City law firm GSC Solicitors LLP has advised Belgravia Investments Limited and Kensington Capital Limited as part of a consortium on its recommended £870.3m cash and share acquisition of AIM listed CareTech Holdings PLC (CareTech).

The public-private transaction values the group at £1.2bn, which was founded in 1993 and listed on AIM in 2005.

CareTech is “one of the UK’s biggest” social care providers and runs hundreds of residential homes and specialist schools across the country for adults and children with complex needs.

In recent years, CareTech has expanded into the Gulf region through buying majority stakes in AS Group, Wellness Group, and home healthcare firm Dmetco-Bayti, all of whom are based in the United Arab Emirates.

The GSC team was led by senior partner Saleem Sheikh, and included corporate partner Clive Halperin and international private wealth partner James Cohen.

Saleem Sheikh, GSC senior partner, said: “This innovative transaction will help fund the expansion of CareTech’s technology division and presence across the Middle East.”