The Employer Award (Independent)
Winner: Resolve Care Northern Ltd
David and Ann run services that have held an outstanding rating since 2014. They continue to push boundaries in care, with a unique service offering. Their staff team are held in the highest esteem and they continue to offer support and benefits that set them apart.
Highly Commended: Home from Home Care
Home from Home Care are breaking the mould of what is possible in social care. They are using data to give a level of transparency in care delivery that means they can continually focus on improvement. They use innovative ways to engage their teams to ensure that everyone is focused on what they are amazing at and have real opportunity to continually progress and be the best version of themselves in turn delivering exceptional care.
The Employer Award (Not for Profit)
Winner: Autism Matters
Through her own experiences with her sons, Anna founded Autism Matters. Autism Matters has since gone from strength to strength, supporting and enhancing lives, and always ensuring inclusion and fun is at the core of all they do. Her passion shone through, always wanting to improve the services she provides with an ethos of ” that was good but how can we make it great.”
Highly Commended: SJOG
Innovation, passion and vision: Lisa brings all of this to the organisation. The inclusion of all and importance of everyone’s opinion form the core values of SJOG, with various initiatives including Magic Space and the Loved Programme. Lisa is a true believer in that “understanding what you do today, will effect a person tomorrow.”
The Employer of People with a Disability Award
Winner: Kingston University
Kingston University demonstrate a sincere commitment to employing those with learning disabilities, supporting them to truly flourish as well respected and valuable members of their organisation. This focus on inclusion is not only admirable, but creates a more diverse and holistic approach to research. Many congratulations to all at Kingston University – you should be proud of the work you do!
Highly Commended: ECL Inclusive Employment
ECL go above in beyond in employing those with learning disabilities and are much deserving of high commendation in this category. They stand as a shining example of inclusivity and take and approach many can seek to learn from.
The Newcomer Award
Winner: Matt Price, Community Integrated Care
Matt is a real inspiration, using his lived experience to support others with a Learning Disability and/or Autism to engage with sport and achieve great things. He supports people to not only live healthier lives, but also engage and volunteer at major sporting events. We certainly haven’t heard the last of Matt Price, as his desire and passion to help others will take him far.
Highly Commended: Chloe Hurley, Style Acre
Chloe is clearly very passionate about ensuring people are treated fairly and ensuring they are supported to achieve great things. The Gardening project is a fantastic way of encouraging people to become active members of the community whilst also breaking down some of the stigmas around people with a LD/Autism.
The Support Worker Award (Independent)
Winner: Abbie Smith, Hollywood House
Abbie is a truly exceptional in her work. She acts as a role model, supporting her team and demonstrating effective leadership skills. She ensures the best outcomes for those they support through consistency and positive risk taking, encouraging autonomy and building confidence. Congratulations Abbie!
Highly Commended: Chloe Kassab, Bevris Support
Chloe is a steadfast advocate that is truly committed to making a difference. Combining passion and consistency, Chloe truly impacts the lives of those she supports to ensure the best outcomes in their future. An individual that goes above and beyond whilst also demonstrating clear leadership skills, Chloe is well deserving of high commendation.
The Support Worker Award (Not for Profit)
Winner: Cheryl Hobbs, Camphill MK Communities
Cheryl is very passionate about her job role and the quality, care and experiences that both she and her team provide. They ensure inclusion and also promote valuable opportunities for the residents for engaging in the local community and being actively involved in raising funds. Cheryl organised a charity walk/fun run for the residents and celebrated their achievements with the wider community. Well done Cheryl!
Highly Commended: Misha Bull, Freeways
Misha is a highly motivated young lady who actively goes above and beyond in her support of residents. Misha spoke of her months-long research and encouragement in supporting a resident who struggled with hoarding. Misha’s dedication to this long process had an incredible impact on this individual’s quality of life, and demonstrates how her commitment and consistency worked to achieve an amazing outcome. Congratulations Misha!
The Registered Manager Award (Independent)
Winner: Susan Ball, Grays Healthcare
Susan was inspiring and engaging; enthusiastically explaining how she ensures all people her team supports have their best days and best lives. Through bespoke training for staff and tailored person-centred care, Susan was thrilled to witness positive changes in clients. She is a credit to her company and the sector.
Highly Commended: Michelle Bennet, Wellgate
Michelle radiated knowledge of and commitment to the service and her team. She and her team have strived to promote community and inclusivity, and she builds her team around these values. That she is being tasked with opening more services can only be a huge positive for those they support.
