Beyond Compliance:

Sheffield-based provider delivers comprehensive learning disability and autism training portfolio—with employment at its core

While Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training has rightly grabbed headlines as the new legal requirement for health and social care providers, Lynx Training Academy is making it clear that compliance is just the starting point—not the destination.

The NHS-approved provider delivers a comprehensive portfolio of co-produced training across learning disability, autism, mental capacity, safeguarding and person-centred practice. But what sets Lynx apart isn't just breadth of offer—it's depth of experience.

Training Rooted in Real Practice, Not Just Theory

Born from over 15 years as an independent support provider, Lynx Training Academy brings something many training organisations can't: frontline credibility. The team delivering Mental Capacity Act training aren't just facilitators who've read the legislation—they're practitioners who've applied it in complex, real-world situations. The safeguarding trainers have managed actual safeguarding concerns. The person-centred planning sessions are led by people who've written support plans that actually work.

Employment-First Across the Portfolio

While Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training mandates the inclusion of Experts with Lived Experience, Lynx extends this principle across much of its wider training offer. Where appropriate and meaningful, people with learning disabilities, learning differences and autistic people are paid co-trainers—not tokenistic contributors.

This employment-first model means Experts by Experience aren't just sharing a story in one module—they're building careers, developing professional skills, and bringing authenticity to training on Mental Capacity Act, safeguarding, relationships, communication and beyond.

"We don't bolt on lived experience as a compliance tick-box," Wilson explains. "Where it strengthens learning and creates genuine employment, we build it in. But we're also clear-eyed: some training is highly technical or clinical, and forcing co-delivery where it doesn't add value would be performative, not purposeful."

Lynx positions itself as the provider for organisations that want more than a certificate. Its training is designed for teams that need to apply learning in high-stakes, complex situations—whether that's supporting someone through a safeguarding investigation, applying the Mental Capacity Act in contested decisions, or embedding person-centred practice in stretched services.

Flexible, Accessible, Rooted in Sheffield

Lynx Training Academy offers flexible delivery to suit organisations of all sizes: open courses with no minimum numbers, block bookings for larger teams, weekend and evening options to support shift patterns, and bespoke in-house training tailored to specific service contexts.

While rooted in Sheffield and committed to supporting local providers, Lynx delivers training across Yorkshire and beyond—combining regional knowledge with professional standards that meet national expectations.

The Full Offer

In addition to Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training (Tier 1 and Tier 2), Lynx Training Academy delivers:

• Mental Capacity Act – applying the law in practice, best interests, deprivation of liberty
• Safeguarding – recognising abuse, raising concerns, multi-agency working
• Person-Centred Practice – planning, communication, decision-making
• Positive Behaviour Support – understanding behaviour, de-escalation, proactive strategies
• Autism and Learning Disability Awareness – beyond compliance, deeper understanding
• Emergency First Aid – essential life-saving skills for care settings
• Trauma-Informed Care – understanding trauma responses and creating psychologically safe support
• Moving & Handling – safe practice that protects both staff and people being supported
• Bespoke Training – designed around specific service needs and contexts

All training is mapped to relevant skills frameworks, supports CQC compliance, and can be delivered in accessible formats with reasonable adjustments as standard.

Quality Over Volume

As providers face increasing pressure to train large workforces quickly, Lynx is clear about its priorities: quality, impact and authenticity over tick-box compliance.

"We could scale quickly, deliver hundreds of sessions, and focus purely on volume," Wilson says. "But that's not why we exist. We're building something sustainable—meaningful employment, credible training, and learning that actually changes practice. That takes time, care and integrity."

For organisations that want training delivered by people who've lived it, applied it, and genuinely understand what good looks like in practice—Lynx Training Academy offers more than compliance. It offers expertise.