The Stable Family Home Trust is a registered charity supporting adults with learning disabilities across Dorset and Hampshire. We provide supported living, residential care, day services and opportunities that promote independence, confidence, wellbeing and employability skills through person-centred support.
History of The Trust
The Trust was founded over 40 years ago by local families, including the family who run the Bisterne Estate, who wanted to create a long-term home where adults with learning disabilities could develop skills, confidence and independence beyond what was then available in general residential care.
From the beginning, life at Bisterne made the most of its beautiful outdoor setting. Horticulture, growing fruit and vegetables, cooking together and caring for plants helped residents connect with nature in a safe, nurturing environment while developing practical life skills, confidence and wellbeing.
Although the Trust has grown and evolved, those founding values continue to shape everything we do. We remain committed to helping people live fulfilling lives by promoting independence, improving health and wellbeing, and recognising each person’s unique strengths, talents and potential.
Today
Today, we support more than 100 adults with additional needs through person-centred services that create opportunities for learning, personal growth and community participation. Our services help people develop life skills, social skills, confidence, self-esteem and employability skills, enabling them to live as independently as possible.
Our outcome-focused day services offer a wide range of meaningful activities that encourage learning, build relationships and support individual goals. We also provide supported living homes in Southbourne and a residential care home in Bisterne, Ringwood. Both services are rated Good by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
We believe everyone can continue to grow and learn when they are given the right opportunities, encouragement and support.
Our services are available to adults aged 18 and over. Whether you are an adult with a learning disability, or a parent, family member or carer exploring support options, we welcome you to arrange a visit, meet our team and discover how we can help.
Contact
Please have a look at our contact page which displays all the information you will need to contact us.
Supporting adults with learning disabilities is at the heart of what we do. We offer a range of services, including day opportunities in Ringwood, Southbourne and Highcliffe, where people can enjoy meaningful activities, build confidence, develop skills and form positive relationships, as well as supported living in the Bournemouth area.
Supported living helps adults with learning disabilities live in a safe, welcoming home with the right support to be as independent as possible. We help with everyday tasks such as cleaning, shopping and budgeting, while encouraging choice, confidence and independence.
Day opportunities give people access to a wide range of enjoyable and stimulating activities at our three sites in Ringwood, Southbourne and Highcliffe. These include arts and crafts, dance and drama, gardening, pottery, woodwork, cycling, horse riding, swimming, walking and trips to places of interest.
At Southbourne and Highcliffe, people can also gain experience in our shops and café, helping them build confidence and develop skills that may support future employment or volunteering.
We promote independent living by focusing on each person’s strengths, choices, confidence and safety. Our support helps people do more for themselves, learn new tasks and make informed decisions at their own pace.
Yes. Our Southbourne site has a small shop selling handcrafted items made by our clients and local artists, where people can gain practical experience in customer service, handling money, displaying items and helping to choose new products.
Our Highcliffe site offers similar opportunities and also has a small café open to the public, giving people valuable experience in hospitality and customer-facing roles.
To access our day services, please complete the Contact Us form on the website and tell us which site you are interested in. We will then get in touch to arrange a visit and talk through the options with you.
If your family member receives direct payments, you can choose the service or combination of sites that best meets their needs. If they do not receive direct payments, adult social care will usually need to support the referral. For supported living in Bournemouth or residential living in Ringwood, referrals are normally made through adult social care, unless you are self-funding.
Our life skills programme supports everyday independence and includes budgeting, cooking, healthy lifestyles, personal care, looking after the home, communication, travel training, Makaton and personal safety at home and in the community.
Our day services fee covers the activities available at each site. Some off-site activities, such as swimming and horse riding, have an additional cost, and we will always let you know in advance if any extra charges apply.
We have a minibus and to provide transport to off-site activities, with travel costs included in the additional activity charge. However, we do not provide transport between people’s homes and our day service sites.
Yes. If someone cannot attend one of their regular day opportunities sessions because they are unwell or on holiday, fees still apply because staffing and places are reserved in advance.
All our staff complete training in important areas including:
Safeguarding
Health and safety
Medication management
Data protection
Equality and diversity
Person-centred care
Communication
Oliver McGowan training
Our supported living and residential living services are CQC registered, so Oliver McGowan training is a requirement for those services. We also make this training available to all support staff in our day services.
