On 19 June 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care released the long-awaited draft Code of Practice for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. It is now a legal requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022 for all CQC-registered adult social care providers to have staff trained in learning disabilities and autism, appropriate to their role and level of responsibility, of which the Oliver McGowan training is the Governments preferred training.
The code is currently in a 40-day parliamentary scrutiny period, ending 6 September 2025. If no objections are raised, it will pass into law.
Why this training matters for all services
Mandatory training in learning disability and autism applies to all adult social care services, even if your service does not specifically support people with these conditions.
You may not always be aware that someone you support is autistic or has a learning disability. Furthermore, this community is living longer, meaning many are increasingly accessing older people’s services and general adult care. This makes it essential for all staff to have the right understanding, skills, and sensitivity to provide safe, inclusive, and appropriate care.
What care managers must know
Legal Requirement
- All staff must complete mandatory training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to their role and level of responsibility.
- The Care Quality Commission (CQC) will inspect for compliance, including how training is delivered, recorded, and updated.
The government recommends using the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Package, named in memory of Oliver McGowan, an autistic teenager with a learning disability who tragically died due to failings in care.
What you need to do as a manager
- Identify training needs across your team.
- Source accredited providers or deliver training through approved in-house programmes.
- Keep up-to-date training records to demonstrate compliance to the CQC.
- Ensure refresher training is provided at least every 3 years or sooner if staff roles change.
- Support trainers with lived experience—they must be properly recruited, trained, and fairly compensated.
Using the Code of Practice
- The Code will guide CQC inspections and should be used to review and improve your current training provision.
- It can also help when commissioning new training or auditing what you already offer.
In Summary
This Code of Practice places legal responsibility on adult social care providers to ensure all staff are appropriately trained in learning disability and autism. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the government-endorsed route to compliance, offering a practical, person-centred, and accredited approach.
HCPA has been delivering the Oliver McGowan training for two years and continues to offer this essential training to support care providers in meeting statutory requirements under the Health and Care Act 2022.
For more information and to explore available sessions, please visit the HCPA Training Zone
If you are interested in group bookings at a reasonable cost, please complete this quick form.
Stay informed through GOV.UK and HCPA updates. We will share further guidance once the parliamentary scrutiny period ends.