The Employer Award (Independent)
M&D Care
M&D Care have adopted an ethos of valuing, retaining and developing staff, to provide person centred care and support. Despite the recent challenges for the sector, they have adopted innovative ways to nurture growth and develop the business. Their family values ensure that they really do put people first.
Highly Commended
Prudent Supported Living Ltd
This forward thinking organisation have adopted innovative and person centred approach to support young people with learning disability and/or autism. Their value led recruitment
strategy has ensured a motivated and dedicated staff team who make a real difference to the lives of the young adults they support. Outstanding!
The Employer (Not for profit)
Community Integrated Care
This organisation demonstrated innovation, passion and drive to enhance the lives of people they support. The judges felt that they were a dynamic organisation who focussed on making a tangible difference to people’s lives.
Highly Commended
Lisieux Trust
Lisieux Trust have a culture that really values and listens to its staff, encouraging active participation into developing the business plan. They have a wonderful approach to team work, supporting and motivating one another during the most challenging of circumstances.
The Employer of People with a Disability Award
Dunelm
Dunelm have an amazing approach when it comes to employing people with a disability, they not only think outside of the box but also break the rules of their own organisation to provide inclusive opportunities for everyone. This ranges from widening the aisles so employees with wheelchairs can carry stock, to employing people on a one hour a week contract to help build their confidence.
Highly Commended
Connor Price, CGI ITS’s Ltd
CGI IT’s diversification to remove the Corporate commercial catering facility and create a cafe that is Learning Disability Led has had an amazing effect
The Newcomer Award
Jack Priday, Precious Homes
Jack is the very essence of a Newcomer. From McDonalds to Social care he has demonstrated a genuine caring attitude. He totally understood his role and has already progressed to be able to mentor and train others. He is well thought of and highly respected by those above him and has the best interests of his service users at heart. He brings confidence to the team and is everyone’s right hand man. He is the ‘go to’ person if anyone needs help. Jack might be new to the sector but both judges were impressed at his attitude and hopes to progress. Jack is a very worthy winner!
Highly Commended
Lyndsey Jones, Journey Enterprise
It was a VERY close call. The judges revisited and discussed applications for a very long time but in the end Lyndsey was pipped at the post. However she was an extremely good candidate who has done amazing things in the community, not only benefiting the community but also the service users.
The Support Worker Award (Independent)
Julianne Gallagher, SENAD community
Julianna has given 29 years service to SENAD Community, which clearly showed at interview. Julianne’s care and attention for the service users shown through and she demonstrated a huge commitment to Social Care and understanding the journeys of the service users in gaining their independence.
Highly Commended
Nicholas Kikabi, Consensus Support
Nicholas demonstrated that he was extremely mindful of the regulations and what is needed around safeguarding and medication. This knowledge makes a positive impact on the care of the service users.
The Support Worker Award (Not for profit)
Marvin Hamilton Chambers, Outward
Marvine is passionate about caring for others. He believes that ‘You can do it’ no matter who you are and that negatives can be turned into positives. He uplifts all that meet him and helps those who may be going through the darkest of times. A true inspiration and a true role model with a huge heart
Highly Commended
Roberto Cello, Sanctuary Supported Living
Roberto does not realise what he does. He is a true inspiration, fulfilling lives and helping those achieve their aspirations. He has turned lives around, through his determination and dedication. Not all heroes wear capes!
The Complex Support Worker Award
Ben Doyle, Holmleigh Care
By own life experiences, Ben has turned his own negatives into exceptional positives to benefit the people he supports. Ben demonstrated resilience and compassion whole heartedly without judgement to the people he supports, ensuring they have the best possible outcomes and experiences that they choose and wish for. We as judges, found Ben to be a truly inspirational individual and we were very touched by his humbleness and kindness.
Highly Commended
Jemma Murray, SENAD Community
Jemma is an inspiring individual who has a calming, patient manner and who has faced her own challenges, yet is able to apply a calming influence to the people who she supports. Jemma has gone above and beyond to rehabilitate individuals following Covid, lockdowns and isolation. The impact here is truly heart-warming.
The Frontline Leader Award
Lee Hendon and The Team, Jaffray Care
Lee Hendon and the Jaffray Care Managers showed unwavering dedication to their service users, staff and wider community. When faced with challenges through Covid they stepped up, were proactive and showed great leadership. The impact they had on their nominator was abundantly clear and only overshadowed by the impact they must be making in their community.
