Orbis Education and Care is a provider of schools, residential homes and facilities for children and adults with a diagnosis of

autism The autism spectrum, often referred to as just autism or in the context of a professional diagnosis autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or autism spectrum condition (ASC), is a neurodevelopmental condition (or conditions) characterized by difficulti ...

based in

Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...

. It runs 16 schools, residential homes and facilities for children and adults in Wales and employs about 650 people. Lucy Pottinger is the head of education. It opened a new facility in Port Talbot in 2016. It was founded by Andrew McCarthy in 2005. He sold it to August Equity for £28 million in 2017. It bought Pembrokeshire Resource Centre, which trades as Bangeston Autism Care Services, and operates four sites in Pembrokeshire, in 2017. It commissioned classroom pods, specially designed for autistic pupils from the IAD Company in 2019. Six of the expandable structures were built at Ty Bronllys, near

Brecon Brecon (; cy, Aberhonddu; ), archaically known as Brecknock, is a market town in Powys, mid Wales. In 1841, it had a population of 5,701. The population in 2001 was 7,901, increasing to 8,250 at the 2011 census. Historically it was the coun ...

. They are designed to "help students at feel at ease with their surroundings and to promote the sense of going on an adventure every day, rather than to school.” It is planning to open a school and residential home which will accommodate 30 pupils with complex needs in Tewkesbury, its first facility in England, in 2019.

References

Special schools in the United Kingdom Social care in England and Wales Companies based in Cardiff Autism-related organisations in the United Kingdom {{UK-edu-stub