The Registered Manager Award (Not for Profit)
Winner: Tom Bridle, Camphill Communities
Tom is all about holistic management and upskilling staff to support people to live their best lives. He has achieved fantastic outcomes already and with the further expansion of the community more people will benefit from their care and support. Well done Tom!
Highly Commended: Ana Mateiro, Outward
Ana has great passion, bringing that and motivation to the services she manages. She has good relationships with her team members and her seniors and has done really well in the time she has been in the UK and working at and progressing at Outward. Keep up the great work!
The Senior Manager Award
Winner : Jake Thompson, Bondcare
Jake is an incredibly impressive Senior Manager, and the sector is extremely lucky to have him. He strikes the perfect balance of being to give strategic direction, obtain company growth and success, while always keeping the welfare of his team and the young adults they support at the forefront of his decision making. Congratulations Jake!
Highly Commended: Yasmin Howard-Dove, The Northam Care Trust
Yasmin is on the top of her game and thoroughly impressed the panel. Yasmin is able to turn her hand to whatever is asked of her and her dedication to Quality and Service Improvement is a testament to her and shown in the outcomes of her Services!
The Learning Disability Nurse Award
Winner: Lyndsey Clare, HMP Ranby
As the only Learning Disability nurse in a prison of well over 1000 people, Lyndsey is incredibly motivated, determined and successful in implementing understanding of neurodiversity, driving language and cultural change across the prison. Lyndsey has launched various health initiatives, created low-arousal environments and advocated for people with neurodiverse conditions to be treated in a way that suits their varying needs. She has also been instrumental in supporting education and work placement opportunities for people, in an extremely challenging environment. Congratulations Lyndsey!
Highly Commended: Paula Pearl, Mid & South Essex NHS Trust
Paula’s energy and enthusiasm for supporting people in hospital and the community is infectious. Paula is hugely committed to her work, and believes that people should have equal access to health care despite systemic challenges. Paul uses creative ways in her practice to enable people to feel comfortable in hospital, through out-of-the-box initiatives using technology alongside empathy. This passion filters through into her colleagues, and it’s clear that Paula is a beacon of hope for the people we support, at their most vulnerable times.
The Making a Difference Award (Individual)
Winner: Dan Harris, Neurodiversity in Business
Dan is truly making a difference with a mission to get neurodiversity understood and common place in businesses globally. After launching the charity in his spare time a year ago, he has already has 600 corporates on board and has 107 volunteers supporting delivery. Alongside conferences and supporting a 4.5k community, the next focus big project is looking to make London the neurodiverse capital of the world, with support of the Mayor of London.
Highly Commended: Chelsea Laing, East London Foundation Trust CAMHS
Chelsea is making a huge impact and her work really proves that early intervention is key. After a successful pilot in 2020 she set up a new service from scratch at the end of 2021. To date they have supported 70 young people and out of those only 10 admitted to hospital but all for short stays, so there was a significant drop in admissions. They also set up a localised inpatient that didn’t exist before. This new service shows that it’s imperative that networks are brought together.
The Making a Difference Award (Team)
Winner: Donna & Christie, Calmer Therapy
Driven by their own personal experience, the parents in this organisation have taken strength from providing the type of support they had wished for themselves. They are passionate about people having a voice and that voice being heard.
Highly Commended: Alex Lewer and all at Include.org
The team at Include go above and beyond to truly make a difference, with a choir, advocacy service and steering group for the charity. Their commitment to their service is palpable, as the team really support people to gain confidence through performance and community connections. Well done to all at Include!
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Award
Winner: Ginette Clarke, SENAD
Ginette goes above and beyond in her role, ensuring top notch workforce development and training within the organisation. She is clearly a committed and passionate member of the team who is much deserving of this accolade.
Highly Commended: Winchester GO LD
Betty is the deserving recipient high commendation for this award. Her dedication to improving the lives of people with autism and learning disabilities through innovative programmes has been recognised by the judges. Betty demonstrates exceptional knowledge whilst highlighting the importance of safeguarding training to all involved with the charity.
The Frontline Leader Award (Independent)
Winner: Lisa Stephenson, Kingsway
Immense passion and attention to detail clearly shone through this nominee. From how she has embraced her role and improved the standing of the care home enormously, to the way she has refocused her teams energies and efforts to create a person-centred service. Lisa demonstrates all the skills you could look for in a frontline leader, and has shown amazing improvements that will continue to reap rewards in the future.
