Workforce update for 
 services that support people 
 with a learning disability 
 and/or autistic people 

Welcome to this workforce development update for adult social care services that support people with a learning disability and/or autistic people. It shares the latest news, resources, events and funding opportunities from Skills for Care and partners.
 News from Skills for Care 

The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in learning disability and autism
We anticipate standardised training packages and the trainer training for the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training soon, following publication of the Code of Practice. To keep up to date on the latest developments go to the frequently asked questions section of the Heath Education England website. 
Guide to planning your health and care if you become very ill: Easy read
The Universal Principles for Advance Care Planning set out national good practice for everyone involved in advance care planning. These principles will help people who want to make a plan, as well as their families and health and care staff. Working with ‘Go Easy Read’, Skills for Care has produced an easy read version.

⇨ View the guidance in easy read
Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) training: Peer review process
Skills for Care has run a project to develop and test a peer review process for PBS training. It involved learning providers conducting peer reviews on each other’s training to give feedback and share ideas to improve the quality of PBS training across the sector.
A list of learning providers involved is available and funding can be claimed through the Workforce Development Fund (WDF) for training provided by them.
At the beginning of this project, we did a survey to understand more about PBS training and learning provision in adult social care.

⇨ Download the findings from the survey
⇨ Watch this recorded webinar to find out more or email us.
NEW: Learning disability training videos
Skills for Care have published five videos that are a resource for education colleges for use as part of health and social care training courses. Skills for Care commissioned a user led group to create these to support existing training materials on the topics of communication in learning disability services, law, equality and human rights, LeDeR protections, experiences of lockdown during COVID-19 and safeguarding.

⇨ View the videos
The 2022-23 Workforce Development Fund is now open
The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) 2022-23 is now open to adult social care employers in England to support the development of their staff at all levels, offering funding for a wide range of qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules.
⇨ Visit our website to find out more and apply
 Guidance and resources from the 
 Government, regulators and 
 advisory bodies 

Homes not Hospitals: Best Practice Commissioning with Citizens and Communities statement
This guidance statement was produced by the British Association of Social Workers (BASW), to support social workers and organisations involved in commissioning support for autistic people, people with learning disabilities and their families. Skills for Care worked with BASW in the development of this resource as part of their Homes not Hospitals campaign.

⇨ View the statement

Local Supported Employment (LSE) initiative
The LSE initiative is providing £7.6m of funding to 24 local authorities in England and Wales to help support adults with a learning disability and/or autistic people move into competitive employment and provide the help they need to maintain that employment. The Government made a public commitment to delivering LSE in the Adult Social Care Reform White Paper.

⇨ Read the Government’s press release

Cost of living resources from Learning Disability England (LDE)
You can find accessible advice about saving money, keeping warm, grants and campaigns on the LDE website – and you can share any of your helpful resources here too.
Webinars about Ukraine and distressing world eventsThe University of East Anglia (UAE) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have produced a webinar for people with a learning disability that explains what is happening in Ukraine. In the video, witnesses talk about the impact of the war on Ukrainian people with a learning disability and autistic people.

⇨ Watch the video 
 News from the sector 

Advocacy Awareness Week: 7 – 11 November 2022
This year's fifth annual Advocacy Awareness Week (#AAW22) takes place from 7 - 11 November 2022. The week-long campaign is coordinated by the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) and is supported by The British Institute for Human Rights, as well as by independent advocacy providers across the UK.

⇨ Find out more
Internships project set to help more disabled people into work
4,500 16 to 25-year-olds with special educational needs and disabilities in England are set to benefit from a new, supported internship programme each year by 2025. Internships Work is a brand-new collaboration between NDTi, the British Association of Supported Employment (BASE) and DFN Project SEARCH.

⇨ Find out more about the project
National Advocacy Conference: November 2022
The National Advocacy Conference will be held in November. Join the conference online to engage with discussions, stories and guidance between 7 – 9 November or attend in-person on Thursday 10 November.

⇨ Find the conference agenda and book your place
 Get involved 



Call for evidence for down syndrome statutory guidance
NHS Continuing Healthcare (NHS CHC) is funding from the NHS for a complete package of health and associated social care needs for an adult. If you have recent experience (good or bad) with NHS CHC or children’s continuing care that you would be willing to share, you can email Alison Giraud-Saunders, who is the volunteer representative for Learning Disability England on info@LDEngland.org.uk. 

Ethnicity and difference in health and care
Learning Disability England (LDE) is working with the Race Equality Foundation and partner research institutions on a project investigating health inequalities among people from minority ethnic groups with a learning disability. They are looking for people to take part in sessions throughout November to share their experiences.

⇨ Find out more about the project and how to share experiences

PMLD LINK are looking for articles for their Winter edition
PMLD LINK, a journal for everyone supporting people with a learning disability, would welcome contributions on topics for future issues of their journal.
If you would like to submit a piece, want further guidance or just want to discuss your ideas, please contact the editors by email on info@pmldlink.org.uk or visit their website.

All contributions are required by Friday 21 October.

Help shape new guidance to help people with Down syndrome
The Government has asked individuals, groups and organisations to help develop the Statutory Guidance supporting the new Down Syndrome Act. They write: "We want to hear your views on the specific needs of people with Down syndrome, to what extent those needs are understood, and examples of best practice within health, social care, education and housing settings."

⇨ Find more about the planned legislation, including easy read resources and the consultation survey

The consultation period will run until Tuesday 8 November 2022.

Learning Disability and Autism Leaders List: Entries now open
Entries are now open for Dimensions annual Learning Disability and Autism Leaders List, which celebrates a variety of inspiring leaders. The awards are run in partnership with Learning Disability England and Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG).

⇨ Find out more and make a nomination

Wave four of the Coronavirus and Learning Disability Study
The ongoing study of how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the lives of adults with learning disabilities is now entering its fourth wave of engagement. If you were involved in waves one to three of the research, keep an eye out for an email inviting you to speak to the team again.
⇨ Find previous editions of this newsletter
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