More than 1700 health and social care staff across the county have received new training to enable them to better support the autistic community.

The staff, all employed by Dorset Council, BCP Council, NHS Dorset, hospitals and community health providers took part in an autism training programme co-produced and co-delivered by Christchurch-based charity Autism Unlimited.

Autism Unlimited has designed its training around the National Core capabilities Framework for Autism with two stages, Understanding Autism, an e-learning course teaching learners what autism is and how the autistic community experience the world, and Autism Acceptance, a face-to-face session which equips learners with strategies and techniques so they can help autistic people feel included, understood and supported.

On July 1, 2022, a new legal requirement was introduced by the Health and Care Act 2022 that all registered health and social care providers must ensure their staff receive training in learning disability and autism appropriate to their role.