National Star College - Ullenwood

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

Caring – this means we looked for evidence that the provider involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment we rated this key question outstanding. At this assessment the rating has remained outstanding. This meant people were truly respected and valued as individuals; and empowered as partners in their care in an exceptional service.

This service scored 90 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff consistently demonstrated warm, respectful and highly personalised support, building strong relationships with people and responding sensitively to their needs. Staff were seen taking time to understand people’s communication, providing reassurance and support in a calm and caring way.

Relatives consistently described staff as kind, caring and genuinely concerned about people’s wellbeing. One relative told us, “Definitely treat [my relative] with dignity and respect. Makes me think how [my relative] should be treated.”

We spoke with volunteers at the star college who were committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for people at the college. One volunteer spoke about staff and told us, “'I see the care very closely. They are so kind.”

People told us they felt happy, safe and valued. Observations showed staff interacting with people as equals, with kindness, humour and respect, promoting dignity and positive outcomes. We saw examples where staff had moved their shifts to accommodate people’s needs and preferences. For example, some staff had changed shifts to support consistency when attending medical appointments.

Without exception, staff spoke about the people they supported with kindness, compassion and dignity. One residential manager said, “[People] very much lead the way. No matter what, they will guide us. [people] have achieved and will achieve so much. We want people to have the same college experience and be part of the community and leading on their lives.” Another staff member said, “The standard of care here is outstanding…The specialists and the amount of people that we have to input into the care that people have [is exceptional]. The passion National Star have, and the pride that the staff and students have is [above and beyond]. We are very proud to work here and I would be very happy for a relative to come here.”

The provider was exceptional at treating people as individuals and tailoring support to their unique preferences, goals and communication needs. Staff demonstrated a detailed understanding of people’s personalities, aspirations and preferred ways of communicating. People were supported using individualised communication methods, including AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication device), partner-assisted communication and personalised signing systems. Staff adapted activities and learning opportunities to meet individual interests and ambitions. We heard how one person was supported to complete a triathlon and, as a result, had raised over £1000 for charity. We consistently heard examples where people had been supported to go on holidays, blog about their interests, set up and engage in cultural events, and have the college experience they wanted on their terms. A residential manager told us how they had adapted a person’s timetable where they expressed a preference for slower mornings and learning later in the day. They told us, “[Life here] is built around individuals.” This personalised change meant the person was more comfortable and engaged in their learning, and consequently more relaxed and confident at college.

People told us they were central to the decisions made about their lives and futures, including where they wished to live whilst at college and beyond. We heard how one person had been supported to move between residences during their time at college to ensure they were in the right environment for them. The residential manager told us, “We gave [the person] every opportunity [to ensure they had] continuity from [their previous staff] team and keyworkers [for as long as it was required]. [There was a robust] transition with staff so there was continuity of care and shadow shifts until [the person] was settled.”

Staff showed a strong understanding of people’s likes, dislikes and communication styles, often anticipating needs through long-standing and trusting relationships. The culture was highly person-centred, and people were supported to achieve outcomes that mattered to them. A residential manager told us, “[We have supported, encouraged and nurtured a person to set up their] own arts and crafts business. [They now sell it in the reception area of the college].”

The provider was exceptional at promoting people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

People were encouraged and enabled to make decisions about their daily lives, education, employment opportunities and future plans. Opportunities to gain work experience and develop life skills were fully embedded. We observed people undertaking meaningful roles in reception, hospitality and retail environments, developing independence and confidence. People were actively involved in planning for their future and were supported to express their ambitions, including moving into more independent living arrangements.

People were provided with a range of equipment to support and maximise their independence and outcomes. For example, the technology team had worked persistently with one person to develop their switch skills to broaden their horizons and create new opportunities. Once they had developed a bespoke mechanism to support the person to access a switch, they worked collaboratively with the speech and language therapy team to explore this avenue and increase the persons independence and opportunity to make choices about their life. We saw other examples where people used eye gaze technology, and where people used a cloud-based virtual assistant to perform tasks such as closing their blinds operating lighting and projectors, and hoovering their room through voice recognition.