Highly Commended
Jason Tweed, Resolve Care
Jason clearly demonstrated his leadership and dedication by championing the voices of service users and staff. He implemented needed change from within saying “I’ll scratch at the door until the door opens”. We were particularly impressed by the ripple effect of empowerment and community created through the football team.
The Registered Manager Award
Jaine Hale, Glenholme
Janie’s passion for care shone through, with both the support to her team and the people they support. With their mantra being ‘nothing about me without me’, she is putting the values at the heart of all she does to make a difference to her team and the people they support.
Highly Commended
Ana Enes, Mentaur Ltd
A extremely close runner up, whose dedication to making a difference was evident to see. Ana is a prime example that it is never too late to enjoy a career in social care and make a difference to the team and the people you support.
The Senior Manager Award
Lauren Wraight, LDC Care
Lauren has done some amazing work both with residents and her managers. She spends a lot of time and attention on these individuals and has achieved some amazing outcomes.
Highly Commended
Jenna Ashworth, Heathcotes Group
An experienced and professional, skilled individual and a positive role model for us all! The positive difference that Jenna has made to the organisation, the staff team and the people they support is inspirational.
The Learning Disability Nurse Award
Liz Smith, Consensus Support
Liz Smith is a Learning disability Nurse for individuals with multiple and complex needs. Liz expressed how her job “Takes up most of my life”, as her passion is to care for others and ensure everyone in her care is happy and healthy. Liz said she fights for everything and doesn’t give up regardless of the challenge. Liz goes above and beyond, she is a true winner.
Highly Commended
Rebecca Crossley, Specialist Learning Disability and Autism Nurse
A dedicated, experience and knowledgeable care professional. Rebecca is a great example of a person centred Learning Disability and Autism Nurse
The Making a Difference Award (Individual)
Jennifer Berry, Autism Friendly Caravans
For Jennifer and her family, the caravans mean so much more than purely a business, they are a labour of love. Using their family’s lived experience to support other families enjoy time away, an escape from the challenges of daily life. They are much appreciated by her customers!
Highly Commended
Sarah Cheyette, Cheyette Fitness
Sarah uses her love of fitness and experience as a personal trainer to bring joy to young people with disabilities. Inspired by her daughter, Sarah has made a positive impact on young people in her community, their health, wellbeing and confidence.
The Making a Difference Award (Team)
John Hughes, Community Integrated Care & Rugby League World Cup 2021
A true front runner who was passionate and completely devoted to his work within one of the best community projects in global sport. Giving more than 300 people life changing opportunities to fulfil their true potential through aspirational experiences, achieve dreams, securing paid work and also to challenge and tackle prejudice and discrimination.
Highly Commended
Rosie, Arron, Zena, Gemma and Gemma, Freedom Day Centre
Freedom Day Centre are an amazing family run charity which has brought people within the Learning Disability Community together. The day centre provides a safe and welcoming environment to enjoy many activities, an evening out. Another important part Cafe Freedom is offering homemade meals at affordable prices for the community, with all proceeds going back into the day centre.
The Trainer Award
Carla Barker, PBS4
Carla oozed passion, drive and determination to improve the lives of people with learning disabilities. It was quite clear that Carla knew the outcomes she wished to achieve and how to get there. Congratulations Carla!
The Supported Housing Awards
The Whole Team, Hapton
During their interview you could hear and see the amount of work and passion that has been put into each service user at ensuring their needs are met and at the same time promoting independence for them to be able to live independently. They have also come experienced a lot of negativity on social media but they have ensured all service users are protected from this.
Highly Commended
Prudent Support Living Limited
The passion this team had was inspirational! They have worked hard to ensure to ensure all service users’ needs are met and staff are highly trained in person centred care and support.
The Breaking Down Barriers Awards (Individual)
Abdiaziz Ahmed, iBC healthcare
Abdiaziz is a credit to the sector. His passion for the people he supports shines through. He has made significant improvements to the lives of the people he supports. Creative, innovative dedicated and committed. Abdiaziz will go far in life. This young man has any amazing attitude to life.
Highly Commended
Dhanalakshmi Kadari
An amazing parent who has dedicated her life to her son who shares her knowledge with other parents and carers
The Breaking Down Barriers Award (Team)
PBS4
Passionate, determined, person centred, creative and innovative. What an amazing organisation !! Alana and Sam thought outside the box to improve the lives of those that they supported, pushing and working through any barriers that they faced. Persona centred care and support at its finest!
