Training & Consultancy

We offer training to everyone – practitioners, parents & carers, health & social care services, schools, colleges, individuals, businesses, and community groups, across Bedfordshire and beyond.

Course prices include electronic handouts and certificates of attendance.

We can design bespoke training courses to suit your needs, if you don’t see what you need below. Some of our bespoke training has included, but is not limited to:

We’re happy to explore new topics upon request – we love a challenge!

To find out more or to book a course, please contact our training department: training@autismbeds.org

Autism Bedfordshire occasionally receive funding that enables us to offer parent training within specific localities at more heavily subsidised rates – when we can offer this, the courses are listed here:

We are currently offering most of our pay per place practitioner training courses via zoom or teams. Partly to improve accessibility, to keep costs as low as possible for attendees, and also to reduce disruption to the working day. Delivery methods are kept under constant review and face to face delivery will continue to be offered for some courses.

Parents and carers are always welcome to attend practitioner courses should they wish to do so. Where they are Autism Bedfordshire members and able to quote their membership number, they can secure a place for a 20% discount. This discount is only available to Autism Bedfordshire members – we have put this in place to improve access to training for parents who otherwise might have to wait for a parent course.

Booking and Cancellation Policy
1. All training places are subject to payment being received in advance of the course date.
2. We require 7 days notice if a delegate cancels a place and a refund is required.
3. Should delegates receive a confirmed place but fail to attend, a failed booking fee of the full course fee will be applied.
4. A minimum of 24 hours prior notice of a substitute delegate will be acceptable.
5. If a booking is made on behalf of someone else, please provide their contact email as unregistered delegates will not be admitted.
6. If for any reason we have to cancel a course at short notice, we will refund your course fee or transfer it to any future course.

Click on a course title to book:

This service can be accessed by education practitioners or parents/carers who would like assistance in identifying, understanding, and supporting young people who may face barriers to their learning and development. It can be commissioned by local authority staff to supplement their own provision.

Our experience:
Mandy Higgs is a qualified autism advisory teacher (B.Ed.) with over 15 years of professional experience and many more years of lived experience of autism. Mandy has a Postgraduate Certificate in Autism and further associated training including Carol Gray Social Stories, 3 & 5 Day TEACCH, 2 Day PECS, 2 Day SCERTs and 1 Day Protective Behaviours. She is an Inclusion Expert for the DfE and currently in the process of being trained to be an Oliver McGowan Mandatory training facilitator. Mandy is able to support other professionals in providing and examining the evidence for an autism spectrum diagnosis, although currently only a medical professional can offer a diagnosis.

Charlotte Davids holds a Master of Teaching (undergraduate), M/TEACH with Qualified Teacher Status, and the National Award for SEND Coordination, Part 1 of 2, Masters Level. As a former SENDCo, she has undertaken a wide variety of continuous professional development around autism and has a wealth of lived and professional experience to draw upon. She has been delivering our autism training for the past two years with extremely positive feedback.

What this service can offer:

• Individual observations in the setting or (exceptionally) at home
• Sensory environmental audit
• Holistic reports containing clear recommendations
• A focus on all diagnostic areas including social communication and interaction, flexibility of thought, behaviours, the impact of sensory processing differences and environmental factors
• Advice about possible ways forward for the young person, suggested interventions, and suitable targets
• Useful evidence either pre or post diagnosis when seeking statutory support (please consult with your Local Authority to confirm they will recognise such evidence)

Cost/fees:

Autism Bedfordshire will always agree service fees before going ahead with any work. We offer an initial (one-off) up to 30-minute telephone consultation to any new client, free of charge, with no further obligation. Our consultancy fee starts at £50/hour. There is an additional cost of 45p/mile added for the round trip between your location and ours (MK41 0UD) but we do not charge for the time spent travelling (within Bedfordshire).

Example: Observation of a child (1–2 hours), written report with recommendations based on this observation and other information collated such as medical/school reports (3-4 hours). Typically, this would total 5-6 hours’ work and therefore cost £250-£300, plus travel. If required to attend a follow up meeting with staff and parents/carers, this would add a further hours’ fee plus travel costs to the total.

To book an initial consultation, please contact us by email: training@autismbeds.org

Our training has been designed, in line with the Core Capabilities framework for Supporting Autistic People, to focus on the key outcomes that learners need to achieve, the content to be included, and with the use of appropriate teaching and learning strategies. This includes co-production of training with autistic people and families and carers which has always been part of our training development. Our trainers have lived experience of autism and continually update their own knowledge and understanding.

What does this mean?
In 2009, the Autism Act put a duty on the Government to produce a strategy for autistic adults. A key duty in the Autism Act statutory guidance is provision of training for all frontline public service staff, in line with their job role, and developing specialist training for staff in health and social care. In 2021, the strategy was updated to ‘The national strategy for autistic children, young people and adults: 2021 to 2026’. The focus of training, as part of this update, is shifting away from ‘autism awareness’ to understanding autism, and across the lifespan.

The Core Capabilities framework for Supporting Autistic People describes what is required for supporting autistic people in a range of settings, from those who need a basic understanding of autism, to the skills, knowledge and behaviours required of those who are experts and lead services for autistic people. This framework is relevant to all autistic people, including children, young people, and adults; all autism training should map to it.

