Employer-first Oliver McGowan training

Our Story

For over 15 years, Lynx Support Services has been at the heart of Sheffield’s learning disability and autism community, working alongside individuals, families and services to create meaningful, person-centred support.

When the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training became a legal requirement in 2022, we recognised an opportunity to do more than deliver compliant training. We saw the potential to build real careers for people with lived experience—people whose knowledge, insight and voices are essential to improving outcomes across health and social care.

Lynx Training Academy was created to turn that vision into reality.

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Why Choose Lynx Training Academy?

While many organisations can deliver the same accredited course Lynx Training Academy offers something fundamentally different: depth of experience, authentic co-production and long-term impact.

Our training goes beyond delivery on the day and provides the foundation for organisational change and real impact with measurable outcomes.

Employment-First Model

Lynx Training Academy exists to create real, paid employment for people with learning disabilities, learning differences and autistic people. Working with partners like Opportunity Sheffield and Empower, Access, Thrive, we provide sustainable roles with fair pay, reasonable adjustments and advocacy. This approach creates genuine career pathways while ensuring lived experience is recognised as valuable professional expertise — delivering lasting social value alongside high-quality training.

Flexible & Accessible Training

Our training is built for real services. No minimum numbers, flexible booking options and weekend delivery mean providers of any size can access high-quality, compliant training without financial strain. Shared-cost courses, free parking, loyalty discounts and built-in compliance support make training with Lynx both affordable and genuinely accessible. This commitment to flexibility ensures training works around your service, not the other way around.

Sheffield Roots, Real Experience

Rooted in Sheffield, Lynx began as a small, independent support provider with one clear purpose: achieving great outcomes for the people we support. Over 15 years, that commitment has shaped everything — from frontline care to how we listen, learn and improve. Lynx Training Academy is a natural extension of that journey. Built from real experience, not theory, we remain focused on quality, inclusion and meaningful change for individuals and the wider workforce.

NHS-Approved Through Partnership

Our journey with Mencap began through close collaboration with specialist trainers and a shared commitment to genuine co-production. Through this work, we deepened our understanding of Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training and became an NHS-approved provider — a milestone reflecting the strength of our partnerships and integrity of our approach. This has enabled us to support Experts with Lived Experience into valued, influential roles, shaping learning and contributing to the future direction of services.

Authentic Co-Production

At Lynx Training Academy, lived experience isn't symbolic or added on — it's central, paid, supported and influential. By embedding Experts with Lived Experience into Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training delivery, we bring learning to life in ways that are credible, challenging and deeply impactful. This strengthens compliance for services while creating real social value through meaningful employment, empowerment and community inclusion — benefiting individuals, organisations and communities alike.

LDSS Funding Support

Providers may be able to access funding support through the LDSS framework to help offset the cost of Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training. While this funding is currently available, it is time-limited and subject to change, so we encourage organisations to act promptly. Lynx Training Academy can support providers on the framework to understand eligibility, navigate the process and access available funding where applicable — making compliance more affordable and achievable.

Why This
Training Exists

Oliver McGowan was 18 when he died in 2016 after being given anti-psychotic medication against his and his parents' wishes. An independent review found his death was potentially avoidable — caused fundamentally by a lack of understanding of learning disability, autism, and reasonable adjustment.

His mother, Paula McGowan OBE, refused to accept this as an isolated tragedy. Her campaign led to the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training becoming law in 2022 through the Health and Care Act. But this isn't just about legal compliance. It's about changing what's seen as normal. When training is co-produced, lived-experience-led and properly embedded, understanding learning disability and autism becomes common practice — not an exception.

When that happens, people are listened to, risks are understood, adjustments are made, and lives are protected. That's why this training matters — and why how it's delivered matters just as much.

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The
Requirement

From July 2022, all health and social support staff registered with CQC must receive training on learning disabilities and autism appropriate to their role.

This is now a legal requirement.
Two Tiers of Training:

Tier 1: 1 hour online + 1 hour webinar (for general awareness, all staff)

Tier 2: 1 day face-to-face for all direct Health & Social Care Professionals

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our team?

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We're always looking for passionate people with lived experience of autism and/or learning disabilities to train as co-trainers.

Full training provided, dedicated support throughout, and £150 per 3-hour session.

This isn't volunteering—it's a professional role with real career development.

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