Fifteen years after the exposure of abuse at Winterbourne View, the learning disability and autism sector continues to grapple with difficult questions about care, culture, and accountability.
In March 2026, Gordons Partnership Solicitors will host a free live webinar bringing together experienced voices from across the sector to reflect on what has changed, what has not, and what providers are facing now.
The session will take place at 4.30pm on Thursday 19 March and is open to providers, managers, professionals, and others working across learning disability and autism services.
Reflecting on Transforming Care
The webinar will reflect on whether regulation and commissioning have delivered on the Transforming Care agenda to expand specialist community provision at scale in order to reduce reliance on mental health hospitals for people with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic.
Practical Challenges Facing Providers
Additionally, the webinar will address a range of key topics that impact the sector including:
- CQC’s statutory guidance Right support, right care, right culture
- Challenges in navigating the CQC registration process
- Obtaining the right level of funding from commissioners
- Applying the Mental Capacity Act correctly to your services
- Compliance and enforcement
The aim is to ground the discussion in reality, focusing on what providers are expected to do, where the pressure points lie, and how risks can arise if expectations are unclear or inconsistently applied.
Speakers
The webinar brings together a panel with a broad range of experience across regulation, consultancy, and legal advice.
Tim Dallinger of Social Care Consultants is a former provider in the learning disability and autism sector and is now a nationally recognised care consultant, known for sharing practical guidance on LinkedIn.
Sarah Okoro of Vivacity Consulting is a social care consultant and leader whose lived experience of disability and navigating services shapes her work in the LD/Autism sector. She specialises in CQC compliance, safeguarding and quality improvement, supporting providers to design rights-based, person-led services. Through consultancy, supervision and strategic advice, she amplifies the voices of people, families and frontline staff to influence culture, governance and regulatory practice.
Eddie Hoult is the founder of UpEd LTD where she provides support for adult social care providers. She facilitates compliance assessments and other bespoke focused works. The aim to empower leaders and their teams to ensure they are providing consistent high standards of safety, person centred and quality care on behalf of people using and living in services. Eddie draws on her extensive work experience including both operational registered roles and her time spent as a CQC inspector.
Neil Grant, Partner at Gordons Partnership, brings over 30 years’ experience advising both regulators and providers. He offers a long-term perspective on how policy and regulation have shaped the sector, including where outcomes have fallen short of their intentions.
An Open and Interactive Discussion
The webinar will be interactive, with opportunities for attendees to ask questions and contribute to what is expected to be a thoughtful, informed, and lively discussion.
Registration details will be shared shortly.