The provider had an assessment environment for people joining college, containing a range of different assistive technologies and innovations. This enabled people to see what equipment and support they would need to maximise their independence, choice and control moving forward.

The provider had developed the environment to allow people to access and explore equipment in a safe way. For example, they had designed an outdoor space with different terrains which allowed people to practice using mobility aids before they used them in the community. This promoted their independence and increased the control they had around their movement.

People told us they chose their meals, activities and personal routines, while staff ensured support was available when needed. The provider’s approach reflected the principles of Right Support, helping people maximise their independence and have control over their lives. We heard how one person was being supported in relation to a specific health condition. The person was reliant on clinical staff to administer their medication. They were being supported to change the delivery method of their medication to an automated pump system to promote their independence and autonomy.

The provider listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff respondedto people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

The Emotional Wellbeing team at the college contained Psychology and behavioural support specialists and promoted emotional wellbeing and Positive Behaviour Support (PBS). They supported people to get the most from the opportunities at the college, and used a person-centred approach to support people’s psychological and physiological needs.

Staff were alert to people’s needs and took time to observe, communicate and engage people in discussions about their immediate needs. They responded appropriately to respect people’s wishes, needs and preferences. For example, staff supported a person who found the main entrance to their residence over stimulating. They worked alongside the site services team who redesigned and developed the environment, so the person had their own entrance for their sole use. This helped the person to feel more confident and less anxious when leaving and entering their home.

Staff recognised different ways in which each person communicated discomfort, pain or distress, including verbal and non-verbal cues. They escalated concerns if they believed this indicated a deterioration in the health or wellbeing of the person. For example, one person had an extensive plan which contained 10 different health phases. It clearly linked different presentations to the person’s health and allowed staff to identify and respond efficiently to the persons immediate needs.

Staff showed a genuine concern for people’s wellbeing in a caring and meaningful way. They responded to people’s needs promptly to avoid any preventable discomfort, concern or distress. One residential manager described the training that staff receive around behaviours of communication and distress. They told us, “I am really passionate about behaviours that communicate. [Generally] there is a lot of understanding of physical disabilities but not so much about behaviours of concerns [and I work hard to ensure that is not the reality at the college].”

The provider always cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff, and was exceptional at supporting and enabling staff to always deliver person-centred care.

The provider had invested in an employee wellbeing advisor role and range of employee benefits including an employee helpline, life insurance and medical cover, subsidised transport, free use of sports facilities and employee discounts.

The provider was exceptional at supporting workforce wellbeing and creating a positive culture in which staff could deliver high-quality care. A residential manager said, “I always feel that we have a voice, we are never dismissed.” People’s experience was driven by a culture that normalised good wellbeing through inclusivity, active listening, and open conversations. Throughout the assessment, staff appeared motivated, engaged and proud of their work. A member of staff told us, “I love working here - I am loyal to the college.” Another longstanding staff member had been supported to attain their nursing qualification. They told us their journey to a healthcare professional was attributed to the providers investment and belief in them, and they would always be grateful.

Staff were celebrated and rewarded by the provider for commitment to their values and dedication to the service. A residential manager said, “Long service is celebrated as well. [We have a meal out to a nearby hotel to celebrate service. There is also a coffee and cake in the bistro with the chief executive. [We have annual] staff recognition awards as well. We could easily be segregated [working in individual residences], but we are not.” 

Observations identified a culture of mutual respect, teamwork and inclusion, with staff working closely alongside people to achieve positive outcomes. There was a strong sense of teamwork across the service, and staff were consistently observed encouraging, celebrating and supporting people’s achievements.

Staff were supported if they were struggling at work. In the last few years, the provider had introduced and expanded the Mental Health First Aider network across sites. This had a positive impact on the care staff delivered to people. 

Relatives spoke positively about staff consistency and commitment, describing them as a solid team. One relative said, “[Staff do] a brilliant job. I feel in their debt. They have gone above and beyond. I speak up and they listen.” Staff demonstrated confidence in supporting people with complex communication and care needs, reflecting the provider’s investment in training and development. The positive and supportive culture was evident during meetings, activities and daily interactions, where staff consistently promoted equality, inclusion and wellbeing for both people and their colleagues. This helped create a nurturing environment where people and staff could thrive together.