About the Autism Awareness programme

This resource aims to train people about autism and provide information about the challenges that autistic people can experience. It has been authored by autistic people and includes real life video diaries that provide insight and guidance on what health and care workers can do to make their services more accessible to people with autistic spectrum conditions.

The programme aims to provide insight and guidance on what health and care workers can do to make their services more accessible to autistic people by describing how straightforward reasonable adjustments can be made to services and ways of working.

The elearning includes an introduction and overview of autism and 4 key modules that seek to upskill health and care workers about what it is like to experience autism, how to make services accessible for autistic people and how to adapt your behaviour to communicate effectively and respectfully to improve the experience of people who access your services.

This resource is not part of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Trial in Learning Disability and Autism. For further information on this trial visit the webpage The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Learning Disability and Autism. | Health Education England (hee.nhs.uk)

Meet the team

This resource was developed by a wide range of experts and contributors brought together by Opening Minds training and consultancy. Opening Minds is a social enterprise providing training, education and support to individuals and organisations relating to accessibility, inclusivity and disability. All their work is both co-developed and co-led by disabled people.  The team that was specifically bought together to develop this elearning include:

• Kabie Brook – Autistic activist, mother and campaigner as well as a Director and Scotland Lead, National Autistic Taskforce.
• Nick Case – Technical expert, DOQEX, responsible for the technical development of the autism e learning programme.
• Yo Dunn – Strategic Lead, National Autistic Task Force, an independent trainer and consultant. Yo is autistic and a parent of autistic children.
• Jo Martin – Project Manager, trainer and facilitator at Opening Minds Training & Consultancy
• Rachel Moody – Director, Opening Minds Training & Consultancy. Rachel wrote and illustrated most of the non-video content for this course. She is an autistic self-advocate and accessible information specialist and sits on the Department of Health Autism Executive Board.
• Paul Widdowfield –  Communications and Marketing Manager, Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust. HEE would also like to express thanks to all volunteers and members of healthcare staff that took part in the filming for this resource and to Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust.
• Sira Studios – worked closely with Opening Minds and Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust to photograph and produce audio and film material for the learning resource.

HEE would also thank all autistic colleagues from Opening Minds and parent/carers of autistic adults and children who were involved in developing and producing the video content, sharing their views and expertise as experts by experience.

How to access

In order to access the Autism Awareness programme, you will need an elfh account. If you do not have one, then you can register by selecting the Register button below.

Register >

To view the Autism Awareness programme, select the View button below. If you already have an account with elfh, you will also be able to login and enrol on the programme from the View button.

View >

Not an NHS organisation?

If you are not an NHS health or care organisation and therefore do not qualify for free access elfh Hub, you may be able to access the service by creating an OpenAthens account.

To check whether or not you qualify for free access via OpenAthens, you can view the eligibility criteria and register on the ‘OpenAthens’ portal.

Registering large numbers of users

If you are a HR, IT or Practice Manager and would like to register and enrol large numbers of staff within your organisation for access onto the Autism Awareness programme, please contact elfh directly.

Organisations wishing to use their own LMS

For HR departments wanting to know more about gaining access to courses using an existing Learning Management System please contact elfh directly to express interest.

More information

Please select the following link for more information on how to use the elfh Hub.