Highly Commended: Owen Williams, Gray Healthcare
Focussed, person-centred and able to rally the troops: Owen is a brilliant young man and frontline leader. Owen was able to show what makes life worth living for a man he supports with schizophrenia and an acquired brain injury, making sure his interests were taken into account to introduce activities that might reap the best outcomes. Leading by example, Owen is an asset to his organisation and the sector as a whole.
The Frontline Leader Award (Not for Profit)
Winner: Sasha Gilbert, Norfolk County Council
Sasha is a much deserving winner of this award, going above and beyond in all that she does to ensure all those around her are happy and supported. Leading from the front, she is everything you could look for in a frontline leader. Congratulations Sasha!
Highly Commended: Amy Mitchell, Care in Style
Passionate and dedicated, Amy has not only the natural ability, but dedication required to be an outstanding frontline leader. She should be very proud of the work she does. Well done Amy!
The Positive Risk Taking Award
Winner: Consensus
Anthony and Selina expressed how positive risk taking was a core organisational value for this forensic service supporting individuals with learning disabilities. This home has the highest risk profile within the company but the lowest number of incidents. Over time, restrictions have diminished and the people supported have accessed work. Well done to Consensus!
Highly Commended: Honeysuckle Lodge Team, Allcare Community Support
The people living at Honeysuckle lodge like to be called members. Their activity schedule is amazing; filled with meaningful activities which enrich each and every day for their members. Positive risk taking, coupled with assistive technology and a positive attitude from the entire staff team, has made this service that is well deserving of high commendation.
The Supported Housing Award
Winner: Sally Jobling an the Team, Salutem Care & Education
Sally is an exceptional and passionate leader. Salutem have designed bespoke services to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable individuals. They focus on co-production and complete involvement from the individuals being supported. Salutem are forward thinking, progressive and the initiatives including the ‘People’s Parliament’ and ‘Don’t Call Me Special’ are excellent examples of the inclusion and involvement of everyone being supported.
Highly Commended: Outward
Lewis’s enthusiasm and passion was completely overwhelming and the work he is doing with the individuals he supports is innovative, creative and extremely bespoke. Lewis and the team are overseeing extremely complex services and clearly making a difference to individuals’ lives. Lewis and the team involve the individuals in the running of the services and the services are tailored to the changing needs of everyone.
The Breaking Down Barriers Award (Individual)
Winner: Niall Guite, Art with a Special Goal
Niall is an athlete and artist. Amongst many achievements, Niall’s art has been included in the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics. He is the only person with an intellectual disability invited to exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts. He helps people to set up social enterprises and encourages employers to work with people with additional needs. He has appeared in national media and has delivered a Ted Talk about limited communication. The list goes on. The judges all agree that this award is highly deserved.
Highly Commended: Sophie Hatton, The Nest
Sophie has set up a specialist nursery for children from 0 -5 with severe and complex needs. As a qualified Speech and Language Therapist, she has embedded approaches in the nursery curriculum to enable the children who she supports to overcome their difficulties. She also works with parents and families to support children whose needs are not met in other nurseries. Sophie’s belief, passion and determination are outstanding.
The Breaking Down Barriers Award (Team)
Winner: Moorview Matters, Moorview Care
Moorview Care is a truly inclusive organisation with an inspirational leadership team that celebrate coproduction to break down barriers and enhance to lives of the people they support. Although this was an extremely hard category to judge, Moorview Matters demonstrated their motivation for achieving their aim to break down those barriers and have already achieved so much in a short period of time. Well done and congratulations to this team!
Highly Commended: Christine Harvey, Ansar Projects
Christine is passionate about ensuring people with a Learning Disability and/or Autism have the same access to health information and are able to understand their own bodies and identify when things aren’t right. She is inspirational and highly commended by the judges.
The Sporting Chance Award
Winner: Community Integrated Care Inclusive Volunteering Programme
John painted a vivid picture of the work they do with clients, encompassing a wide range of sporting bodies, all aimed at creating opportunities for people to develop a love of sport. He was passionate and so engaging, and has clearly found his niche. John and the team are much deserving winners of this award!
Highly Commended: Mental Health TIW Team, NHS
Working to support those with a challenging set of needs, a particular skill set and approach is required, an it is an approach this team have perfected. This team really stood out with their knowledge, professionalism and evidence based research. They are contributing to the promotion of physical activity as a therapy in it’s own right in addressing mental health issues.
