Optima Care
Optima Care is a UK private specialist care provider delivering residential, supported living, and transition services for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and complex behaviours across Kent and London, organized around its proprietary Shine therapeutic model and funded entirely through local authority and NHS commissioning.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSandwich, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Optima Care does
Optima Care is a UK private specialist care provider delivering residential, supported living, and day services for adults with learning disabilities, autism spectrum conditions, mental health needs, and complex behaviours, including sub-forensic presentations and high-acuity cases. Operationally active since at least 2011 (the earliest documented evidence being the April 2011 first issue of 'The Optimist' newsletter), the company runs approximately six named service locations concentrated in Kent — Seahaven, The Chilterns, Eastry House, Bon Secours, Gate House, and the Eastry Day Centre — with an additional London footprint under the 'Shine London' brand supported by a Teddington headquarters. The clinical operating model is the proprietary Shine Therapeutic Model, a 4-step person-centred framework ('Where am I now? Where do I want to be? How do I get there? How will I know I've achieved?') applied across transition services, supported living, and high-acuity community living pathways. Multidisciplinary staffing includes in-house clinical psychology and consultant psychiatry, with specialist competencies in PECS, Makaton, and Total Communication environments for autism and complex sensory needs.
The business model is contract-based managed services: 100% of revenue is publicly funded through referrals and commissioning from Kent County Council, NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Groups, social workers, and families, with placements routed through a formal Assessment and Referral Team. The company holds no disclosed private-pay pricing. Distribution is exclusively direct-to-government via regional commissioning relationships, supported by partnership forums, industry awards participation (LaingBuisson Specialist Care Awards, National Care Awards), and quarterly stakeholder newsletters. The firm is privately held under Optima Care Ltd (Company No. 02768075), led by CEO Eddie Coombes, with management-team ownership indicated and no disclosed institutional or private equity backing. The headcount band is 251-500 employees, and operating geographies are limited to Southeast England (Kent and London).
The service portfolio is organized around four pillars: complex needs residential (Seahaven's Total Communication environment), step-down rehabilitation (The Chilterns' three gender-specific houses with multidisciplinary risk management), elder age and end-of-life care for adults with learning disabilities (Eastry House), and younger adult supported living (Bon Secours, Gate House). Supplementary revenue-adjacent services include a transition program for school/college leavers, ASDAN-accredited vocational training at the Eastry Day Centre, HEE-funded PECS communication training, and a cookery school at The Chilterns. The company has a multi-year track record of trade recognition, including Care Innovator Award (2013), LaingBuisson Care Pathways shortlisting (2014), National Care Awards finalist status across multiple categories (2014, 2017), and LaingBuisson Specialist Care Award shortlisting (2017).
Optima Care firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Optima Care
- Legal name
- Optima Care Ltd
- Website
- https://optimacare.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Optima Care is a UK private specialist care provider delivering residential, supported living, and transition services for adults with learning disabilities, autism, mental health needs, and complex behaviours across Kent and London, organized around its proprietary Shine therapeutic model and funded entirely through local authority and NHS commissioning.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Optima Care industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Care Services
- NAICS
- Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)
- SIC
- Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Respite Care for Adults with Disabilities / Special Needs (HSABAGAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers) (EDAKANAM)
Keywords
Where Optima Care is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sandwich
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Optima Care business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Social Care Commissioning: Services are commissioned by local authorities (Kent County Council) and NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups for individuals with learning disabilities, mental health needs, and complex care requirements. This is a contract-based model with local government and NHS health service funders.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Optima Care product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Optima Care provides residential and supported living services for adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs, and complex behaviours across Kent and London. The portfolio is organized around the proprietary Shine Therapeutic Model, a 4-step person-centred framework applied across services including specialist rehab step-down care, total communication environments, high acuity community living, and transition services for school leavers.
Product overview
Optima Care provides a portfolio of residential and supported living services for individuals with learning disabilities and mental health needs across Kent and London. The core offering is organized around the Shine therapeutic model, which provides the overarching framework for all services. Key service lines include: Seahaven (total communication residential setting for complex needs), The Chilterns (specialist rehab step down service for mental health and learning disability), Eastry House (elder care for adults with learning disabilities), and Bon Secours (supported living for younger adults). Supporting services include High Acuity Community Living, young people transitioning from school/college into adult services, an on-site Day Centre with ASDAN-registered vocational training programmes, and PECS communication training. The portfolio is delivered through multiple physical locations in Kent and London.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Seahaven A total communicating residential environment for individuals with learning disabilities and complex sensory and behavioural needs, including those on the autistic spectrum. Includes sensory room and skills development areas geared towards recovery and independent living.
- The Chilterns A specialist Step Down service for individuals with learning disabilities and complex needs including mental health issues. Three separate, gender-specific houses on the seafront at Westgate-on-Sea with multidisciplinary team and expert risk management.
