IN SUMMARY

At present Symbol provides the following services:

  • Therapy Services – Symbol has one of the largest teams of Speech and Language Therapists in the UK offering specialist assessment, intervention, training and consultancy for children and adults with special needs.  In addition, Symbol also employs Social Workers, Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Behavioural Therapists and Nurses in its Family Assessment Services.  Symbol is increasingly deploying expertise from these valuable in-house therapeutic resources across all its activities giving Symbol a unique offer to the people who use and buy its services.  
  • Family Assessment Centre & Community Support – Symbol operates up to 10 places for parents with learning disabilities undertaking a parenting assessment and intervention service (Commissioned by the Family Law Courts and Local Authority Children’s Services) and provides 9 families with longer term specialist parenting support in the community post assessment.
  • Day Opportunities (The Hopyard Services) – Symbol supports 54 people with learning disabilities in a range of meaningful activities to promote skills in work, learning and leisure operating out of 2 separate sites in Kent.
  • Supported Living – Symbol currently supports 50 people with learning disabilities living in 15 different ordinary houses where they live as tenants.  This service is growing rapidly in response to local demand.
  • Short Breaks/Respite Care – Symbol is working with 35 young people and adults providing regular short breaks.  The demand for this service is also growing.  We have the facility to support up to 13 people at any one time. 
  • Community Support – Symbol supports 8 people living in their own homes on a peripatetic basis. 
  • Shop (Hop Stitch & Jumper) – Symbol operates a high end shop in the centre of Maidstone that sells a variety of fabric, yarn and haberdashery, runs courses and provides employment experience for 15 people with learning disabilities. 
  • Hopshed Theatre Company – Based at The Hazlitt Theatre in Maidstone and at Queensborough Hall on the Isle of Sheppey, Symbol works with over 60 people with and without disabilities, bringing inclusive theatre and performing arts to the general public both at the theatre and in various community settings. 
  • Holiday clubs/camps etc. – Symbol runs a variety of clubs and camps through the year, depending on demand, providing various activities for in the region of 200 children with learning disabilities during the holidays.
  • Property Services – The Symbol Trust identifies, purchase or leases, develops/adapts, maintains and acts as Landlord for the majority of the properties that they use and that people they support live in as tenants.  The support provider landlord split is assured via the use of different legal organisational entities.  This means that people living in these properties are also able to chose alternative support providers in line with their needs and preferences should they chose.