Children and Young People Autism Train the Trainer Programme for Inpatient Facilities

This free course is funded by Health Education England, alongside NHS England and Improvement, and the Quality Improvement Taskforce as part of a programme of work to improve the quality and experience of care for children and young people with mental health needs, Autism and/or Learning Disabilities.

A number of national reviews on the care of children and young people (CYP) with autism, a learning disability or both, highlight that the quality of care these young people receive is often not good enough. A fundamental challenge to the quality of care is having appropriately trained staff who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to work with CYP with complex needs.

All staff working within Tier 4 CAMH inpatient services need to have an understanding and working knowledge of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at a level commensurate with the demands of their role. This is essential to address the environmental, social communication needs of young people; facilitate the delivery of appropriate interventions and reduce restrictive practice.

By attending this five day train the trainer course, you will be committing to becoming a champion of children and young people with autism and complex additional needs in the inpatient facility where you work. You will develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to work with these young people and will also be equipped to deliver training to all staff in your service. You will be joining a community of 200+ clinicians completing this training around the country who are passionate about improving the care experiences of young people with autism.

The training will be immersive, hands-on and dynamic. It will combine a range of evidence-based teaching methods including case discussions, videos, reflective discussions, role plays and experiential tasks. The course has been co-developed by children, young people and families who have autism and/or have experience with inpatient care. You will hear from these experts by experience throughout the training.

During the training and thereafter, you will have access to an online community of trainers who will support you as you take your training back to your inpatient facility. You will have access to resources, course manuals, reflective practice groups and refresher training sessions.