For Professionals

Referring an adult to Care Horizons

Information for commissioners, social workers and hospital discharge teams. We support adults across Bristol and South Gloucestershire whose needs have outgrown standard home care. We take on fewer people and stay with them for the long term.

📞 0117 405 4320 · [email protected]
Most enquiries are handled by our Service Manager, Joe Sparrow, and Deputy Manager, Jessica White, with senior oversight from our director and registered manager, Vierka Hiscock. There is no call centre.

Download our Capability Statement (PDF)

A one-page overview for commissioners and referrers — who we support, how we work, and how to refer.

Who we support

Adults aged 18 and over, in their own homes or supported living, including people with:

• autism and sensory needs
• mental health conditions
• learning disabilities
• behaviour that others find challenging
• complex or constant needs that standard home care can’t hold

We work at every level of intensity, from a few hours a day to round-the-clock support.

What we look for before we say yes

We are honest about fit. We only accept a referral when we believe we can do it well and stay for the long term. Before we agree, we look at:

• whether we can build the right team around the person
• whether the placement is safe for them, for our staff, and for those around them
• whether we can offer consistency — the same small team, not a rota of strangers
• whether the funding and hours match what the person actually needs

If we’re not the right service, we’ll say so early, and where we can we’ll point you somewhere better.

Who we don’t take

Being clear about fit matters at both ends. We’ll say no early — and explain why — when a referral sits outside what we can do safely, lawfully and well.

• People who need nursing care. We provide specialist personal and social care, not nursing — where someone needs clinical care delivered by a registered nurse, another service is the right one.
• One-off, emergency or same-day cover. Our support is built on continuity and a carefully matched team, which takes proper assessment and planning — we’re not set up for spot or crisis placements that have to start immediately.
• Support we couldn’t staff safely or consistently. If we can’t put the right people around someone for the hours and skills their needs genuinely call for, we’ll say no rather than stretch a placement thin.
• Needs that fall outside our specialism. Where someone’s primary need would be better met by a different kind of service, we’ll tell you — we’d rather they were placed well than placed with us.
• Placements that can’t be made safe. Where the environment or the risks can’t be made safe for the person, those around them or our staff, we won’t proceed until they can.

When we’re not the right fit, we’ll say so straight away — and, where we can, point you toward someone who is.

How to refer

1. Call 0117 405 4320 or email [email protected] with a brief outline of the person and the situation.
2. We’ll arrange a conversation with Joe or Jessica, usually within one working day.
3. We carry out an assessment and confirm honestly whether we can meet the need, and when we could start.

Current capacity

Capacity changes week to week. Rather than publish a figure that goes out of date, we’ll tell you our honest availability when you call. We respond to capacity questions within 2 working hours, and give a yes/no on fit within one working day.

Governance & assurance

• Registered with and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (rated Good)
• ISO 9001:2015 quality management (cert 282832018) and ISO 45001:2018 health & safety (cert 374412021) — both valid to 2028, independently re-audited each year
• Safeguarding, medication and care-planning policies reviewed regularly
• Independently led, with named managers accountable for every placement

Frameworks & contracts

We work with local authority and NHS commissioners on both spot-purchase and framework arrangements. If you need us onto a specific framework or contract, tell us which one and we’ll work through it with you.

Capability summary

A short summary you can lift straight into a panel pack or referral record.

• Who & where: Specialist home support for adults aged 18 and over with complex needs — autism, mental health, learning disabilities and behavioural distress — across Bristol and South Gloucestershire, from a few hours a day to round-the-clock support. Established 2004.
• Regulation & quality: CQC rated Good. ISO 9001:2015 (cert 282832018) and ISO 45001:2018 (cert 374412021), both valid to 2028, independently re-audited each year.
• Staffing: Delivered by the same vetted, DBS-checked people — no agency workers. Named managers accountable for every placement: Joe Sparrow (Service Manager) and Jessica White (Deputy Manager), with Vierka Hiscock (Director & Registered Manager) overseeing.
• Continuity: Built for long-term, relationship-led support — we take on fewer people and stay.
• Response: Capacity questions answered within 2 working hours; an honest yes/no on fit within one working day. No call centre.
• Contact: 0117 405 4320 · [email protected]

Check our capacity for a referral

Tell us about the person and the situation, and we’ll give you an honest answer on whether we can help.

Your enquiry reaches our named seniors directly — no call centre: