Care provider, Springfield Healthcare, is set to open a new £800,000 supported living development in Hartlepool, a unique concept designed to enable young adults with learning difficulties to live independently in the community.
The Pathways to Independence independent supported living scheme will comprise five two-bedroom apartments and a further single bedroom apartment, along with a ground-floor drop-in centre with a TV area and kitchen facilities. Staff will be available 24 hours a day.
Located close to shops and amenities, the facility provides a halfway step for young people, preparing them for living independently in the community.
These young people now have the opportunity to live independently within the community, with their families reassured by the 24/7 care and support that they will receive
The property, the historic Co-operative building in Park Road, is Grade II listed.
The project was backed by growth capital provider, Business Growth Fund (BGF). The funding follows its initial injection of £4.4m into two businesses within the Springfield Healthcare Group in 2012: Springfield Homecare and Seacroft Care Village.
BGF is the UK’s leading independent investor of growth capital in UK smaller and medium-sized businesses, and is backed by five of the UK’s main banking groups. The company provides long-term equity investment in return for a minority equity stake.
Springfield Healthcare Group began as a specialist provider of dementia care, but has expanded in recent years to provide general home care and training for other care providers. Springfield has also pioneered the care village model. This saw the company open Seacroft, a £5m development in Leeds last year. Across the Group, Springfield now employs 1,200 staff and provides care to 2,500 people each day.
Graeme Lee, chief executive, said: “Our ethos is to keep people living at home independently for as long as possible. The facility offers disabled young adults the freedom to choose their path while benefiting from comprehensive, market-leading care and support. These young people now have the opportunity to live independently within the community, with their families reassured by the 24/7 care and support that they will receive.
