Everyone who is being cared for should be understood, respected, and assisted in a way that fits them the best. However, this is not always the case for autistic individuals and individuals with a learning disability. This was the reason why the Oliver McGowan Training program was developed to improve the understanding of those who provide care to them. This paper is going to discuss the importance of Tier 2 specifically, its target audience, content, and how to select a reliable supplier.

What Is Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training

Tier 2 training of Oliver McGowan is one of the components of mandatory training of England regarding the learning disability and autism. This training is specifically meant for those persons who may need to help people with autism and learning disabilities in their professional capacity.

The training program consists of online e-training as well as a live session facilitated by professional trainers. It includes persons with lived experience, thus giving a vivid picture to the learner rather than mere written information. After completing this training program, the learner gets some practical knowledge that can be used in real-life scenarios.

Why the Training Was Created and the Story Behind It

The training is dedicated to Oliver McGowan, an individual with a mild learning disability and autism, who sadly passed away in 2016 when he was 18 years old. He was prescribed antipsychotics despite him and his family refusing it and suffering from adverse effects. Paula and Tom McGowan are Oliver's parents, who have since been advocating for families to avoid such tragic situations.

As a result of their perseverance, new legislation was adopted – the Health and Care Act 2022 states that regulated service providers must ensure that relevant training regarding learning disability and autism is provided for staff according to their duties. The essence of every Tier 2 training is the message of the campaign – always listen to individuals and their families and never pretend to be a better judge than them.

How Tier 2 Training Improves the Quality of Care

Good care is based on the ability to make proper decisions daily. Thus, they would know how to greet, how much time to allow before getting the answer, if they notice the noise disturbing the patient. The training in Tier 2 will help the staff to make proper decisions if needed.

Such training helps to overcome the main obstacle to good care, which is the issue of communication. Staff is trained how to improve communication skills and use appropriate information to recognize pain or distress by means of body language. They are also taught not to become a victim of the phenomenon called diagnostic overshadowing. It means that they will not ignore the symptoms of a disease due to having some disability or autism. Such diagnosis will prevent hospitalization and save lives.

Who Needs to Complete Oliver McGowan Tier 2 Training

The second level is meant for the staff who may be expected to offer care and support services to the autistic individuals and those with learning disabilities. It encompasses such employees as support workers, care assistants, senior carers, nurses, and other clinicians, along with many other registered managers and team leaders who work very closely with their teams.

Those staff members who interact with others on rare occasions will require the first level. Each type of role requires different tiers, hence, the organizations will have to assess their roles and select appropriate levels. In case you are unsure about the tier to choose, the approved training providers can guide you regarding the same before enrolling you in any training program.

What You Will Learn During the Tier 2 Session

The courses being taught are relevant and interesting. The learners do not just sit through PowerPoint presentation but participate actively in the discussions. In addition, the knowledge is gained through discussion of the case study and experiences of those living with the condition.

The issues covered in the course include issues such as how autism and learning difficulties affect communication and perceptual issues, reasonable adjustments that can be done for the individual, effects of human rights, consent and mental capacity act on the individual, detecting the pain and illness in the non-verbal individual and collaborating with the families of the individual and the professionals.

In conclusion, there would be an enhanced ability to question and challenge assumptions, ensuring that the individual always remains at the center of all the discussions and decisions.

The Benefits for Care Staff and Care Providers

They are personal and professional gains for employees; practical and reputational gains for service providers. A lot of people claim that training positively transformed their view about what they do on the job by making them more calm and confident to handle difficult situations. Benefits of such training are numerous and include the following things:

•Staff becomes more confident in working with autistic individuals and people with learning difficulties.

•Better understanding and better communication between workers and individuals who require help.

•Pain, suffering, and health problems become visible earlier, preventing hospitalization cases.

•There is always improved safeguarding and reduced risk of causing unnecessary injury.

•Better retention due to confident and valued staff members.

•Proving that one complies with legislation and CQC requirements.

•Increased trust of family members due to respectful treatment.

As it can be easily understood, a properly trained workforce is one of the best indicators of high-quality assistance. Service providers who invest in training usually report improved morale and reputation of the agency; better outcomes of their clients; and the feeling of respect of their staff members towards the company and vice versa.

How Tier 2 Training Supports CQC Expectations

It is expected of providers to have competent and confident individuals who meet the needs of people through their practice. The inspectors will check whether the training you offer is related to the people who use services as well as what effect it has on the practice. 

Having completed Tier 2 gives the evidence needed about the training on learning disabilities and autism which your service needs to deliver to comply with the requirement of providing training. In order to make the most out of it, maintain your training matrix up-to-date, talk about learning in your supervisions and give examples of improved practices.

Why Face to Face Learning Makes a Difference

Even if certain subjects can be taught virtually, caring is a practical skill which is achieved with the direct participation of the individual. Through direct contact, learners are able to practice their skills, pose questions and get answers via contact with their peers and instructors. Body language, intonation, and reflection add value to the process which cannot be attained with virtual lessons.

This is one more reason for why many companies opt for the in-person method for other classes. With basic life support training Bristol, employees learn how to use CPR and the defibrillator on real-life instruments and get instant feedback from the instructor. This is true about Tier 2 as well. Discussions, role-playing, and anecdotes become much more powerful in front of people, and team members also establish better relationships.

How to Choose a Trusted Training Provider in Bristol

Not all providers provide the same experience. Make sure that you get all the information about the provider through asking all the pertinent questions before you make the booking. The questions to be asked here include whether the provider is authorized to deliver the national program, whether the trainers have previous experience in the care sector, and whether there are people who have the personal experience of delivering the program.

Being located locally in Bristol gives a great advantage. This will help the provider to set suitable training days, carry out the training on-site in a convenient place hence reducing wastage of time and minimal disturbance to rotas. Always make time to go through the reviews, talk to the registered managers in your locality and look for a provider who is responsive to your questions.

Conclusion

It is essential that Tier 2 training delivered by Oliver McGowan is important in your lives since it enables you to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills that will allow you to assist an individual who has autism and learning disability with dignity.

 Moreover, it ensures that individuals are not placed in unnecessary danger and makes your organization resilient and compliant with the legislation and CQC standards. By selecting the appropriate training provider and opting for face-to-face training, you can turn your need into a means of improvement in your organization.