Three young people supported by AFK have recently started work with the NHS as part of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training delivery team. It’s a brilliant achievement, and a powerful example of what meaningful employment can look like.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is designed to help health and social care staff provide safe, compassionate and informed care. It gives staff a better understanding of the experiences, barriers and challenges autistic people and people with a learning disability can face when accessing healthcare and support services.
What makes this training especially powerful is its use of lived experience. Disabled and neurodivergent people are part of the delivery, sharing real experiences to help shape understanding and improve care. It reflects the principle of “nothing about us without us” in action.
The story behind the training
The training is named after Oliver McGowan, whose death in an NHS hospital highlighted the urgent need for health and social care staff to better understand and support autistic people and people with a learning disability.
In 2016, Oliver’s Campaign was launched by his mother, Paula McGowan OBE. She called for all health and social care staff to receive appropriate, meaningful training to improve understanding and help prevent similar experiences happening to other families.
In 2018, she launched a parliamentary petition which gained over 56,000 signatures and was debated cross-party. This led to the government’s 2019 ‘Right to be heard’ response, which committed to developing a standardised training package.
The training draws on best practice and the expertise of people with a learning disability, autistic people, family carers and subject matter experts.
Now a statutory requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022, the training is the preferred and recommended approach for staff across the NHS and wider care sector.
The Power of Lived Experience
Seeing the young people AFK supports step into these roles shows the impact of that approach. Their voices are not only being heard, but they are also helping to influence how care is delivered across the system.
This is something we champion through our own EDI services. Our training is co-facilitated by disabled and neurodivergent people, bringing real insight, challenge and authenticity to every session. It’s a key part of what makes our offer different.
Katie Cavanagh, Interim CEO, said: “Having disabled and neurodivergent people involved in delivering this training is incredibly important because it brings real lived experience into the room. It helps healthcare staff move beyond policy and theory, and better understand the experiences, barriers and challenges disabled people can face when accessing services.
“What makes the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training so powerful is that it creates honest conversations and encourages people to reflect on how care is delivered. When those conversations are led by people with lived experience, it has a lasting impact.
“Seeing young people supported by AFK step into paid NHS training roles is something we’re hugely proud of. It shows the value of creating opportunities where disabled and neurodivergent people are recognised for their skills, experiences and expertise, whilst also helping to make services more inclusive for others.”