Priory St Michaels

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About this location

St Michaels is located in the village of Temple Ewell, near Dover, Kent. The residential service supports five adults, who are autistic or have a learning disability. We are in a semi-rural location, off a main road.

Our team are dedicated to supporting the people we care for to maximise their potential and work towards reducing the restrictions that they currently have in place. We want to help them to maximise their independence and support them on their long transitional pathway towards living in their own home in the community.

Our home currently only has male residents, although we do accept females. We can also support those who have:

  • Difficulties with communication
  • Moderate to severe behaviours that challenge
  • A forensic background
  • A physical disability
  • Epilepsy
  • Pica

Services at a glance

There are a total of five bedrooms at the site. Of these:
5 are self-contained flats
3 are on the ground floor

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St Michaels 166 London Road Temple Ewell Dover Kent CT16 3DE
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About our service

Our facilities and environment

The large detached, communal house has lots of space and offers a relaxed, homely environment. The home is comprised of five self-contained flats, split over two floors, including two annexes. Each of the flats have their own bathroom, living room and kitchenette.

We also have our own gardens, complete with:

  • Secure fencing
  • Lawn
  • Patio
  • Communal seating
  • Swings
  • Wheelchair access

We also have specialised equipment within the home, such as sensory lighting. In addition, we have a mobility adapted site vehicle to help us to meet the needs of the people we support.

Our flats

All of our bedrooms are self-contained flats, which are comfortable, welcoming and can be personalised to individual tastes. Our bedrooms offer:

  • En-suite facilities, containing either a shower, a bath or a wet room
  • Activities of daily living (ADL) kitchenettes
  • Wheelchair access
  • Robust, low arousal furniture

Our approach to support

Everybody who lives at St Michaels has their own person-centred care plan, which is co-produced with input from the individual, their family members and professionals involved in their care. We aim to help everyone in our care to make their own choices about the support they receive. This may include support in a number of areas, such as going out in the community, personal care, cooking and cleaning, and maintaining family relationships.

We also have support from a local multidisciplinary team to offer a variety of support techniques, including:

  • Positive behaviour support (PBS)
  • Occupational therapy
  • Nursing
  • Physiotherapy
  • Speech and language therapy
  • Psychology

PBS is delivered in-house. In addition, we use tools such as the Outcomes Star™ and Active Support to support our residents to achieve their goals.

The lengths of the placements that we offer at St Michaels can be longer transition, medium or long-term residential, depending on the needs of each person.

Activities

Everyone who lives at St Michaels has their own personalised activities planner and are encouraged to take part in activities which are meaningful and fulfilling to them. Our dedicated team organise a variety of activities at the home, as well as out in the community.

We focus on supporting our residents to grow their independence. For some people, this may mean developing their daily living skills within the home. For others, this could be accessing work or educational opportunities in the local community.

Exclusion profile

  • Those who are not autistic or do not have a learning disability

Pathways

Through our network of healthcare, residential and supported living facilities, we provide unique care pathways which help the people we support to progress towards greater independence. Every individual we support is provided with a bespoke pathway plan, tailored according to their individual needs. We aim to ensure that each person is supported to live a fulfilling and active life in the community. At St Michaels we have close links with Priory Supported Living Kent.

Our team

Our highly experienced team consists of:

  • Service manager
  • Deputy manager
  • Support workers
  • Senior support workers
  • PBS practitioner

Our team receive specialist staff training, designed to meet the needs of each individual we support. This includes:

  • Makaton training
  • Epilepsy awareness training
  • Autism specialist training
  • Rescue medication training

Contact us for help, referrals or more information

At Priory, we want to ensure we provide the very best service to each individual we support. Contact us for more information, or to make a referral.

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Watch our video

Residential autism services video

About the local area

Amenities

St Michaels is set in the village of Temple Ewell, on the outskirts of Dover. It has a number of amenities nearby including:

  • Supermarkets
  • Shops
  • Pub
  • Village Hall
  • Country park
  • Nature reserve
  • Pharmacy
  • Museum
  • Gym
  • Beach

Transport links

St Michaels also has excellent transport links, including:

  • A 5-minute walk to Kearsney train station
  • A 3-minute train ride into Dover town
  • A 2-minute walk to bus stop main route to Dover or Canterbury
  • A 5-minute drive to the A2

A message from our site leader

We look to support and maximise the potential of every person that we support, both now and into the future

St Michaels’ site leader

Comments from our residents and their family and friends

I really would recommend St Michaels. I know the transition from residential school to adult social care is a scary one (for parents and young people) but St Michaels are suitably committed to making it work and helping young people to feel settled and happy
Parent of person supported by St Michaels St Michaels

Family and friends FAQs

How does home leave work?

