Learning Disabilities and Autism – Leadership Management Education and Research Course

Learning Disabilities and Autism – Leadership Management Education and Research Course – Online Course

Course overview
This one-hour online course explores the leadership and management skills needed to support services for autistic people and people with learning disabilities. It examines person-centred care, effective care pathways, staff coordination, reasonable adjustments, workforce development and the role of evidence and lived experience in improving services. The course follows Domain E – Leadership and Management, Education and Research – within the Skills for Health Core Capabilities Frameworks for supporting autistic people and people with a learning disability. It is CPD accredited and provides one CPD point.

Please note: This course provides knowledge to support leadership practice and continuing professional development in learning disability and autism services. It does not replace practical, regulated or role-specific training that an employer may require to meet individual responsibilities or applicable training requirements.

What the course covers
• Principles of care and person-centred support
• Organising effective care and developing care pathways
• Staff coordination and communication between services
• Training, professional development and workforce planning
• Supporting autistic people and people with learning disabilities
• Diagnostic overshadowing and access to appropriate healthcare
• Healthcare passports and reasonable adjustments
• Listening to families and carers
• Promoting the right to be heard
• Lived experience and co-delivery in service development
• The Health and Care Act 2022
• The role of supervisors and the LEAPS model
• The purpose and functions of supervision
• Recognising burnout, including its dimensions, signs and symptoms
• Overworking, self-care and strategies for managing burnout
• Sufficient staffing and workforce wellbeing
• Research and the use of evidence to inform service improvement

Who is it for?
This course is designed for professionals who lead, manage, supervise or contribute to the development and evaluation of services for autistic people and people with learning disabilities. It is suitable for:
• Registered managers and deputy managers
• Team leaders, senior carers and service managers
• Clinical leads, nursing leaders and care coordinators
• Operational managers and quality or compliance leads
• Training managers and workforce development professionals
• Educators and researchers
• Senior health and social care professionals
• Professionals working in care homes, domiciliary care, supported living, community services, NHS and independent healthcare settings
• Staff involved in autism services and learning disability support

The training may be used for induction, refresher learning or continuing professional development where the content is relevant to the learner’s role.

Practical benefits
• Improve understanding of person-centred leadership and service delivery
• Strengthen communication and coordination across care pathways
• Identify barriers to healthcare access and consider appropriate adjustments
• Support staff development through effective supervision and training
• Recognise workforce pressures and understand approaches to managing burnout
• Include lived experience and family perspectives in service improvement
• Use evidence and research to inform leadership decisions
• Develop knowledge relevant to managing and improving learning disability and autism services
• Earn one CPD point through an online course with a digital certificate

What learners will be able to do
• Explain key principles and terminology relating to learning disabilities, autism and service leadership
• Recognise how leadership decisions influence the quality and accessibility of care
• Identify common barriers to healthcare and support
• Understand the importance of reasonable adjustments and healthcare passports
• Describe ways to improve care pathways, staff communication and multidisciplinary coordination
• Recognise the value of listening to autistic people, people with learning disabilities and their families
• Understand the role of supervision, staff training and workforce development
• Identify signs of burnout and consider appropriate approaches to staff wellbeing
• Recognise the importance of suitable staffing and ongoing professional development
• Understand how lived experience and research can contribute to service improvement
• Identify when advice, reporting or escalation may be appropriate within their role

Is this training a legal requirement?
In England, Section 181 of the Health and Care Act 2022 introduced a statutory requirement for CQC-registered health and social care providers to ensure that staff receive learning disability and autism training appropriate to their roles. The Oliver McGowan Code of Practice sets out standards for meeting this requirement, with reference to the Skills for Health Core Capabilities Frameworks and role-appropriate levels of capability.

This specific leadership course is not itself identified as a mandatory qualification in legislation. Employers should assess training needs according to staff responsibilities, the services provided and applicable requirements. Completing this course may support relevant continuing professional development, but it should not be assumed to satisfy every element of an employer’s statutory training obligations.

Assessment and certificate
The course is delivered entirely online and takes approximately one hour to complete. Learners complete an online multiple-choice assessment. The course is CPD accredited and carries one CPD point. An instant digital certificate is included following successful completion of the assessment. Learners can access the training online and study using a phone, tablet or computer.