Highly Commended
Makaton Charity
Hannah is such a passionate and committed individual. She believes that everyone should live a normal life regardless of any disabilities and is working to ensure all town and cities become Makaton friendly. The passion she has for this really shines through and we know that she will be successful and succeed. Hannah is truly remarkable and a credit to The Makaton Charity.
The Sporting Chance Award
Scott Burns, Wigan Council
Meeting Scott was inspirational! He worked with purpose prior to his diagnosis, but following it, he has continued to ensure that no one misses out on opportunities that allow individuals to rise to their potential. He wears many hats and continues to deliver positive impact across any work that he is involved in and his life long passion for sport and helping those with disabilities came across strongly.
Highly Commended
Pavla Lawrence, Hesley Group
Pavla was passionate throughout the interview. We particularly enjoyed hearing about her personalised and proactive approach and always leading from the front and setting an example.
The Lord Rix Supporting Older People with Learning Disabilities Award
George Greenwood, LifeLongLearning4Living
George clearly demonstrated a passion and commitment for those in his care that goes beyond excellence. He showed that he puts the needs of his clients ahead of everything else, even staying in hospital for a week with one to ensure his communication needs were met. He advocates for his clients using clear evidence that he continually updates to ensure it is accurate. George said he just wants to wake up every day and try to do the right thing. It is clear he does this and more.
Highly Commended
RT Team Led by Temitope Adewal, SENAD Community
The outstanding outcomes achieved by Temitope and his team have to be highly commended. The difference they make to their clients lives is outstanding. Their approach to ensuring the best possible outcome is enlightening and their ability to look for the positive in people others have given up on is exceptional.
The Great Autism Practice Award
Marie Jevon, Include in Autism
Marie is breaking the barriers between neurodiversity and non-autistic people. Maria has used her experiences and has tried to support people to gain the support that they need. Marie’s dedication extends outside of her professional life as she spends time and energy making sure people are offered the best possible opportunities.
Highly Commended
Autism Oxford UK
Passionate enthusiastic and caring. An asset to the sector and a very worthy runner up!
The Positive Behaviour Support Award (Individual)
Sarah Hawkins, Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation
Sarah showed passion, knowledge and a real desire to work jointly with peers and across many organisations. This includes formal and informal networks to achieve the best possible outcomes for the individuals and staff withing her organisation, through the use of positive behaviour support tools and a holistic personal centred approach.
Highly Commended
Chetna Satra, Optimal Living Kent
Chetna showed real passion for her service users and staff within her organisation. Her multidisciplinary and holistic approach enabled the users to achieve a quality of life they desire through the detailed PBS. The service she provides brings humour as well as personalisation into the day to day activities for each user.
The Positive Behaviour Support Award (Team)
Red Kite Court, Precious Homes
Focusing on the small wins, and the impact these make on individuals, Red Kite Court look at PBS in terms of what it means to everyone they support. A real team effort achieving meaningful results!
Highly Commended
Sorogold Close, Alternative Futures Group
Sorogold Court has successfully changed the life of a young woman through a mix of outstanding PBS practice and shared sense of humour! Their passion for their work and relationship with Sarah is an example of exceptional practice.
Highly Commended
Sycamore Court, Sanctuary Supported Living
Sycamore Court has made significant changes in the lives of individuals in its first 3 years! The team works tirelessly together to update their knowledge and skills to provide the best outcomes for individuals!
The Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities Award
Sara Hunter, Salutem
Sara is exceptional in the way she supports people with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities. The pride and passion for her work is clearly evidenced through the amazing things she supports people to achieve. She is a real credit to the social care profession.
Highly Commended
Drummonds Care Home
Drummonds Care home is a shining beacon in everything that is great. People are not only paced at the centre they are leading the way in developing support that responds to everyone’s individual needs. Some shining examples of how everyone is given the opportunity to shine and take control of their lives.
The People’s Award
Chris Jones, LDC Care
Chris and his team have shown exceptional initiative in supporting some of the most complex people that our sector can support. This award has been presented as a result of a pioneering effort to make a true difference and provide a commitment that epitomises the real meaning of professionals who work in this sector.
Highly Commended
Robert Kutner, Jane Woodwards and Maddie Lawrence, ECL
These nominees clearly show a passion and desire to make a difference. Every candidate clearly has a vocation in supporting complex individuals and a wish to make them involved and empowered. This approach has made a difference in the lives of those supported.
