SYMBOL FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES LIMITED

What SYMBOL FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES LIMITED does

Symbol Family Support Services Limited is a UK specialist social care provider founded in 2000 by Tessa Branch, operating alongside its sibling entity Symbol UK Limited (established 1998). The organisation delivers commissioned services for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, people with Down syndrome, those with Developmental Language Disorder, parents with learning disabilities, and families requiring respite. Its service portfolio spans Speech and Language Therapy (the founding service since 1998), a specialist Family Assessment Centre, Community Support/Outreach, Short Breaks respite, Supported Living tenancies across approximately 15 properties in Kent serving roughly 50 people, the Hop Yard Day Opportunities programme, the Hopshed inclusive theatre company, and Holiday Clubs and Camps.

Symbol's service design follows the proprietary COMMIT Model — a four-stage cyclical process (Meet, Co-Create, Symbol Test, Deliver/Review/Develop) used to tailor support packages to individual needs. The company employs approximately 150 staff across clinical, support worker, and leadership roles. Symbol Family Support Services Limited is regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with its Supported Living services currently rated 'Requires Improvement'.

The business model is built on commissioned service delivery to public sector bodies: Kent County Council (person-centred care contract since 2018), Family Courts (specialist Family Assessment), and NHS/public health commissioners for Speech and Language Therapy across Southern England including Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. A small direct-enquiry channel exists for families seeking Short Breaks, Supported Living, and Day Opportunities. Symbol operates on a 'not for profit' basis, reinvesting surplus into service development. Founder Tessa Branch remains Managing Director, and the company is independently owned with no evidence of institutional investment.

Name

SYMBOL FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES LIMITED

Legal name

Symbol Family Support Services Limited

Website

https://symbolconnect.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Symbol Family Support Services Limited is a UK-commissioned specialist social care provider delivering Speech and Language Therapy, Family Assessment, Supported Living, Short Breaks, and Day Opportunities for children and adults with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs across Kent and Southern England.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Care Services for Learning Disabilities and Autism

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Behavioral Support & Positive Behavior Intervention Childcare (HSAAAIAF), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Social care services
• Learning disability support
• Supported living services
• Speech and language therapy
• Family assessment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Maidstone

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Commissioned Social Care Services: Services are commissioned by Local Authorities and Family Courts. Symbol Family Support Services is commissioned by the Family Courts and Local Authorities to provide specialist assessment and support services. Symbol UK provides Speech and Language Therapy services commissioned by NHS and other public bodies.
2. Not-for-Profit Service Model: Symbol UK operates on a 'not for profit' basis, meaning revenue from commissioned services is reinvested into service delivery and development rather than distributed to shareholders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Symbol Family Support Services Limited delivers commissioned specialist social care and support services for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism across Kent and Southern England. Its service portfolio spans Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT), Family Assessment for parents with learning disabilities (court and local authority commissioned), Supported Living in approximately 15 properties across Kent, Short Breaks/Respite, Community Outreach, Day Opportunities (Hop Yard), inclusive theatre (Hopshed) and Holiday Clubs and Camps. The organisation provides multidisciplinary clinical staff including therapists, psychologists, nurses, and trained support workers, applying its proprietary COMMIT Model to design person-centred support packages.

Product overview

Symbol is a social care and support services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of services for people with learning disabilities and autism. The organization operates as two collaborating entities: Symbol UK Limited (established 1998) and Symbol Family Support Services Limited (established 2000). Their service portfolio includes: Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) as the foundational service since 1998, with specialist streams for Down Syndrome and Developmental Language Disorder; Family Assessment Centre providing specialist safeguarding and assessment services; Community Support and Outreach services; Short Breaks and Respite services; Supported Living for approximately 50 people across 15 properties in Kent; Hop Yard Day Opportunities providing training and employment support; Hopshed Theatre Company for inclusive performing arts; and Holiday Clubs and Camps. The organization employs approximately 150 staff and operates a person-centered COMMIT Model for designing and delivering support across all services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hopshed Theatre Company: Kent's first inclusive theatre company, established 2013 by Tilly Duffy
• Hop Yard Day Opportunities
• The Symbol Academy
• Hop, Stitch and Jumper

Products and services

• Speech and Language Therapy (SaLT) Nationally recognised specialist speech, language and communication assessments, intervention and support to children and adults with a wide range of needs, including learning disabilities, autism, Down syndrome, and Developmental Language Disorder. Commissioned by NHS and public health bodies across Southern England.
• Down Syndrome Service Specialised service providing support and therapy specifically tailored for individuals with Down syndrome, delivered as part of the SaLT service portfolio.
• Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) Service Specialist, innovative and person-centred care for children and young people with Developmental Language Disorder, offering consultations, assessments, therapy, and awareness raising.
• Family Assessment Centre & Community Support Pioneering expert service providing specialist safeguarding, support and assessment services for families where parents are vulnerable, commissioned by Family Courts and Local Authorities. Includes the Newington Manor Residential Centre and outreach support to parents living in the community.
• Community Support / Outreach Support Outreach support helping people to live as independently as possible in their own home by promoting individual wellbeing, keeping people safe and helping people do as much as they can for themselves.
• Short Breaks (Respite) Dedicated Short Breaks Centre offering children and young adults with additional needs a home away from home, where they can make new friends, enjoy new activities and learn new skills.
• Supported Living Support for people with learning disabilities and/or autism to live independently in their own homes as tenants, including personal care, daily living skills, and community participation. CQC-regulated service operating across Bearsted, Harrietsham, Herne Bay, Hollingbourne, Isle of Sheppey, Sittingbourne, Snodland and other Kent locations.
• Hop Yard Day Opportunities Inclusive and innovative everyday life activities, including training and employment opportunities, for people with learning disabilities within a variety of services across Kent.
• Holiday Clubs and Camps Holiday activities including seaside adventures, riding and performing arts camps combining fun, specialist therapeutic interventions and desperately needed breaks for families.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully transitioned all students from specialist school (The Symbol Academy) into mainstream schools where they secured formal qualifications
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hft (Home Farm Trust): One of the largest UK charities supporting people with learning disabilities, offering supported living, residential care, and day services. Highly comparable to Symbol's supported living and day opportunities across Kent/South East.
• National Autistic Society: UK charity providing specialist services for autistic people including supported living, short breaks, and family support. Strong overlap with Symbol's autism-focused service lines.
• United Response: National UK charity providing supported living, community support, and specialist services for people with learning disabilities and autism. Closely comparable service mix and LA commissioning model.
• MacIntyre: UK charity providing lifelong learning, supported living, and family-based support for people with learning disabilities and autism, including specialist services for children and families.
• Sense: UK charity supporting people with complex disabilities including learning disabilities and autism, with services spanning supported living, day opportunities, and family support. Similar service breadth.
• Achieve Together: UK provider of supported living and residential care for people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs, operating across multiple regions. Same commissioned-services model.
• Ambitious about Autism: UK charity providing specialist education, transition, and community services for autistic children and young people. Comparable niche in autism-specific services and family support.
• Voyage Care: Large specialist provider of supported living, residential, and community services for people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs across the UK. Comparable operating model and commissioner relationships.

Broad incumbents

• CareTech Holdings: Listed UK provider of specialist residential, supported living, and fostering services for adults and children with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs. Broader scale and geographic reach.
• Mencap: UK's largest learning disability charity, offering a broad portfolio of supported living, day services, advocacy, and family support. Much larger scale but overlaps on service lines and commissioning relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/symbolconnect
• Facebookfacebook.com/Symbolconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/symbol-family-support-services-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SYMBOL FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES LIMITED