Strategic Report
National Star provides long–term living at four different locations
Accommodation and care services During the pandemic, National Star’s continued commitment to the quality of care for young people and adults with disabilities was critical. Young people and their families depend on us. We provide care for residential learners, respite and breaks, as well as long–term living and therapy services.
Our charitable activities National Star provides a range of care, therapies and accommodation services.
What we achieved Residential college living National Star provides residential specialist college placements for young people with a range of disabilities and medical conditions. The residential care and nursing teams work closely together. They are also part of our multi–disciplinary approach. This means learning goes far beyond the classroom. It becomes an integral part of the college experience, embedded within their residential experience. In 2020–2021, National Star had 119 residential learners based in accommodation at Ullenwood and Bradbury Gardens in Cheltenham, as well as Elizabeth House, Gloucester. Among these learners were those who lived with us beyond term time, with National Star supporting their needs during the year. Throughout the pandemic, our residences remained open. The majority of residential learners remained at National Star 16
throughout the academic year because they depended on us for their level of care and to continue with their education and personal development programmes. From September, learners worked in smaller cluster groups with dedicated therapies, care and learning staff, to help manage infection prevention and control. This ensured that when lockdown returned it did not disrupt college life. Staff provided barrier nursing for those who were highly vulnerable and had to shield. Learners’ mental and physical wellbeing was paramount and teams worked incredibly hard to keep spirits up when learners could not see their families. Innovative and creative activities supported learners’ needs, as well as ensuring learners had fun. Activities included festivals, quiz nights, movie nights, pamper evenings and themed parties. Many young people we support have life–limiting conditions and complex medical needs. There was great sadness with the deaths of three residential learners, which was not COVID–related but sadly due to their complex medical conditions. This had an incredible impact on the staff who worked with them and their fellow learners, especially those who shared a residence with them. Our Emotional Wellbeing team worked closely with staff to support learners in their grief and to support the staff themselves. In October, National Star took part in one of the first Care Quality Commission’s inspections based on the new Infection, Prevention and Control framework. The inspector was ‘fully assured’ that Elizabeth House was compliant in all eight areas of the framework. National Star Foundation Annual Report and Accounts 2020 – 2021
