Priory Swerford House

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About this location

Swerford House is located in Temple Ewell in Dover, Kent. It offers residential support to up to six males who are autistic or have a learning disability. Our home is located semi-rurally on a private estate, at top of bank with magnificent views of the valley and local farm.

Our team are committed to empowering and encouraging the people we care for. We provide the support needed to enable individuals to reach their goals, develop their self-esteem and the skills they need to live as independently as possible.

We can also support those who have:

  • Difficulties with communication
  • Moderate to severe behaviours that may challenge
  • Epilepsy
  • Tourette's
  • Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

Services at a glance

There are a total of six bedrooms at the site. Of these:

2 are self-contained flats

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Swerford House The Avenue Temple Ewell Dover Kent CT16 3AW
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About our service

Our facilities and environment

Swerford House is a detached Victorian property, with two floors. The home is roomy and has a relaxed feel.

In summary, we offer:

  • A large lounge with plenty of seating
  • Kitchen and dining room
  • Well-equipped activities room
  • Quiet room
  • Utility room
  • Communal bathroom
  • Conservatory

We also have our own garden, complete with:

  • Lawn
  • Patio
  • Communal seating
  • Swings
  • Vegetable patch
  • Sensory garden

We also have specialised equipment within the home, such as sensory lighting.

Our bedrooms

All of our bedrooms are comfortable, welcoming and can be personalised to individual tastes. The bedrooms are on the first floor, and benefit from robust, low arousal furniture. Residents share a communal bathroom, shower and separate toilet. In addition, there are two self-contained flats with their own bathroom with a bathroom, lounge and activities of daily living (ADL) kitchenette.

Our approach to support

Everybody who lives at Swerford House 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 services which include:

  • Positive behaviour support (PBS)
  • Speech and language therapy
  • Psychology
  • Psychiatry

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 Swerford House can be medium or long-term residential, depending on the needs of each person.

Activities

Everyone who lives at Swerford House 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

  • Females, as we are a male only home
  • Those who do not have a learning disability or are not on the autism spectrum

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 Swerford House 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
  • Maintenance worker
  • Gardener

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

  • Epilepsy awareness training
  • Autism specialist training
  • Specific sensory needs training
  • Medicine 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

Swerford House has a number of nearby amenities including:

  • Shops
  • Café
  • Restaurant
  • Pub
  • Nature reserve/national park
  • Local sensory room

Transport links

Swerford House also has excellent transport links, including:

  • A 5-minute walk to Kearsney Abbey train station
  • A 5 minutes’ drive to the M20
  • A 2 minutes’ drive to the A2

A message from our site leader

Swerford provides the perfect environment for our residents to develop their social and key skills with a robust history of outstanding responsive support

Swerford House’s site leader

Comments from our residents and their family and friends

I’m confident that Swerford supports my son to enjoy activities and explore new opportunities
Parent of person supported by Swerford House Swerford House

Family and friends FAQs

How does home leave work?

It is important that residents are supported to keep in touch with their loved ones so we facilitate visits to family homes and attendance at family events. Of course, if there are any risks, these are carefully managed, as we want everyone to feel supported and have a positive experience. On some occasions, the individual’s key worker will come along too.

Can friends and families visit?

Although we cannot have overnight stays, family and friends are welcome to visit any time. Residents enjoy it too when their loved ones take part in activities, so that is actively encouraged. Please just let us know in advance when you are coming. If unknown visitors arrived unannounced, it can cause stress for some of our residents.

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

Yes - we keep family and friends involved in our residents’ care. Every month you will be invited to a meeting at the home, where you will meet with their support team and hear about recent happenings at the home. We can also arrange more regular catch-ups if you’d prefer, either in person or via telephone, to ensure you are kept informed. We also send out a regular newsletter.

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

Phone calls and video calls are arranged regularly. We can support our residents with this, where required.

What are the bedrooms like?

Residents are supported to personalise their bedroom, which is fully furnished with robust, low arousal furniture. We want everyone to feel at home at Swerford House, and will support our residents to add their choice of décor.

Are external doors kept locked?

Our external gates are locked using a keypad or keys, for the safety of our residents. However, every person will be risk assessed which will detail the level of security needed. We have a large garden area and courtyard which residents are free to enter and exit at their leisure.

What do residents eat and how do meal times work?

Residents can choose and prepare their own meals. Staff can support with any problems or concerns they may have around meal times, such as preparing their own food. Guidance from family members and nutritionists is sought to ensure that special dietary requirements are catered for.

How does laundry work?

Our team will ensure that residents always have access to clean clothes and bedding. We have a utility room with laundry facilities, which residents make use of either independently or with the support of their key worker.

Who does the housekeeping and domiciliary tasks?

We have a rota in the home as most of our residents are able to carry out tasks such as cleaning. Tasks allocation is discussed in our monthly resident meetings.

Is there anything they can’t bring or have?

Residents are not allowed to bring some items such as non-approved drugs and medications, solvent-based products and lighters. We would advise that family heirlooms are not brought in either as their safety cannot be guaranteed.

How do activities work?

An activities planner including both in-house activities as well as visits into the community is developed for every resident, personalised to their tastes and interests. We want residents to be able to actively contribute and suggest things they want to do, so their key worker will use a variety of communication tools, including pictures, so they can have a say.

How will residents be supported with their behavioural needs?

Here at Swerford House we have a PBS practitioner on-site, who supports our residents with PBS plans, and helps ensure the right support is in place to meet that person’s needs. We use the PROACT-SCIPr-UK® framework, which means we focus on proactive strategies, rather than physical intervention. We require our care plans which include restrictions to be assessed frequently, as we are committed to using least restrictive practice.

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

The views of residents, family members and professionals including social workers will be taken into account in the development of care plans. Due to the varying needs of the people we care for, we use a variety of communication tools to work collaboratively with them so the plans are tailored to their needs.

What are the car parking facilities?

There is parking for nine cars and two mini buses outside the home.

What is the smoking policy?

We currently have no residents who smoke at the home. We do not permit smoking indoors, including vapes, and would allocate an area outside for people to smoke.

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