We've been awarded with an Autism Accreditation

We are delighted that we have been awarded an Accredited status by the Autism Award Committee from the National Autism Society. This is part of our ongoing commitment to providing needed services in the areas where we work and building strong communities. We were awarded at Speedwell Court, where we focus on a person-centred approach to care and support for our tenants with Autism and Asperger's.

The committee were particularly impressed with:

• The flexibility of the support we provide achieves positive outcomes for autistic people including community involvement, vocational activities and moving towards independent housing.

Our staff were more confident after two weeks of shadowing and supervision and were supported in their role. 

Speedwell Court was decorated using neutral colours with autistic people in mind.
 
We spoke with Caroline, the scheme manager, who explained a bit more about the work we're doing to provide support at Speedwell Court.

We develop an understanding of a person's needs by spending time with them and understanding their support plans, this means the team can provide consistent and proactive support. The needs vary widely so being adaptable and keeping a flexible timetable is really important, as listening to our tenants to find what works for them. We are constantly learning and developing, keeping up to date with training and sharing knowledge.

Giving the people we support a voice as an individual matters to us, our tenant meetings also give residents a voice collectively, discussing topics that range from repairs to our day trips.

We were awarded for our staff knowledge of the methods and approaches to helping autistic people, and for focussing our support around our tenants. We're excited to be part of the accreditation programme and look forward to progressing further and providing the best possible support for our residents with autism.