Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training: What Every CQC-Registered Care Provider Must Do in 2026
Training requirements in adult social care do not stand still — and the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism is now one of the most significant compliance obligations facing every CQC-registered provider in England. Introduced under the Health and Care Act 2022 and strengthened by the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice on 6 September 2025, this training is no longer optional.
Whether you manage a care home in Essex, run a domiciliary care team across East London, or are a registered manager navigating your next CQC inspection, this guide covers what the Oliver McGowan training actually involves, who needs which tier, what CQC inspectors will look for, and how to claim up to £25,000 in LDSS funding to cover your costs.
According to NHS England, the training is named after Oliver McGowan — a young man with a learning disability who died in 2016 following inappropriate treatment in an NHS hospital. His death exposed a critical gap in health and social care staff knowledge. The legislation that followed aims to ensure that gap is never repeated.
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Why Oliver McGowan Training Is Now a Legal Requirement
This is not sector guidance or best-practice recommendation. It is a statutory obligation.
1. Why Oliver McGowan Training Is Now a Legal Requirement
This is not sector guidance or best-practice recommendation. It is a statutory obligation.
Under Regulation 18 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations and the Health and Care Act 2022, all CQC-registered providers must ensure their staff receive training on learning disability and autism appropriate to their role.
The Oliver McGowan Code of Practice — which came into force on 6 September 2025 — now sets the benchmark against which CQC will assess compliance. It is not enough to have delivered some form of awareness training in the past. Providers must be able to demonstrate that the training meets the Code’s standards.
Key obligations for all CQC-registered care providers include:
- Assessing each member of staff and assigning them to the correct training tier
- Ensuring completion of both Part 1 (e-learning) and Part 2 (interactive or face-to-face session)
- Using a training provider with approved, lived-experience trainers
- Retaining completion records, evaluation evidence, and certificates
- Reviewing training when staff roles change or new hires join
📘 Ensure Compliance: Speak to our team about building your Oliver McGowan training rollout plan.
2. Who Does the Training Apply To?
This is where many providers underestimate the scope. The training does not apply only to staff who work exclusively with people with learning disabilities or autism. It applies to:
- All frontline care workers and support staff
- Registered managers and team leaders
- Administrative, reception, and catering staff
- Allied health professionals and clinical staff
- Porters, maintenance, and any other person who may come into contact with a person with a learning disability or autistic person
If your service could ever be accessed by someone with a learning disability or autism — and almost all services can — your entire workforce is in scope. It is the employer’s responsibility to carry out a role assessment and determine which tier each member of staff should complete.
3. Tier 1 vs Tier 2: What Is the Difference?
Confusion between Tier 1 and Tier 2 is common — and assigning the wrong tier creates both safety and compliance risk. Here is a clear breakdown:
Tier 1 — Awareness Level
Designed for staff with indirect or occasional contact with people who have a learning disability or are autistic. Suitable for:
- Administrative and reception staff
- Catering, cleaning, and facilities teams
- Porters and maintenance staff
- Any staff member whose role does not involve direct care or support
Tier 1 is delivered in two parts: the free 90-minute e-learning module via NHS e-Learning for Healthcare, followed by a live 1-hour online interactive session co-delivered by a trainer with lived experience.
Tier 2 — Direct Care Level
Required for all staff who provide care, support, or make decisions about service delivery. This includes:
- Care assistants and support workers
- Registered nurses and healthcare assistants
- Registered managers and deputy managers
- All frontline staff in residential, domiciliary, and supported living settings
- NHS clinical support staff with direct patient contact
Tier 2 builds on the same free 90-minute e-learning module, followed by a full-day face-to-face training session co-delivered by a trainer with lived experience of learning disability or autism. It cannot be replaced by online-only training.
The table below summarises the key differences at a glance:
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Area
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Tier 1 — Awareness
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Tier 2 — Direct Care
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|---|---|---|
|
Who it's for
|
Admin, reception, catering, porters
|
Frontline carers, managers, clinicians
|
|
Part 1 format
|
90-min e-learning (free)
|
Same 90-min e-learning (free)
|
|
Part 2 format
|
1-hour live online session
|
Full-day face-to-face training
|
|
Lived experience trainers
|
Yes — co-delivered
|
Yes — co-delivered
|
|
CQC-assessed under
|
Regulation 18 (Staffing)
|
Regulation 18 (Staffing)
|
|
LDSS funding available
|
Yes (up to £25,000 per org)
|
Yes (up to £25,000 per org)
|
🏥 Not sure which tier your staff need? Our training advisers can carry out a role assessment and recommend the right programme.
4. Can E-Learning Alone Fulfil the Oliver McGowan Requirement?
This is a critical compliance question — and the answer for Part 2 is clear: no.
The free 90-minute e-learning module (Part 1) is mandatory for all staff across both tiers. However, it is only part of the requirement. Part 2 must be completed by a CQC-registered provider with an approved Oliver McGowan trainer who has lived experience — someone who cannot be substituted by a pre-recorded video or a self-paced module.
