Our History

In 1977, having identified that services for children with a learning disability were insufficient to meet local needs, Jubilee House Care Trust was established as a charity, affiliated to Mencap.  It was later incorporated as a not for profit company, in 1987.

Operating from a pair of semi detached, adapted houses provided by the district council, the organisation operated a residential Short Breaks service, offering an after school facility, overnight stays, weekend and holiday breaks.  The benefits of adopting a child focused approach to care with a flexible response to families were soon evident within the local community

The district council demonstrated their confidence in the organisation by providing two further properties for the delivery of additional services. These properties provided residential care for seven local adults enabling them to live independently from their families, whilst being appropriately supported and developing life skills.

In 1992, working in partnership with Sanctuary Housing Association, Jubilee House supported in the design of a purpose built bungalow which introduced a new service for six adults with complex needs.

In 1994 we recognised the shortfall in Short Breaks services for adults and worked with the district council to create a service to meet local need.  In 1995 an Adult Short Breaks service was established.

In 2002, Jubilee House worked with the district council to acquire a local development site to improve our provision of Children’s Short Breaks service.  Peartree Short Breaks Centre, a modern, uniquely designed bungalow to meet the needs of children with learning and physical disabilities, was opened in 2004.

Also in 2004 discussions with the council were started regarding the purchase of the original houses where our services were first delivered from in 1977.  Following the purchase and a full refurbishment The Meadows Short Breaks centre was opened in 2008, to house the existing Adults Short Breaks service.

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

In 2013, we identified that there was little support available for young adults with learning disabilities to help them to gain meaningful work so we established the Stepping Stones programme, which has gone onto be know as the Work Experience programme.  It provided the opportunity for people to develop their office skills within a real office environment and build their confidence to gain voluntary or paid work.

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

From January 2019 through to April 2020 the charity went through the global Covid Pandemic. The massive impact this had on the country, the local community and the social care providers changed the way the charity had to operate. None of the people we cared for and supported in our settings was infected or needed to be hospitalised. This was also similar for the staff who were protected from the worst of Covid by the PPE provided by Jubilee House and the risk management put in place. The charity took a zero tolerance approach and our standards employed exceeded those set by Public Health England and the County Councils.

In 2021 Jon Pratten, our CEO, received a British Empire Medal from the Queens in her Birthday Honours list for services to people with Learning Disabilities in Hertfordshire during the Pandemic.

In early 2022 Jubilee House took on the running of the Hertfordshire County Council Childrens Service in Hertford. The Pines has been successfully transitioned from a national provider following the successful Tender Process. This six bed unit supports children across Hertfordshire and further afield. This represented the first service in the history of Jubilee House to be operated outside of Welwyn Garden City.

At the end of 2023 a new service at Hazelmere in Stevenage was added to the list of services operating in Jubilee House. This two bedroom residential bungalow is being used for to provide care to one of our existing service users.

Sam Perry was acknowledged for with a Life Time Achievement Award in London, recognising the 25 plus years she has worked at Jubilee House and the fantastic difference she continues to make to the Children and Adults across Hertfordshire and beyond.

At the start of 2024 a new online store was setup to help raise further funds for the charity.