We’ve had a year of big successes across our services and Sheringham Avenue are celebrating one of their own after retaining their Advanced accreditation by the National Autistic Society (NAS)! They first achieved accredited status in 2018, before achieving Advanced status in 2022, and the team has retained this recognition following their most recent inspection!
This achievement demonstrates our team’s excellence in autism knowledge and how their expertise is reflected in the support they offer every day.
We caught up with Service Manager, Messias Moyo, to learn what the accreditation means to the team and how they made it happen.
Q: How does it feel to retain your advanced accreditation?
A: I’m so proud of the whole team for achieving an Advanced accreditation for the second time. It’s a team effort and we came together to showcase the high-quality autism support we provide.
It’s a great feeling knowing our hard work has such a positive impact on the people we support. Our team’s expert knowledge allows us to understand everyone’s unique needs, and create an environment where they can thrive.
Q: How were you assessed during the re-accreditation?
A: The process was similar to our first Advanced accreditation. We were supported from the start of the process by Shaji Rajamony, our National Autism Lead at Voyage Care. He provided us with valuable information and explained all the details of the assessment.
We submitted case studies to the NAS, which demonstrate how we support people at Sheringham Avenue. This included how we provide person-centred care, meet their preferences and needs, the activities they enjoy, and how we’re supporting them to achieve their goals.
When it came to assessment day, we treated it like any other day. The people we support feel comfortable with their routines, so we didn’t want to disrupt this. We explained what was happening and that it would be like our last accreditation in 2022.
Once the assessor arrived, we introduced them to the people we support and ensured everyone was comfortable. We then showed them round the home so they could get a feel for the environment.
Following this, the assessor observed the people we support carrying out activities or their daily routines, such as arts and crafts and helping to prepare food in the kitchen. They referred to the case studies we submitted and focused on our team collaboration and how we interacted with each person.
The people we support were great throughout the assessment! They showed how happy they are at Sheringham Avenue. The assessor was able to see firsthand how comfortable they were and the skills they’d developed.
Once the assessor concluded their assessment, they submitted their findings to the panel and we nervously waited for our results!
Q: What was key to achieving your re-accreditation?
A: We were thrilled when we found out we’d retained our Advanced status. To achieve this once was fantastic, but to experience this for a second time was truly remarkable.
It really highlighted how far we’ve come since our last accreditation and how hard we’ve worked to keep developing and enhancing the care we provide.
Our person-centred approach has been the key to our achievement. It’s important we understand that each person we support is their own unique individual, learning all about their likes, dislikes, and what a fulfilling life means to them.
On a assessment day we treated it like any other day. This helped the people we support stay comfortable and demonstrate the skills they’d developed.
Messias Moyo, Service Manager at Sheringham Avenue
This approach has enabled each person at Sheringham Avenue to gain the confidence to express themselves, develop key daily living skills and achieve amazing things, such as doing their own shopping and gaining employment.
The environment was also an important factor for us. We’ve adapted our home, ensuring it meets everyone’s individual support needs. For example, we’ve implemented areas of the home where the people we support can comfortably self-regulate when they experience sensory overload.
Q: What tips would you give to other services considering an NAS accreditation?
A: It sounds straightforward, but teamwork is so important. Everyone needs to be on the same page and be able to chip in to support each other.
From when we submit our case studies to the physical assessment is a long process, so keeping everyone updated is vital to your success.
It’s also important to involve the people we support. This reduces any upset and worry. Giving them plenty of notice about the assessment helps them prepare for the day and fully understand what’s happening.
The assessment is all about how we deliver high-quality support, so their involvement is important. Really get to know them, understand them as a person, and dive into the finer details on how their support can be tailored to them.
This will only enhance the autism support you offer and help the people you support to live a fulfilled life.
Q: What goals do you have for the service in the future?
A: Our motivation and passion for the care we provide couldn’t be stronger. We’re already planning our future goals and how we can develop further.
Our next goal is to work towards an NAS Beacon Status accreditation. Since we have achieved the Advanced accreditation, we qualify to work towards this – and we’ll give it everything we’ve got!
This accreditation not only recognises high-quality support, but demonstrates our leadership, expertise and best practice within the community around us. We’re so excited to see what the future brings and embark on the next chapter with our team and the people we support.
Find out more!
Visit our dedicated webpage to learn more about our specialist autism support.
Here you can read the latest news, blog posts and views from our staff, the people we support and their families at our services across the UK.
