Cresset House was established in 1961 on a large property in Carlswald, Kyalami, as a school for children with intellectual disabilities. During the 1980s, there was a growing demand for facilities that could provide long-term care and support for adults with intellectual disabilities. In response, Cresset House gradually shifted its focus from caring for children to supporting adults.
Today, Cresset House is home to more than 50 residents, known as “villagers,” who live together as part of a caring and supportive community on a property in Glen Austin, Midrand. The community consists of six houses, each staffed by a house parent, co-worker, and domestic assistant. Residents come from a wide variety of cultural and national backgrounds, creating a warm, diverse, and nurturing environment for everyone who calls Cresset House home.
The facility also provides meaningful daily activities and skills development opportunities for the villagers. A workshop programme allows residents to participate in contract work, such as packaging shower caps for hotels, while those requiring additional support take part in supervised stimulation activities including colouring, puzzles, and other creative exercises. There is also a woodworking area where villagers are encouraged to develop practical skills by creating simple handcrafted items such as breadboards.