The Lord Rix Supporting Older People with Learning Disabilities Award
Winner: The Minims Team, SJOG
The Minims Team were an absolute pleasure to interview. Person-centred care and co-production are at the heart of everything that they do, an approach that certainly generates extremely positive outcomes. Many congratulations to this team!
Highly Commended: Swindon Team, Optimal Living Swindon
The Swindon Team really go above and beyond in everything that they do, and the panel were particularly impressed with their use of the RESTORE tool. Their interview was full of fabulous example of best practice. They should be proud of their work, and achieving high commendation in this category!
The Great Autism Practice Award
Winner: Lorna Durrant & The Specialist Service Team, Eden Futures
Lorna’s passion for ensuring that autistic people are central to the business and its development through the autism partnership project allows the business to grow, improve and thrive. The partnership project ensures the autistic voice is heard in all areas of the business such as recruitment, training and quality audits. Lorna should be very proud of her work.
Highly Commended: James Harrison, Ellern Mead Eating Disorders Service
James has made life changing differences to many people over the years, through recognising the needs of autistic people are different when providing treatment and care for those with an eating disorder or disordered eating. James spends his spare time supporting a charity who are campaigning for changes to hospitals to improve the care and support offered. James is working hard to share his knowledge and skills to those within his organisation and other people who are wanting to learn more about Eating Disorders and Neurodiversity.
The People’s Award
Winner: Woodhall Community Centre, SJOG
The project is using a co-productive model in a really positive manner and ensuring service users are all engaged in the decision making. It shows the project is not just about being in the community but is a central part of the community.
Highly Commended: James Murfin, Holmleigh Care
Homeleigh Care are an organisation that shows they value their service users by adopting a collaborative and person-centred approach. They should be pleased of their outcomes with James, he is an inspirational person well deserving of high commendation.
The Jim Mansell Outstanding Contribution Award
Winner: Lucy Hogg, Heroic Care Ltd
Lucy’s dedication, passion, compassion and empathy to the sector is OUTSTANDING, what a fabulous individual with many talents. 50 years in the sector and Lucy wants to keep going. A positive individual who wants to make the world a better place for the people she supports, their families and her staff team. Well done Lucy!
Highly Commended: Jo Withington, Caretech
What a positive, vibrant, fun loving individual Jo is – an absolute credit to her company. Her contribution to social care is truly outstanding, and she is much deserving of high commendation.
The Positive Behaviour Support Award
Winner: Luke Smith, Midway Care Group
Luke was a breath of fresh air when talking to us about his work he doe and plans of PBS. Luke was able to demonstrate his passion in not just looking those he supports but also the wellbeing of his colleagues. He is a truly exceptional winner that should be proud!
Highly Commended: Amy Childs, Echo Supported Living Services Ltd
Amy Spoke with passion and commitment. She shone with enthusiasm when speaking about her work. For Amy, you could see that positive behaviour is embedded in everything she does. Amy has drive and ambition to take everyone on the journey of developing their skills and knowledge of each and everyone she supports.
The Profound & Multiple Learning Disabilities Award
Winner: M&D Care
Absolutely outstanding! M&D’s approach can be best summed up in their own words: ‘all behaviour is communication’ and ‘we want to reduce restrictive practice.’ Their kind, compassionate energy was palpable in the interview, and genuinely moving. If they could pick up what they have created and take it around the country, we would be in a far better place. They are young, dynamic, totally person focused and an asset to Wales!
Highly Commended: Stacey Sheldon, Progress Care
This is a project for children and young adults with profound and multiple disabilities. This is a rare find and their passion is incredible. Their core values are care, trust and progress and they really do work to these values. They also have a team of in-house therapists that are essential to everyone living there. ot risk adverse and willing to fight to get people what they want e.g. a trip to Disney Land Paris for an individual with severe epilepsy! Progress Care are much deserving of high commendation.
The Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: Elaine Cole, Focus Care
Elaine is a truly outstanding woman and an absolute asset to the social care sector. Focus Care support some of the most complex and challenging people nationally, which necessarily requires an immense amount of resilience which Elaine has by the boat load. Achieving an outstanding CQC rating and 100% excellent rating in ADASS AUDIT, the service is truly exceptional. Revered by those who they support and colleagues alike, Elaine is a worthy winner of this most special award.