The Jim Mansell Outstanding Contribution Award
Anna Kennedy, Anna Kennedy Online
Anna has amazing commitment not just for the charity she set up in 2009 for parents, carers and autistic people providing advice and training (borne out of having 2 sons with autism) but the amazing projects she is involved with. These includ running a school for 23 years, ‘First Steps’, to help autistic people set up a business, anti-bullying campaigns and flash mobs. Her drive and passion are inspirational.
Highly Commended
Mike Cleasby, Quality Director, National Care Group
Mike has worked in the care sector for 32 years, within local authorities and providers. Having started as a care worker Mike understands instinctively the challenges at a grass roots level, how to tackle them head on, and the value of holistic feedback. His strong values base and views as a parent of a daughter with autism drives his passion to ensure people receive the highest possible standard of care.
The Social Care Covid Hero Award
Jade Vallance, Active Prospects
Incredible leader whose foresight and early actions weeks before any official government advice to do so, has undoubtedly saved huge numbers of lives. From securing contracts with PPE suppliers, grants for ipads, setting up and running community and staffing groups and even having spells working within Covid wards, to make sure her service users felt safe. Jade went above and beyond to do all she could to ensure the safety for not only her own company but also the wider community. Jade fully deserves all the recognition she gets for such incredible work during such a terrible time. A true Covid Hero.
Highly Commended
Andy Ashmore, Nurtrio
A remarkably selfless individual who put the health, safety and security of his service users and staff above his own without a second thought. Andy’s enthusiasm for care and supporting vulnerable individuals really is amazing and he was full of admiration for his company and colleagues and the work that they do. Andy went above and beyond in his work to ensure everyone, (colleagues and service users) didn’t feel alone in the crisis. Well done Andy.
The Social Care Covid Hero Team Award
The Grange (2016) Ltd
We were highly impressed by the innovative and creative approach from the team at the Grange. Not only were the customers their priority but also their staff. We felt they really created experiences for people receiving support that maintained skill building and learning whist also maintained their safety. Their passion for what they do was apparent and despite the pandemic they created experiences for people which enriched their lives. We particularly liked that they lobbied their MP to ensure that vaccinations for people with a learning disability were a high priority. They planned and locked down prior to government advice to keep people safe and gave exceptional support to their staff during this period. Well done!
Highly Commended
Matthew Campbell and Enterprise Team, United Response
As a non-regulated service and it would have been easy to stop running this service during the pandemic. However what this team did was to create something that enabled people to remain socially active, building new and maintaining existing friendships and maintaining structure and routine in their lives. Sessions were creative and inclusive for people receiving support, staff and families, which supported people’s wellbeing and enabled people to keep in touch. Activities were designed around individual needs and they engaged with people across the country and continue to do so as sessions are now face to face and virtual to maintain friendships. Team wellbeing was also at the heart of what they did. They held an event on Christmas Day which involved people from across the country, as well as the company CEO, which supported people to have contact with friends and family which they may not have otherwise had.
The Lifetime Achievement Award
Aisling Duffy, CEO, Certitude
In the words of the team that nominated Aisling: Aisling’s career began as a support worker, supporting people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Now CEO of Certitude, Aisling has grown the organisation to be the leading not-for-profit provider of support to more than 1,800 Londoners with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs, and their families.
Aisling first established a group where people with learning disabilities co-produced and informed how an organisation works back in the 1990s and this set her leadership style as a CEO. When asked by the BBC last year to comment on the impact of the pandemic on people with learning disabilities, Aisling did so – but ensured somebody with a learning disability was there to speak for themselves.
Alongside someone we support, Aisling meets every new colleague who joins Certitude. With her passion for supporting people to live their best lives, she inspires colleagues to put the organisation’s values into action. She has championed initiatives including “Treat Me Right” and “Connect and Do” enabling people with learning disabilities to find employment, learn new skills with the freedom to develop their talents.
Aisling is consistently cited by colleagues as an inspiring, motivating leader. She sets the standard of everyone being equal and every voice mattering; organisational strategies are co-developed through processes including ‘Working Together for Change.’
“Aisling is a fantastic CEO. She is caring and leads by example. People I meet and work within Certitude are committed to doing the best they can. I love working for Certitude.” “I love the values and leadership from Aisling, and Certitude’s mission” – anonymous feedback from 2021 staff engagement survey.
Aisling’s influence extends beyond Certitude. Through her role on the Boards of VODG and NDTi, Aisling works to improve support for people with learning disabilities nationally, ensuring the voices of people themselves are heard, respected and, crucially, acted upon.
