Priory The Cherries

Call Us
Tap on a number to call
Make a referral

About this location

The Cherries is located in Folkestone, in Kent. It offers residential support for six autistic males and females. We are located on a quiet street, near the town centre.

Our team are dedicated to supporting residents and their families by aspiring to deliver the highest quality of care and aiming to empower the people we support to live their lives to the fullest.

We can also support those who have:

  • A learning disability
  • Mental health needs
  • Difficulties with communication
  • Moderate to severe behaviours that challenge
  • Epilepsy

Services at a glance

There are a total of six bedrooms at the site. Of these:
2 have en-suite facilities
1 is on the ground floor

Contact us

The Cherries 30 Julian Road Folkestone Kent CT19 5HW

We take the safety and experience of our patients and residents extremely seriously. We have completed our action plan addressing all the areas of concern raised by our regulators.
Map

Click here to enable this content

Watch our videos

Residential autism services video
The Cherries site tour

About our service

Our facilities and environment

The Cherries is a large detached Victorian property, with bedrooms split across two floors. We have a variety of communal areas, including:

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

We also have a large garden, complete with:

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

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

Our bedrooms

All of our bedrooms are comfortable, welcoming and can be personalised to individual tastes. There are six bedrooms and one of them is on the ground floor. Two of the bedrooms have en-suite facilities. Our bedrooms have features such as:

  • Robust, low arousal furniture
  • Wheelchair access
  • En-suite facilities, containing either a bath or a wet room

Our approach to support

Everybody who lives at The Cherries 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.

Our support approaches at The Cherries include:

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

We also have support from a local multidisciplinary team to offer some of these services. PBS is delivered in-house by our dedicated PBS practitioner. 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 The Cherries can be medium or long-term residential, depending on the needs of each person.

Activities

Everyone who lives at The Cherries 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 nor 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 The Cherries 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
  • Gardener
  • Maintenance worker

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

  • Makaton training
  • Epilepsy training
  • Diabetes management training
  • Specific sensory needs 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.

Call Us
Tap on a number to call
Make a referral

About the local area

Amenities

The Cherries is a short distance from the town centre. Nearby amenities include:

  • Supermarket
  • Shops
  • Café
  • Restaurant
  • Pub
  • GP surgery
  • Post office
  • College
  • Park
  • Library
  • Cinema
  • Beach

Transport links

The Cherries also has excellent transport links, including:

  • Folkestone Central train station which is a 5 minutes’ walk
  • Folkestone West train station which is a 10 minutes’ walk
  • Around the corner from a bus stop
  • M20 is 2 miles away
  • A20 is 2 miles away

A message from our site leader

Our team are both dedicated to supporting our residents and their families by aspiring to deliver the highest quality care. We continually aim to empower people to create a positive and as independent as possible future; so that they are able to live their lives to the fullest

The Cherries' site leader

Comments from our residents and their family and friends

The Cherries is a lovely home set in a beautiful environment. I love coming to visit my son as it doesn't feel like a residential setting, it's more like a family home. The best thing of all in the Cherries are the wonderful, caring staff. They go above and beyond when caring for my son. They are also so welcoming when we come to visit. The Cherries really is a great choice for your loved one
Parent of person supported by The Cherries The Cherries
My daughter is always well dressed and spotlessly clean. Her diet is good and healthy. The staff are very pleasant and considerate to her needs as she has behavioural issues at times. When she is having a calm day, the staff endeavour to take her out for an activity. She seems happy when out for a walk
Parent of person supported by The Cherries The Cherries
The staff are friendly and caring. My son likes cooking and eating the food
Parent of person supported by The Cherries The Cherries

Family and friends FAQs

How does home leave work?

parent of person supported by The Cherries.

Can friends and families visit?

Family and friends are welcome to visit and take part in activities at the home. We do ask that we are informed in advance of all visits as some residents may become stressed or anxious when unknown visitors arrive. Unfortunately we cannot cater for visitors to stay overnight.

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

We strive to keep the loved ones of our residents involved in their care. Every month, they are invited to a meeting at the home. This is a great way to meet with the residents’ support team and hear about their loved one’s life in our home. We can also arrange phone calls and emails at other times.

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

Everyone who stays with us are supported to call their loved ones any time, via phone or video call. Our home has two incoming phone lines, and there are cordless phones at various points around the property. In addition, we can support our residents to get their own mobile phone, where appropriate.

What are the bedrooms like?

Our bedrooms are large and fully furnished. As some of the furniture has been bought to cater for the needs of residents, it cannot be removed. Our staff help residents to decorate their rooms, as we want everyone to feel like their space is truly theirs.

Are external doors kept locked?

Due to the nature of the service, external gates are locked, but residents can come and go into their garden or courtyard. We ensure every resident is individually risk assessed for security.

What do residents eat and how do meal times work?

Residents are supported to choose, prepare and cook their own meals. We can cater for any dietary requirements and ensure that everyone eats a healthy, well-rounded diet, with foods that they enjoy.

How does laundry work?

Residents are given help to do their own laundry, as part of promoting independence, with staff on hand to offer support if and when it is required. Our team will ensure that residents always have access to clean clothes and bedding.

Who does the housekeeping and domiciliary tasks?

There is a rota for residents in the home who are able to carry out tasks such as cleaning. Every month, the tasks are discussed by staff in their resident meetings. We support residents to develop their independence, and this includes engaging with their activities of daily living.

Is there anything they can’t bring or have?

We would ask that residents do not bring valuables such as family heirlooms to our home, as we cannot guarantee their safety. We may place restrictions on some items where the risks cannot be appropriately managed, such as non-approved drugs and medications, solvent-based products and lighters.

How do activities work?

Everyone we care for has a tailored activities planner. Residents can enjoy activities in the home or in the community, and we will support with this. Communication tools will be used to ensure residents have an input into what they want to do.

How will residents be supported with their behavioural 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.

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

Care plans are regularly reviewed and the views of everyone within the circle of support is taken into account. We are passionate about residents having a say too, so we use a variety of communication tools to ensure they can contribute.

What are the car parking facilities?

There is a driveway with parking.

What is the smoking policy?

Smoking is not permitted indoors. We request that people kindly smoke outside of the property, and this includes vapes.

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
Tap on a number to call
Make a referral