Families and campaigners are speaking out after the tragic death of a man with learning disabilities has exposed a crisis in the care of people with learning disabilities and autism. Bereaved families of people with learning disabilities have warned that people are dying due to a lack of NHS training and staff shortages. Adrian...
Celebrating a Digital First: Self-Advocacy Wins
First Response Training works with co-trainers who are autistic and/or have a learning disability. They are experts with lived experience and absolutely vital in the development and delivery of our autism and learning disability training courses. They share their stories, insights, and expertise to help others understand neurodiversity and how to support neurodivergent people....
World Mental Health Day 2025: protecting mental health amid global instability
World Mental Health Day is observed on 10th October each year. For 2025, the focus is on protecting mental health and wellbeing in times of global instability. The official annual theme is set by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). For World Mental Health Day 2025 the theme is: ‘access to services –...
Autism community warns about ‘dangerous’ Trump claims
Prominent voices from within the autism community – together with health officials and medical experts – have warned that President Trump’s claims about autism are “really dangerous” and could have a significant negative impact. Speaking from the White House on Monday, where he was accompanied by his Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, President...
Mandatory Learning Disability and Autism Training for School Staff
MPs and education leaders are calling for mandatory learning disability and autism training for school staff, drawing on the Health and Care Act 2022 and the Oliver McGowan Code of Practice as a model. With nearly 1 in 5 pupils in England having special educational needs, such training could transform support in schools, improve...
Share support this Youth Mental Health Day
Tomorrow (19th September) is Youth Mental Health Day 2025 in the UK, with the theme of ‘Share Support’ encouraging children, young people and their families to connect, share and access vital support. Led by youth mental health charity Stem4, Youth Mental Health Day is an important annual movement, designed to raise awareness of mental...
National Inclusion Week 2025 focuses on inclusion, urgency and resilience
It’s National Inclusion Week in the UK, a campaign led by Inclusive Employers to “spark conversations and inspire thinking about inclusion,” with a campaign focus on inclusion, urgency, resilience and “the need to push forward” for change. National Inclusion Week 2025 is being observed from 15th to 21st September in the UK, and this...
Download Martha’s Rule What Care Professionals Need to Know
Martha’s Rule has now been introduced across all acute hospitals in England. Do you know what Martha’s Rule is, and what it means for your role? This guide explains: What Martha’s Rule is Why it matters for patient safety How staff training can strengthen communication and prevent avoidable harm...
Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training improves awareness and care
Healthcare workers have praised the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training programme for providing them with a “deeper insight” into Oliver’s experiences, helping to improve patient care and enhance communication. Staff from Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust attended an Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Tier 2 session during August. The session was delivered by leading national...
Overdue LeDeR report reveals “stark new figures”
The 2023 LeDeR report has been presented to Parliament and published online. The arguably long overdue report relates to avoidable and preventable deaths of people with learning disabilities and autistic people which occurred in the UK in 2023. It reveals some small improvements against a backdrop of “stark new figures” and “unacceptable” differences in...
Download CPR and AEDs: What You Need to Know
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) recently announced upcoming changes to the driver theory test. Starting in 2026, the test will include updated questions about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and new questions about using automated external defibrillators (AEDs). The DVSA, in collaboration with the Resuscitation Council UK and Save a Life programmes in Wales,...
Autism & Oral Health: Tips for Dentists, Resources and Training
Neurodiversity awareness is essential in all areas of healthcare, including dentistry. Under the Health & Care Act 2022, autism and learning disability training is mandatory for all health professionals. This free resource explains the sensory and communication challenges neurodivergent people face in accessing dental care. Here, First Response Training provides practical tips for dentists...
LeDeR report faces ‘unacceptable delay’
Campaigners urge the government to publish the latest LeDeR report, after it experiences an unexplained and “unacceptable” delay. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is facing mounting pressure to release the delayed report into the deaths of people with learning disabilities and autistic people, with critics accusing the government of “sitting on”...
Workplace Safety: In Response to the Latest HSE Report
Every year, hundreds of workers in the UK lose their lives due to workplace accidents, and thousands more suffer from serious injuries and work-related illnesses. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published their Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain report on 2 July 2025. This resource outlines the key findings and explains why health...
HSE highlights risks to young people at work
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been highlighting its advice and guidance for protecting the health, safety and welfare of young people at work. As the academic year draws to a close and many young people finish secondary or further education, they may be looking to enter the workplace for the first time...