Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Carr Gomm
Search Contact Donate
Menu
  • About us
    • Who we are
    • Our leadership
    • Our partners
    • Publications & reports
  • Help & support
    • How we support
    • Funding explained
    • Self-directed
    • Innovation & development
      • Digital
      • Community link working
      • Community contacts
      • Community growing
      • Men in sheds
    • Help & support FAQs
  • Work with us
    • Why work with us
    • Training & qualifications
    • Social care as a career
    • Current vacancies
    • Career stories
    • Work with us FAQs
  • Get involved
    • Donate
    • Appeals
    • Fundraising
      • Fundraise for us
      • What we do with your money
      • Fundraising heroes
      • Fundraising resources
    • Corporate fundraising
    • Play our lottery
    • Other ways to help
    • Get involved FAQs
  • Stories
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • Our story
  1. About us
  2. Who we are
  3. Our story

Our story

Today, Carr Gomm supports about 2,000 people and families in communities across Scotland every day, so it is incredible to think that as recently as 1997 our organisation was established as an innovative and ground-breaking thought experiment: does Scotland need a person-centred organisation to support people to live in their own home?

In the midst of the post-Second World War poverty and desolation, before the creation of the welfare state and NHS, Major Richard Carr-Gomm felt driven to address inequality.  He believed society could be better.  He believed that no one should feel isolated or lonely.

With his army pension, Richard bought a house and extended an open invite to “come and live with me and we’ll work out how to move on”: find friendships; find a job; find a place in society.

Richard Carr-Gomm was a maverick philanthropist, determined to make a difference to society.  By the 1960s, he had created a network of houses and the Carr-Gomm Society was created as a charity in England.

In 1997, the Carr-Gomm Society commissioned a researcher to consider whether there was a role for the Society in Scotland.  That report highlighted that community care in Scotland was very different:  the priority in Scotland was to close large institutions and group homes, and support people to live in their own home in their community using a person-centred approach.

A development worker, Chris, was recruited on a short-term contract to investigate the feasibility of creating a fundamentally person-centred organisation to work with people in their own homes focusing on what they could and wanted to do (rather than what was “wrong”).   Chris considered that the best way to test the theory of a person-centred approach was to submit a tender and learn from the feedback.  He won the tender!

Having proved that the approach was required, Chris persuaded his former colleague Lucy and together they created Carr Gomm (originally Carr-Gomm Scotland), named in recognition of the approach, thinking and passion of Richard Carr-Gomm.

Since 1997, Carr Gomm has developed and grown because our approach delivers positive impacts in people’s lives.  We never settle for good enough but always aim to innovate, improve, develop, exceed expectations and push boundaries.

Published: 7th December, 2018

Updated: 30th April, 2021

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Suzanne is one of two Carr Gomm dementia interpreters in Argyll & Bute.

    Suzanne is one of two Carr Gomm dementia interpreters in Argyll & Bute.

    Suzanne tells us more about the importance of the dementia training that she and Laura have been doing.

  • Old hobbies in new ways

    Old hobbies in new ways

    Services in Stirling have embraced the Digital Inclusion Project and learned new skills along the way.

  • Digital freedom in Glasgow

    Digital freedom in Glasgow

    Our Digital Inclusion Project has brought independence to people supported across Glasgow.

  • Exploring the new insight app

    Exploring the new insight app

    Learn more about a ground-breaking digital app that our services in Forth Valley use.

Related

  • Influencing change

    Influencing change

    As a leading social care charity, we feel it's vital to influence policy and stand up for what we and people supported believe in.

  • Our approach

    Our approach

    Informed by proactive human rights-based practices, our approach has a person-centred ethos at its core.

  • Our impact

    Our impact

    Having a positive impact on the lives of people, families, and communities across Scotland is important to us.

  • Our values

    Our values

    Our values form the core of our work and who we are; all of our staff work by and embody our five values.

Most read

  • Mental health

    Mental health

    We have been supporting people experiencing mental and emotional distress since 1998.

  • Start your career

    Start your career

    Social care is not just a job: it's a unique, fulfilling and rewarding career. Find out why.

  • Join us for a fulfilling & worthwhile career in social care

    Join us for a fulfilling & worthwhile career in social care

    Working with Carr Gomm is inspiring, exciting, welcoming and well rewarded.

  • Autism

    Autism

    We ensure each person’s support is as unique as they are by providing the right support, at the right time, in the right way.

  • Older people

    Older people

    We offer community-based and person-centred support to older people living throughout Scotland.

  • Physical disabilities

    Physical disabilities

    We focus on supporting people to live independently and to actively participate in life, based on their choices within their community.

  • Learning disabilities

    Learning disabilities

    We focus on supporting healthy lives, maximising people’s choice and control, and increasing independence and active citizenship.

  • Isolation and loneliness

    Isolation and loneliness

    Our activities and supports are focused on supporting individuals and communities to flourish.

  • Our story

    Our story

    Today we support about 2,000 people and families in communities across Scotland every day...but how have we got here?

  • Community Contacts

    Community Contacts

    Community Contacts offers 'A Helping Hand with Self-Directed Support (SDS)' in Argyll & Bute and Highland.

Join our mailing list

Please enter your first name
Please enter your last name
Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address (e.g. [email protected])

Info

A Company limited by guarantee in Scotland: SC 236436 Scottish charity: SC 033491
National and Registered Office: Space, 11 Harewood Road, Edinburgh EH16 4NT

Helpful links

  • Accessibility
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Login
  • Logout
  • Manager

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook