your whole organisation.
The network, badge and follow-up arrangements will be confirmed with the package before booking.
Before your session
Participants must complete the Oliver McGowan e-learning before their Tier 1 or Tier 2 session. Employers decide which tier is appropriate to each staff member’s role.
We can plan around your organisation’s dates and accessible arrangements while keeping the national programme’s required content and format. We’ll agree the team, group size, venue where relevant, final quote, certificates and booking terms in writing.
Open the NHS e-learning programme (opens in a new tab) · Read the official code of practice (opens in a new tab)
Meet the people behind the training
Our trainers are autistic. Qasim and Finn also bring learning disability lived experience. Each person contributes their own expertise; we arrange the right facilitating and co-training roles for your booking.
Dr Chris Papadopoulos
Oliver McGowan training · Tier 1
Public health, research and community leadership
Chris is the charity’s founder and CEO, a public health academic and the facilitating trainer in our assessed Tier 1 team. His research spans autism, neurodiversity, stigma, mental health and inclusive technologies. He is the author of Voices of Neurodiversity: An Inclusive Encyclopaedia and has extensive experience of university teaching, public speaking and training. He brings together research, practical service knowledge and the questions that matter to our community.
Alan Morrison
Oliver McGowan training · Tier 1
National programme involvement and autistic advocacy
Alan is an autistic advocate and the autistic co-trainer in our assessed Tier 1 team. He has helped shape the national Oliver McGowan programme through his involvement as an autistic expert with lived experience. He represented the programme at the NHS Parliamentary Awards in 2024, when it jointly won the Excellence in Education and Training Award. His interests include autism, trauma and helping service leaders understand how their decisions affect autistic people’s lives.
Qasim Qureshi
Oliver McGowan training · Tier 1
Learning disability lived experience and self-advocacy
Qasim is an autistic trainer with a learning disability and the learning disability co-trainer in our assessed Tier 1 team. He also has experience co-training with other Oliver McGowan providers. His approach centres clear language, respectful communication and making positive changes in people’s lives. He has contributed to local learning disability discussions in Haringey, including co-chairing a Let’s Talk meeting. He helps participants understand support from the perspective of the person receiving it.
Ed Shearer
Oliver McGowan training · Tier 2
Autistic identity, NHS involvement and everyday adjustments
Ed is an autistic and ADHD speaker, advocate and experienced trainer who brings Tier 2 Oliver McGowan expertise to our team. Through Neurodivergent Joy and his involvement with NHS services and improvement projects, he helps organisations understand people’s experiences of diagnosis, work and accessing support. He has spoken for LAGC about autistic identity and reasonable adjustments. His training combines honest lived experience, practical examples and a compassionate commitment to better support.
Sarah
Oliver McGowan training · Tier 2
Sensory experience, masking and accessible environments
Sarah is an autistic co-trainer who has co-delivered sessions since January 2026. She draws on her experience of late diagnosis, masking, sensory differences and building resilience in a world that is often difficult to navigate. She also works in the charity sector supporting young people facing barriers and is a trainee accessibility auditor for the built environment. Her wider contribution includes sensory and accessibility audits, design appraisals, access support and digital accessibility user testing.
Finn Cavanagh
Oliver McGowan training · Tier 1 & trainer development
Learning disability co-training and supporting new trainers
Finn is an autistic trainer with a learning disability, an experienced Oliver McGowan co-trainer and a trainer of trainers. He has delivered both Tier 1 and Tier 2 training and supports the development of our team. His contribution brings learning disability lived experience into the learning process, alongside practical knowledge of delivering the national programme. He enjoys helping people understand one another and supporting trainers to develop the confidence and skills to deliver well.
A few things you might want to know
Is Oliver McGowan training a legal requirement?
CQC-registered health and social care providers in England must ensure staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their roles. Oliver McGowan is the government’s preferred and recommended package, but the law does not prescribe a named course. This specific requirement does not apply to every UK organisation. Employers must assess training needs and how staff apply their learning.
Which Oliver McGowan tier does our team need?
Tier 1 is for staff who need general understanding. It includes a one-hour live online webinar. Tier 2 is a one-day in-person course for staff whose roles involve providing care or support to autistic people or people with a learning disability. Both require the e-learning first. Employers choose the appropriate tier for each role; we can help you discuss your requirements.
Can we book from outside London?
Yes. We welcome organisations anywhere in the UK, not just London. Tier 1 webinars are online. For Tier 2 in-person training, bespoke training and consultancy, tell us your location so we can discuss availability, travel, venue arrangements and a written quote.
Can you tailor the training to our organisation?
We can discuss accessible arrangements, dates and your team’s questions while keeping the standard Oliver McGowan programme’s required content and delivery format. More extensive sector-specific work, policy advice or follow-up can be arranged separately through our bespoke training and consultancy services.
What does the LAGC digital badge mean?
It recognises completion of training delivered by London Autism Group Charity. It does not certify that an entire organisation is accessible, endorse every aspect of its practice or replace any regulatory requirement. Badge wording and eligibility are agreed as part of the package.
Does sending a request confirm a booking?
No. We discuss the service, appropriate team, availability, group size, accessible arrangements, price and terms with you by email, then confirm the booking in writing. No payment is taken through this form.
Request a training booking
Tell us about your organisation and what you have in mind. Your request comes to contact@londonautismgroupcharity.org and we’ll follow up by email.
This is a booking request, not a confirmed booking. No payment is taken here. We’ll agree availability, the programme and a written quote with you first.