Understanding and supporting autistic adults in mental health services

This two-day interactive course is for mental health professionals wanting to increase their understanding of how mental health services can best serve autistic patients.

It is only open to Kent and Medway NHS staff.

As an introductory training it is designed for professionals with limited experience of the autism field, incorporating Tier 1 and tier 2 of the Autism Core Capability Framework.

The training is co-produced and will be delivered by experienced clinicians and autistic people as expert by experience. The training will offer the opportunity for you to interact with expert clinicians and hear personal experiences of experts by experience. This will help to highlight what is important to autistic people.

The interactive training contains a mixture of theory and case scenarios and enable you to share your experiences as well as clarify any myths and personal perspectives. This will give you the knowledge and skills to use in your practice and enhance the quality of experience of autistic people when accessing mental health services.

About the Framework

The Autism Core Capability Framework was introduced in 2019. It was in recognition that people with autism face many challenges in all area of life, including when they are accessing mental and physical health care. It is also known that as a direct result of the knowledge gaps, autism is sometimes not diagnosed, or is misdiagnosed.

The framework sets out core capabilities that clinicians and other people that support autistic people should be aware and able to follow in their practice areas. Its three tiers of training are universal (Tier 1), practitioner (Tier 2) and expert (Tier 3), based on responsibilities and job roles.

What qualifications do you need to be an autism specialist?

In order to become a Certified Autism Specialist, you’ll need to undertake autism training, which will provide you with an introduction to the topic. A related degree in subjects including psychology, childhood development or special education can also help set you up for a career as a specialist. You can then specialise afterwards by completing a diploma or postgraduate course.

What healthcare professionals are involved in autism?

Adults with autism can come into contact with many healthcare professionals, depending on their needs. This can include psychiatrists, behaviour optometrists, counsellors, GPs and outreach workers.