CareTech Holdings Plc
Winner Best Family Business
Turnover Category £25m+ Southern England and Wales Region

CareTech Holdings Plc based in Enfield has been named Best UK Family Business, Southern England and Wales Region. in the

£25m+ turnover category of the Coutts Prize for Family Business 2007/8. The company will now go on to compete in the £25M+ category at the national finals to be held in central London on Thursday 5 June 2008.

Founded by two brothers, CareTech Holdings Plc completed the purchase of a failing care business comprising 25 homes in 1993. In October 2005, the business was listed on the London Stock Exchange and became the only specialist learning disability provider to do so. The company has experienced strong turnover growth in successive years, particularly in 2006 when there was a 75% increase in client capacity. CareTech currently have 141 residential care homes and 5 day care centres and continue to grow through a combination of organic and acquisition initiatives.

David Harvey, Regional Chairman of the Evaluation Committee commented:

“As a successful care-home family business which provides care and support to people with learning disabilities, mental health problems or physical impairment, the things that impressed the evaluation committee about CareTech Holdings Plc included:

·The strong financial performance and rapid growth of the business over the past 15 years which led to the family’s strategic decision to AIM list the company in 2005 to enable this growth to continue, whilst ensuring the family maintained an active involvement in management and ownership;

·That despite rapid growth in the business, the culture and values embedded by the family over the years remains within the organisation and is felt by the employees;

·The well organised family governance to keep the family connected to the business evidenced by quarterly family meetings, board representation, family trusts and a family foundation;

·The open communication that exists in the business, which includes monthly staff meetings, regional staff updates, a regular newsletter and an informative intranet site which all staff have access to; and

The funding and management of a family charitable trust, where all members of the family get involved with philanthropic activities, as well as the significant charity and community activities supported by the Company.”