Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training

What Is Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training?

Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training is specialist learning disability and autism training for staff who provide direct care, support, assessment or treatment. It helps participants understand lived experience, communicate more effectively, make reasonable adjustments and provide safer, more person-centred support. Learners should complete the required e-learning before attending Tier 2. The Tier 2 course is then delivered as a full-day, face-to-face training session, including input from trainers with lived experience.

Who Is Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training For?

Tier 2 is most relevant for people whose role involves direct contact with autistic people or people with a learning disability. This may include staff in healthcare, adult social care, community support, mental health, complex care, care homes, domiciliary care, supported living, specialist education support and other settings where direct support or care is provided.

• Doctors, nurses and allied health professionals
• Healthcare assistants and clinical support workers
• GP practice and primary care staff with patient-facing roles
• Dental teams with patient-facing responsibilities
• Care workers, senior carers and support workers
• Care home, nursing home and domiciliary care teams
• Supported living and complex care providers
• Mental health and community support workers
• Children’s health and care teams
• Special educational needs and disability support teams where direct support responsibilities apply
• Private healthcare, aesthetics and clinical service teams where services are regulated or patient-facing

Sectors and Organisations We Support

ACI can support a wide range of organisations that need role-appropriate learning disability and autism training. The strongest fit is where teams provide direct care, support, assessment, treatment, personal care or patient-facing services.

• NHS and independent healthcare organisations
• GP practices and primary care providers
• Dental practices and clinical teams
• Private hospitals, independent clinics and cosmetic surgery settings
• Adult social care providers
• Care homes, nursing homes and residential care providers
• Domiciliary care and community care providers
• Supported living and complex care providers
• Mental health services and community support teams
• Children’s healthcare and specialist support services
• Early years, education and SEND settings where staff provide direct support or personal care
• Local authorities, commissioners and workforce development teams
• Third sector, charity and community organisations providing care-related support

For non-healthcare sectors, the correct training route should be based on role, level of contact, service responsibilities and organisational policy. ACI can help organisations consider whether Tier 1 or Tier 2 is the most appropriate route for their workforce.

Is Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training Mandatory?

CQC-registered health and social care providers must ensure staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the government’s preferred and recommended training package for health and social care staff.

The appropriate tier is not the same for every member of staff. Organisations should consider each role, the level of direct contact, the type of support provided and whether staff are involved in care, treatment, assessment or support for autistic people and people with a learning disability. This page provides general information and should not be treated as legal advice.

Tier 1 vs Tier 2: What Is the Difference?

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How Is Tier 2 Training Delivered?

Tier 2 is delivered face to face and is designed to be interactive, practical and reflective. The session includes lived experience input and helps delegates consider how learning applies to their own service setting.

• E-learning should be completed before attending Tier 2
• Full-day, face-to-face training
• Input from trainers with lived experience
• Open courses for individual learners and smaller teams
• Private organisational delivery for larger groups
• Suitable for single-site and multi-site workforce planning

What Will Participants Learn?

• How to communicate more effectively with autistic people and people with a learning disability
• How to make reasonable adjustments in real service settings
• How health inequalities can affect outcomes
• How diagnostic overshadowing can influence assessment, treatment and support
• How professional assumptions and behaviour affect people’s experiences
• How to provide more person-centred care and support
• How to apply learning in health, care, support and specialist settings

Renewal and Refresher Training

The suggested renewal period is currently every three years. Further guidance is expected from NHS England, so organisations should keep their training matrix and refresher arrangements under review.

ACI can support organisations with initial rollout planning, open course bookings, private group delivery and future refresher scheduling once national guidance is confirmed.

Why Choose ACI Training & Consultancy?

• Approved provider of Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training
• Experienced trainers with strong health, care and specialist sector knowledge
• Lived experience input built into delivery
• Open course and private group options
• UK-wide delivery for organisations of different sizes
• Support for workforce planning, attendance evidence and training records
• Practical understanding of regulated and specialist sectors including healthcare, care, education, dental, aesthetics and related support services

Common Questions About This Training

What is Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training?

Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training is specialist learning disability and autism training for staff who provide direct care, support, assessment or treatment. It helps people understand lived experience, communicate more effectively, make reasonable adjustments and provide safer, more person-centred care.

Who needs Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training?

Tier 2 is most relevant for staff who have direct contact with autistic people or people with a learning disability as part of care, treatment, support, assessment or service delivery. This can include staff in healthcare, social care, mental health, community services, complex care, care homes, domiciliary care and specialist support settings.

Is Oliver McGowan Tier 2 mandatory?

CQC-registered providers must ensure staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their role. The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is the government’s preferred and recommended training package for health and social care staff. Organisations should decide the correct tier based on each role.

What sectors can Oliver McGowan Tier 2 support?

The main statutory audience is health and social care. However, the training may also be useful for adjacent regulated or care-related sectors where staff provide direct support, personal care, clinical care, community support or services to autistic people and people with a learning disability.

What is the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2?

Tier 1 is for staff who need general awareness. Tier 2 is deeper, face-to-face training for staff whose roles involve direct care, support, assessment or treatment. The correct route depends on the role, setting and level of contact.

Do I need to complete e-learning before Tier 2?

Yes. The e-learning is part one of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training pathway and should be completed before attending further Tier 1 or Tier 2 training.

How often should Oliver McGowan training be renewed?

The suggested renewal period is currently every three years. Further guidance is expected from NHS England, so organisations should monitor national updates and keep their training matrix under review.

Can ACI deliver Tier 2 training at our location?

Yes. ACI can deliver private Tier 2 training for organisations at suitable locations, including multi-site providers that need a consistent workforce rollout.

Can individuals book onto open courses?

Yes. Individuals and smaller organisations can book places on scheduled open courses where dates and availability are suitable.

Can care providers use this training as compliance evidence?

Completion records, attendance information and training documentation can support workforce governance, training records and inspection preparation. Providers should keep evidence in line with their internal compliance processes.

Can non-healthcare organisations book this training?

Yes, where the training is relevant to the organisation’s role, staff responsibilities or service users. The page should make clear that statutory requirements apply to CQC-registered health and social care providers, while other sectors may choose training for good practice, accessibility, inclusion or direct support reasons.

Learn More About Oliver McGowan Training

Whether you are deciding which training your staff require, planning compliance activity, or comparing training options, these resources can help.