We work with every residents’ family and arrange bespoke visits such as supporting family on holidays. Family connections are important to many people, so we strive to support people to maintain these significant bonds.

Can friends and families visit?

Family and friends are welcome to visit and take part in our activities too. There are no overnight stays unfortunately, but we are always happy to facilitate day visits, with notice.

Will I be involved and kept up to date with the progress of my loved one’s care and support?

Updates on their loved ones care is provided bespoke to family requirements. We will work with people on an individual basis to support this, whether through in-person visits, phone calls or emails or messages.

Will my loved one be able to have a phone or call me?

We have a tablet at the home for residents to use for video calls or a landline for telephone calls. We can provide support to the people who live here to help them use these modes of communication.

What are the bedrooms like?

Bedrooms are all furnished and residents can personalise them to suit their needs and wishes. Furniture cannot be removed as some of it is fitted or has been purchased to suit certain specifications. However, we will work with people to ensure that their room feels their own.

Are external doors kept locked?

Although our external doors are locked to ensure the safety of the people who live here, every resident is individually risk assessed. Everyone can come and go in our large garden area and courtyard, which have secure fencing.

What do residents eat and how do meal times work?

Communications tools such as picture boards are used to enable residents to choose what they want to eat. Each person has different communication needs and advice is also sought from family members and our nutritionists. We can cater for all special dietary requirements, and will also provide snacks of choice, beverages and alternative meals.

How does laundry work?

Some flats have their own washing machine where residents can do their own washing, where they are able. We also have a separate utility room which residents make use of either independently or with the support of their key worker. Bedding and towels will be provided.

Who does the housekeeping and domiciliary tasks?

Residents are supported to tidy and clean their own flats, which helps to promote their independence. Staff are on hand for anything they have not been able to complete.

Is there anything they can’t bring or have?

High risk personal items such as family heirlooms are discouraged as we cannot guarantee their safety. Items where the risks cannot be appropriately managed, such as non-approved drugs and medications, solvent-based products and lighters may be restricted.

How do activities work?

It is important that residents are given the opportunity to have a say on their individualised activities timetable. There are lots of opportunities to take part in fun pursuits here and in the community. A variety of communication tools are used to give people choice, and we will work with people to understand their likes, preferences and goals, to help us tailor our calendar of activities accordingly.

How will residents be supported with their behavioural needs?

St Michaels follows a PBS approach, and have a PBS practitioner in-house to support people with their needs. We also use the PROACT-SCIPr-UK® framework, which means we focus on proactive strategies, rather than physical intervention, and our team includes trained instructors in PROACT-SCIPr-UK®. We require our care plans which include restrictions to be re-assessed, and removed where possible, to promote least restrictive practice. We also use the STOMP method, which involves stopping the over medication of people with a learning disability, people on the autism spectrum or both, within the service.

Do residents and families have an input into the care plans?

Care plans are regularly reviewed and everyone’s views, including families and social workers, are included. In the best interests of our residents, we use different communication methods to give them a voice too.

What are the car parking facilities?

There is off-road parking for three cars.

What is the smoking policy?

St Michaels is a non-smoking home. If someone wants to smoke, they will need to do so outside of the house.

What are your fees and how are they funded?

Our fees can vary, and are based on an assessment of each individual's needs. Many people are eligible for financial help towards the cost of support, and this funding can be accessed by contacting your local authority. Once funding has been agreed, we will work with your local care team to put together a bespoke package of care. Please note, referrals for NHS or Local Authority funded services must come from a referring organisation.

How to make a referral

Our service provides high quality support to people with varying levels of need. Referrals can be made through the individual’s social care team or, if relevant, their local health authority. If you are a professional looking to make a referral, please call us or fill in our enquiry form.

Call Us
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Make a referral