SMS is expanding:

SMS Coaching already run a number of successful businesses in the education and coaching sector.

SMS Soccer Centre, established in 2011, provides recreational community classes, holiday camps and events  throughout the year.

SMS Changing Lives School was established in 2019. An independent special school, it caters for students aged 11-16 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties .  In November 2021, Ofsted inspected the school and found it to be good in all areas

Creating Stability:

An holistic approach to care and education:

• LAC students often experience multiple placement moves due to their challenging behaviours and a severe shortage of appropriate care homes. This can create disruption to school placements.
• Our in-school therapeutic training and specialist services mean that SMS are able to create a stable environment for such young people, reducing the need for placement moves.
• This in turn supports school placements so that students do not have to move out of area, incurring higher transport and staffing costs, and creating disruption to their learning.
• Supporting young people to stay in their locality is a key factor in creating stability, supporting emotional wellbeing and reducing instances of Missing From Home.

SMS Nurture Care Group:

• SMS Nurture Care will cater to the same cohort of young people as SMS Changing Lives school; that is, 11- 16 year olds of both genders who hold EHCPs identifying SEMH as a primary or secondary need.
• Placements are considered on a case by case basis with thorough impact assessments to consider compatibility of residents.
• All SMS Nurture Care staff will be qualified to L3 in Childcare and L2 in Therapeutic Skills for Trauma Informed Practice*
• Managers will hold a minimum of L3 Childcare and L3 How to Build a Therapeutic environment*
• All staff receive a minimum of 4 specialist courses per year to ensure they are skilled in therapeutic practice.

Psychological Assessment as Standard:

At the point of admission, our Assistant Psychologists will undertake a number of assessments which will generally include:​​

• ACEs – Adverse Childhood Experiences​
• ACA – Assessment Checklist for Adolescents​
• TSCC – Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children​
• WISC-V –  Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children​
• Other assessments such as AIM3, Sensory Assessments
• Speech & Language Assessments may be undertaken dependent on the presenting needs of the child​

​Consultation to the System: ​

Fortnightly Multi- Disciplinary Team Meetings:

• Two-weekly minuted meetings held between the home manager and designated clinician to discuss any significant event or therapeutic query.

Monthly Team Consultation:

• ​​Full team meeting with all staff delivered by the lead clinician.
• A report on each young person will be provided by the clinician to be placed in each young person’s file.

Bespoke Intervention:

• Up to 3 hours per child/per month clinical input as agreed by the MDT, may include:​
• Key worker support on 1:1 basis.
• Subject to need – 1:1 work with the child. ​
• Additional staff consultation, depending on the needs of the children​.
• A record of the activities will be maintained by the home and placed on the relevant young person’s file.

Use of Keyworker Intervention Tools (KIT) for Therapeutic Care & Education:​

• KIT manual​
• KIT resources

SMS Education:

Changing Lives School:

All students at SMS Nurture Care are eligible for a place at SMS Changing Lives School.  Students benefit from an Ofsted Good-rated education, therapeutic support and access to one of the SMS Learning programmes listed below.

SMS Central:

The SMS Old Trafford site provides specialist SEMH education, small class sizes, specialist staff and a wide range of vocational options. This programme broadly follows a mainstream curriculum and format.

SMS Thrive:

The Failsworth site has smaller class sizes and a reduced number of transitions. It is appropriate for a range of students, including those with ASC, anxiety and/or sensory needs.

SMS Engagement:

This is a bespoke programme of education built around the individual needs and interests of the young person. It is appropriate for complex students, or those who are less able to access group learning.

SMS Nurture Care Directors:

Jonathan Davies:

Proprietor and Director SMS Nurture Care:

Jonny is founder, director and proprietor of SMS Coaching and SMS Changing Lives School.

Channelling a belief in the power of sport to motivate, Jonny has developed his 1 man children’s football coaching sessions into a successful business with a projected 2024 turnover of over £3m.

Hecabe DuFraisse MRes:

Director SMS Nurture Care:

Hecabe is Headteacher at SMS Changing Lives School. She took on this role in August 2020 and has worked alongside the board of directors at SMS Coaching to rapidly increase sustainable growth at the school. Hecabe has led the charge to improve standards across the board,  taking the school from RI in February 2020 to Good  in November 2022. Hecabe has 20 years’ experience working in SEN, with 3 years as part of the local authority’s Virtual School.