National Autism Trainer Programme – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Community Settings – 4 Day Pilot Training – 22, 29 June, 6, and 13 July

The training is suitable for all NHS England mental health professionals who currently work or may work with diagnosed or undiagnosed autistic children and young people in child and adolescent community mental health settings. No specialist or high-level skills are required to attend this course.

This training course is suitable for staff including, but not limited to: 

• Nurse Practitioner
• Consultant Psychiatrist
• Neuropsychiatrist
• Counsellor
• Doctor
• Family Therapist
• Mental Health Practitioner
• Psychiatrist
• Psychologist
• Psychotherapist
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Key worker
• Admission officer
• Team manager
• Support staff
• Therapist

Applicants must:

• be working with a team of mental health professionals in a children and young people community mental health setting;
• have the availability and commitment to complete four training days (9.00 – 17.00) and, following training, train other staff in their setting;
• have a desire to understand autistic children and young people’s experiences and facilitate training designed by autistic content developers in their NHS facility, to improve outcomes for autistic children and young people;
• complete a pre-training questionnaire to gauge your knowledge and understanding of autistic mental health;
• actively engage in all four training days and complete all reflection questionnaires throughout.

You will discuss examples of existing good practice and innovative approaches of working with autistic children and young people, rather than on or for them. You will gain an understanding of the value of modelling collaborative, relational and person-centred values, with your colleagues and with the autistic people you support, and of promoting a balanced narrative about neurodiversity.  

You will practise how to facilitate delivery of slides and animations in your service with the support of an autistic Expert by Experience co-Trainer. 

The training covers key approaches, including:

• a trauma informed approach when working with autistic children, young people and their families
• applications of an experience sensitive approach in everyday practice
• the SPELL framework 
• adapting talking therapies
• working with parents and schools

You will be supported continuously with the practicalities of arranging the delivery of training and growing your skills as a Trainer.

#NATPmentalhealth is a model that you can take back to your NHS Trust to facilitate training, with our support. You will deliver a three-day training at least once a year, to help other staff reflect on their practice, enhance their understanding of the needs of autistic and neurodivergent patients and carry out their work more effectively. You will be supported to co-deliver the training with an Expert by Experience, who can be contacted from the programme's pool of Experts by Experience. 

You must attend all four training days to qualify as a Trainer and gain access to the full multimedia e-library of educational material.

Places on this course have been commissioned by NHS England, you are eligible to attend this training at no cost to yourself.