- Eastry House
- Bon Secours
- Shine Therapeutic Model A therapeutic model of care providing the framework for all Optima Care services, from schools transition to adult supported living and high acuity community living. Features a 4-step approach: Where am I now? Where do I want to be? How do I get there? How will I know I've achieved?
- High Acuity Community Living
- Schools Transition Services Transitional services for school and college leavers with learning disabilities, providing tailored support to help individuals feel confident moving on to adult supported living, with emphasis on continuity of support including communication skills.
- Eastry Day Centre
- Gate House
- PECS Communication Training Communication training programme for staff supporting individuals with learning disabilities and communication needs. Implemented as a HEE-funded pilot in young adult transition services with published outcomes including reduced challenging behaviour and improved relationships.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced challenging behaviour through PECS communication training
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Optima Care
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Optima Care technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Optima Care partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Future Housing SolutionscoreRegistered charity partnership providing personalised accommodation solutions for individuals with intellectual disabilities or mental illness. Extends the Integrated Commissioning approach of the Shine model, supporting the pathway into community for individuals.
- Health Education England (HEE)coreHEE provided grant funding for PECS (Picture Exchange Communication Systems) training for Optima Care staff, implemented as a pilot in young adult transition services with published outcomes.
- Kent County CouncilcoreHealth and social care professionals collaboration ensuring individuals' physical and emotional needs are met. Main commissioning partner for adult social care services.
- NHS Kent and MedwaycoreNHS professionals including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dietitians, district nurses, and specialist clinicians collaborate with Optima Care services.
- ASDANminorBritish charity providing programmes for young people post school age to develop life and vocational skills. Optima Care registered to offer ASDAN programmes at their day centre.
- Kent Community Health NHS Foundation TrustminorNutrition team provides 12-month mentoring programme for Food Champions at The Chilterns, supporting healthy eating initiatives.
- The Garden Gate ProjectminorIndependent charity providing community garden for people with mental ill health or learning disabilities. Volunteers from The Chilterns help twice weekly, winning Community Garden of the Year award.
- Kent Wildlife TrustminorAnnual Wild About Gardens awards programme that awarded The Garden Gate project 'Community Garden of the Year'.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Optima Care competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hft (Home Farm Trust): National charity providing residential and supported living services exclusively for adults with learning disabilities, including complex needs — directly comparable population and service portfolio to Optima Care.
- Lifeways: UK specialist provider of residential and supported living services for adults with learning disabilities, autism, acquired brain injuries and complex needs — closely comparable operating model and commissioner base.
- MacIntyre: UK charity providing personalised learning disability support including residential, supported living and transition services for children and adults — strong overlap with Optima's Shine model and transition focus.
- National Autistic Society: Major UK charity providing residential, supported living and specialist services for autistic adults including those with learning disabilities and complex needs — overlaps with Optima's autism and total-communication services.
- Achieve Together: Specialist care provider offering residential, supported living and community services for adults with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs — directly competes for the same commissioner relationships.
- Turning Point: Social enterprise delivering learning disability, autism and mental health services across residential, supported living and community settings — directly comparable footprint and commissioning structure.
- United Response: National charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs through supported living and community-based services — directly comparable service model and payor base.
- Sense: National charity supporting people with complex disabilities including learning disabilities, autism and sensory impairments, with residential and supported living services — strong overlap with Optima's complex-needs focus.
- Voyage Care: One of the UK's largest specialist care providers supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs through residential, supported living and community services — closely mirrors Optima Care's service mix and commissioning model.
Broad incumbents
- Cygnet Health Care: Large UK provider of mental health and learning disability services across residential, acute and step-down settings — broader portfolio than Optima but overlapping on the high-acuity/mental health step-down pathway served by The Chilterns.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Optima Care social profiles
Digital presenceOptima Care financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Optima Care leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Optima Care funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Optima Care M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Optima Care
What does Optima Care do?
Optima Care provides residential and supported living services for adults with learning disabilities, mental health needs, and complex behaviours across Kent and London. The portfolio is organized around the proprietary Shine Therapeutic Model, a 4-step person-centred framework applied across services including specialist rehab step-down care, total communication environments, high acuity community living, and transition services for school leavers.
Is Optima Care a public or private company?
Optima Care is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Optima Care founded?
Optima Care was founded in 2011. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Optima Care based?
Optima Care is headquartered in Sandwich, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Optima Care make money?
One revenue line is on record: social Care Commissioning.
Who are Optima Care's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hft (Home Farm Trust), Lifeways, MacIntyre, National Autistic Society, Achieve Together, Turning Point, United Response, Sense and Voyage Care. Cygnet Health Care is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Optima Care have an API?
No public API is recorded for Optima Care.
What industry is Optima Care in?
Optima Care's product category is Residential Care Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSABAGAI, Respite Care for Adults with Disabilities / Special Needs, with a secondary code of EDAKANAM, Interagency Coordination & Case Management (VR, DD, Medicaid Waivers). Its NAICS code is 623210 and its SIC code is 8050.