Nearly 50 years of supporting people with Learning Disabilities and Autism

Our journey from inception to the current day

The History of Jubilee House

In 1977, recognising the lack of sufficient services for children with learning disabilities, Jubilee House Care Trust was established as a charity affiliated with Mencap. A decade later, in 1987, it was incorporated as a not-for-profit company.

Operating from two adapted semi-detached houses provided by the district council, Jubilee House launched a residential Short Breaks service, offering after-school care, overnight stays, weekend, and holiday breaks. The benefits of this child-focused, flexible approach quickly became evident within the local community.

As confidence in the organisation grew, the district council provided two additional properties, enabling residential care for seven local adults. This allowed them to live independently while receiving appropriate support to develop life skills.

In 1992, in partnership with Sanctuary Housing Association, Jubilee House contributed to designing a purpose-built bungalow, introducing a new service for six adults with complex needs.

By 1994, recognising a shortfall in adult Short Breaks services, Jubilee House collaborated with the district council to address local needs. This led to the establishment of an Adult Short Breaks service in 1995.

Expanding and Improving Services

In 2002, Jubilee House worked with the district council to acquire a local development site, improving Children’s Short Breaks provision. This resulted in the opening of Peartree Short Breaks Centre in 2004, a modern bungalow designed to meet the needs of children with learning and physical disabilities.

That same year, discussions began to purchase and refurbish the original houses where services first started in 1977. Following a full refurbishment, The Meadows Short Breaks Centre opened in 2008, becoming the new home for the Adult Short Breaks service.

In 2011, Jubilee House launched its first Supported Living service, enabling adults with mild learning disabilities to live independently with minimal support.

Recognising a lack of support for young adults with learning disabilities in gaining meaningful work, Jubilee House introduced the Stepping Stones Program in 2013. Now known as the Work Experience Program, it provides opportunities for individuals to develop office skills, build confidence, and transition into voluntary or paid work.

In 2017, a new service was established at Linkfields in Welwyn Garden City, supporting young adults to transform their lives within the community.

Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic

From January 2019 to April 2020, the charity faced the global COVID-19 pandemic, significantly impacting the country, local community, and social care providers. Through stringent risk management and PPE provisions, none of the individuals supported by Jubilee House were infected or hospitalised, and staff were protected beyond the standards set by Public Health England and County Councils.

In recognition of his leadership during the pandemic, Jon Pratten, CEO of Jubilee House, was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2021 for his services to people with learning disabilities in Hertfordshire.

Recent Developments

In 2022, Jubilee House took over the operation of The Pines, a Hertfordshire County Council Children’s Service in Hertford. This marked the first time in the charity’s history that services expanded beyond Welwyn Garden City. The six-bed unit now supports children across Hertfordshire and beyond.

By the end of 2023, Jubilee House further expanded with the addition of Hazelmere in Stevenage, a two-bedroom residential bungalow providing care for an existing service user.

A special milestone was also reached in 2023, when Sam Perry received a Lifetime Achievement Award in London, celebrating over 25 years of dedicated service and the incredible impact she continues to have on children and adults across Hertfordshire and beyond.

At the start of 2024, Jubilee House launched a new online store to help raise additional funds for the charity.