Since FitzRoy was founded as a pioneering alternative to institutional care, we have supported hundreds of people with learning disabilities and autism to live the life they choose. Over 60 years ago, our founder Elizabeth FitzRoy was banging on closed doors, going into battle for people with learning disabilities, determined that they should be living in safe, loving and supportive homes and not institutions.
Today, demand for these homes and services is higher than ever. We now support more than 900 people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health needs in over 100 homes and services across England.
When our founders floated the idea of small family-like homes, they received a lot of criticism. When they opened the first of these homes, Donec in Hampshire, one director of social services was quoted as saying: ‘they’ll be bankrupt in six months’.
60 years later we are still here, and we remain committed to the vision of Elizabeth FitzRoy and co-founder John Williams. Their values remain the values of FitzRoy today – we see the person, we are brave and we are creative – and this threads through everything we do.