Many care providers are now using a blended approach to manage delivery at scale:
- Part 1 e-learning completed independently via NHS e-LfH — free for all staff
- Part 2 booked in cohorts through an approved training provider
- Records of completion, evaluation scores, and certificates retained centrally
- New starters added to the next available Part 2 session as part of induction
For information on our wider online training programmes that complement your Oliver McGowan rollout, explore our online training courses.
5. What Does a CQC Inspector Actually Look For?
Oliver McGowan compliance is assessed under Regulation 18 (Staffing) of the CQC Single Assessment Framework. During an inspection, inspectors may check:
- Evidence that a role assessment has been completed for all staff
- Records confirming completion of both Part 1 and Part 2 for every member of staff
- Confirmation that Part 2 was delivered by a provider with approved lived-experience trainers
- Pre- and post-training evaluation records
- An action plan for any staff who have not yet completed the training
- Evidence of a process for onboarding new starters into the training programme
Inspectors will also speak directly with staff. A care worker who cannot explain the purpose of the training, or who is unaware they have a learning disability or autism awareness requirement, can raise concerns during an inspection — even where paperwork is in order.
For care providers preparing for their next inspection, it is worth reading our guide to CQC inspection preparation and staff training in 2026.
🛡️ Strengthen your inspection readiness: speak with our team about building a complete mandatory training framework, including Oliver McGowan.
6. How to Claim LDSS Funding for Oliver McGowan Training
One of the most practical things care providers can do right now is move quickly on the funding. The Oliver McGowan training has its own ring-fenced pot within the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS) — separate from all other eligible courses — but that pot is limited.
What eligible providers need to know:
- CQC-registered adult social care providers can claim up to £25,000 per organisation for the 2026–2027 financial year
- Part 1 e-learning is free to access via NHS e-Learning for Healthcare
- Part 2 is chargeable — providers pay upfront and claim reimbursement via the LDSS online portal
- Claims must be submitted within three months of completion (from April 2026 onwards)
- Retain invoices, attendance records, and certificates as evidence for every claim
- Once the funding pot is exhausted, no further claims will be reimbursed — there is no rollover
For full details on eligible courses and how to submit a claim, visit the GOV.UK LDSS guidance page. For a broader view of the training requirements your service needs to evidence, see our guide to mandatory training for care homes in 2026.
7. How Oliver McGowan Training Fits Into Your Wider Mandatory Training Framework
Oliver McGowan training sits alongside — not instead of — your existing mandatory training obligations. Care organisations are expected to maintain compliance across a range of areas, and CQC will look at the totality of your training framework during an inspection.
For organisations looking to manage multiple requirements efficiently, our All-in-One CSTF Training bundle covers the full suite of mandatory and statutory training requirements in one cost-effective programme.
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Training Area
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Recommended Frequency
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|---|---|
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Oliver McGowan (Tier 1 — Awareness)
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On induction; review after role change or Code update
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Oliver McGowan (Tier 2 — Direct Care)
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On induction; annual competency review
|
|
Mandatory Training for Care Homes
|
Annual — see full matrix
|
|
Safeguarding Adults and Children
|
Annual refresher, role-appropriate level
|
|
Basic Life Support (BLS)
|
Annual face-to-face practical required
|
|
Infection Prevention and Control
|
Annual — Levels 1 and 2 available
|
|
Moving and Handling (Level 2)
|
Annual face-to-face practical required
|
|
Medication Awareness
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Annual, especially for staff administering medication
|
Final Thoughts
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is one of the most significant regulatory changes to affect adult social care in England in recent years. It is not a one-off box-ticking exercise — it is a permanent obligation that applies to every member of staff at every CQC-registered provider, and CQC inspectors are now actively assessing compliance.
The good news is that with the right plan, the right provider, and the available LDSS funding, getting your team compliant is entirely achievable. Part 1 is free. Part 2 can be delivered in cohorts. And funding of up to £25,000 is available to offset the cost of Part 2 sessions.
If you are also building a robust induction process for new starters, read our 2026 Guide to the Care Certificate to understand how Oliver McGowan training fits alongside Care Certificate delivery from day one.
Key Takeaways
- Oliver McGowan training is a statutory requirement under the Health and Care Act 2022 for all CQC-registered providers.
- The Oliver McGowan Code of Practice came into force on 6 September 2025 — CQC now assesses compliance under Regulation 18.
- All staff are in scope, from frontline care workers to receptionists, catering teams, and porters.
- Tier 1 (awareness) is for staff with indirect contact; Tier 2 (direct care) is for all frontline staff and managers.
- Part 1 e-learning is free via NHS e-LfH. Part 2 must be delivered by an approved provider with lived-experience trainers.
- E-learning alone does not fulfil the Tier 2 requirement — face-to-face delivery and competency sign-off are required.
- Eligible providers can claim up to £25,000 in LDSS reimbursement for the 2026–2027 financial year — funding is capped, so act early.
- CQC inspectors will check role assessments, training records, evaluation evidence, and speak directly with staff.
CQC Framework Focus
Getting Oliver McGowan training right directly supports evidence for the Safe and Well-Led key questions under the CQC Single Assessment Framework — two of the most scrutinised areas during inspections. Providers who can demonstrate structured delivery, role-appropriate tier allocation, and complete training records will be significantly better placed during their next CQC visit.