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Oliver McGowan Remembrance Day
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For Oliver McGowan Remembrance Day, 11 November, Choice Support's Oliver McGowan Experts with Lived Experience told us why the training is so important and how it can stop similar tragedies happening in the future.
Oliver McGowan died, 11 November 2016, aged just 18. This was largely due to his doctors not understanding how his learning disability and autism were affecting him, and not listening to his parents when they tried to explain.
The tragedy of his death became a catalyst for change, leading to the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Learning Disabilities and Autism Training, a new training pack being delivered across the medical and support sectors to help professionals understand these conditions better.
Shiu-Ming Man, Self Advocate with the Our Rights Group: “Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training is important as it raises awareness of learning disabilities and autism; to learn more about it and what different communication they prefer, eg pictures, symbols, etc, plus it’s good to hear from co- trainers about their experiences and barriers and how to improve. The Oliver McGowan training helps to ensure autistic people and people with learning disabilities are not mistreated and have access to the same opportunities and care as everyone else.”
Jade Carrig, Service Administrator: “I would like to use Remembrance Day to honour the memory of Oliver McGowan, who tragically died at the hands of the professionals who were meant to support him. His mother has campaigned tirelessly to ensure that no other incident happens again and to make the mandatory training for autism and learning disabilities, named after him, to become law in the United Kingdom.”
James Treadwell, Marketing and Communications Officer: “I think what hurts me the most about Oliver’s story is that it’s far from the only one. He was not the first, or last, to lose his life because of medical professionals not understanding autism and learning disabilities. But, thanks to the inspiring work of his mother, Paula McGowan, I believe that the day when this ends is closer than ever. I hope that I serve to honour Oliver’s memory every time I deliver the training, and I fight in his name for a future where people like him, and people like me, receive the care we need in all situations.”
Training and consultancy
As an external training provider, we offer online and in-person training to individuals and other support providers.
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Oliver McGowan Training
Choice Support have a fantastic team delivering the Tier 2 Oliver McGowan Mandatory Learning Disabilities and Autism Training.
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