The framework comprises 19 capabilities grouped into 5 domains:

1. Understanding autism:
Capability 1 – Understanding autism
Capability 2 – Identification, assessment and diagnosis of autism

2. Personalised support:
Capability 3 – Person-centred care and support
Capability 4 – Communication and interaction
Capability 5 – Sensory processing and the environment
Capability 6 – Families and carers as partners in care and support
Capability 7 – Supporting changes throughout life
Capability 8 – Supporting autistic people where behaviour may challenge
Capability 9 – Forensic support
Capability 10 – Relationships, sexuality and sexual health
Capability 11 – Meaningful activity and independence

3. Physical and mental health:
Capability 12 – Physical health
Capability 13 – Mental health
Capability 14 – Health equality and reasonable adjustments

4. Risk, legislation, and safeguarding:
Capability 15 – Law, ethics and safeguarding
Capability 16 – Equality, diversity and inclusion

5. Leadership and management, education, and research:
Capability 17 – Leadership and management
Capability 18 – Education and personal development
Capability 19 – Research and evidence-based practice

There are natural overlaps between these capabilities within Autism Bedfordshire’s individual training courses; eg a specialist workshop such as sensory processing will include references to behaviours.
Within the capabilities, there are 3 tiers of learning outcomes, each for a particular ‘target audience’:

Tier 1 – People who require a general understanding of autism and the support autistic people may need, such as those working in public services, commercial or charitable organisations providing health, social care, education, policing, custodial care, housing, transport, careers, employment, or benefit services, including reception staff.

Tier 2 – People with responsibility for providing care and support for an autistic person or people, but who could seek support from others for complex management or complex decision-making, such as health and social care workers, including frontline care staff who are not autism specialists and those in other roles such as education and housing services that are providing care and support for autistic people. Tiers 1 and 2 may also be helpful to autistic people and the family, friends, and carers of autistic people, to ensure they are making the most of the support on offer and can plan effectively for their current and future needs.

Tier 3 – Health, social care and other practitioners with a high degree of autonomy, able to provide care and support in complex situations and/or may also lead services for autistic people; such as specialist healthcare professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, GPs with special interest, learning disability nurses, counsellors, psychotherapists, allied health professionals, social workers, educators etc. It will also include registered managers and other social care leaders including operational managers who have responsibility for services for autistic people. Tier 3 would also be appropriate for autistic people and carers/families of autistic people who are involved in designing and delivering training on autism and/or are working as a self-advocate or expert by experience at a strategic level.

All Autism Bedfordshire training courses meet the minimum suggested learning outcomes for Tier 1 and our specialist courses exceed Tier 1, meeting Tier 2 and, where appropriate, Tier 3 outcomes.

The full framework can be found here: https://www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Autism-Capabilities-Framework-Oct-2019.pdf

Additionally, the following values and behaviours underpin all the capabilities in the Core Capabilities framework for Supporting Autistic People and focus on the minimum that autistic people, their family, and carers can expect of the people who provide support. These are supplementary to any existing legal, regulatory, and ethical requirements or codes relevant to professional bodies and employers; are embodied throughout Autism Bedfordshire and embedded in our training delivery. Every person or practitioner will:

a) Demonstrate positivity, recognising the strengths and abilities of autistic people.
b) Gain an understanding of each autistic person’s perspective and personal preferences.
c) Be patient and really listen to what is being communicated by an autistic person.
d) Recognise the presentation, behaviour, and identity of autistic people – and respond with respect and compassion, without judging them or labelling their behaviour in unhelpful ways.
e) Value and acknowledge the experience and expertise of autistic people, their families and support networks, enabling choice and autonomy and protecting people’s human rights.
f) Act with integrity, honesty, and openness, seeking to develop mutual trust in all interactions with autistic people, their families, carers, and communities.
g) Be committed to integrated current and future care and support through working in partnership with autistic people, teams, communities, and organisations.
h) Value collaborative involvement and co-production with autistic people to improve person-centred design and quality of services.

At tier 1, it is recommended that training for understanding autism is refreshed at least every 3 years. This is consistent with recommendations for other ‘statutory/mandatory’ subjects such as those for Equality, Diversity and Human Rights, Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children (Ref: UK Core Skills Training Framework at: www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/cstf )

Autism Bedfordshire are pleased to have been commissioned to begin our journey towards being able to offer the Oliver McGowan Mandatory autism and learning disability training to health and social care settings.

Our Lead Facilitator for this project is Helen McHugh. Helen is a qualified and practising counsellor (Level 4 Diploma in Therapeutic Counselling). Helen has many years of experience supporting autistic young people and adults both in a previous role with Autism Bedfordshire and in other areas of professional practice. In addition, Helen holds a Certificate in Post Compulsory Education (Cert Ed), Level 5, and Level 6 in Career Guidance and Development.

Helen will be supported in delivering this project by a number of our adult members who have recently been recruited to deliver the training. The team are working towards being able to commence delivery of the training by Autumn 2023. At that stage, the training will be made available to eligible service providers.