Forge House

2 Podkin Wood, Walderslade, Chatham, Kent, ME5 9LY

01634566552

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

17 October 2019

Provider

Forge House Care Ltd

Beds

6 beds

Rating history

GoodMay 2015
GoodMar 2017
GoodDec 2019

Rated Good at every inspection since 2015.

Source: CQC inspection reports. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Costs and who runs this home

This is the only care home Forge House Care Ltd runs in England.

Average care home fees in the South East: £1,243 a week for residential care and £1,579 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

How to pay for a care home explains the council means test, what counts as capital and the funding you can ask to be assessed for.

About Forge House

Forge House is a residential care home in Chatham, Kent, providing accommodation and personal care for younger adults with a learning disability and autism. Further detail on how the service performs is set out in the CQC findings below.

Forge House provides accommodation and personal care for up to six people aged between 18 and 65 years who have a learning disability and autism. The service is based in Chatham and was at full capacity during inspection, with six people using the service. Staff support people to live meaningful lives with control, choice, and independence, delivering planned and co-ordinated person-centred support that is appropriate and inclusive.

The service has a registered manager who is also the registered provider, along with a dedicated manager for Forge House and a behaviour support therapist on staff.

Source: CQC inspection report, 10 December 2019

Specialist Care

Learning disabilitiesMental healthOlder peopleYounger adults

Fees and availability

We have not verified a current weekly fee for this home. Ask for a written quote based on the room and care needed, including any extra charges.

Check current vacancies, the admission assessment and visiting arrangements directly with the home.

Care and inspection details

Checked against the CQC register on 20 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing
Registered capacity: 6 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · ME5 9LY

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Eating disorders; Learning disabilities; Mental health conditions; Substance misuse problems.

These describe the registration. The home must assess whether it can meet the individual person's needs and whether a place is available.

CQC ratings in more detail

Overall rating shown by CQC: Good.

Rating report published 10 December 2019. Latest inspection date recorded: 17 October 2019.

Safe: Good
Effective: Good
Caring: Good
Responsive: Good
Well-led: Requires improvement

Questions prompted by these ratings

Well-led: What has changed in management, checks and oversight since this rating?

These are questions for your visit, not a claim about conditions today.

Read Forge House's CQC record and reports.

Contains Care Quality Commission information under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Ratings and registration details can change after the date checked.

5 Questions to Ask on Your Visit

When visiting Forge House, consider asking...

1.What happens if my relative's care needs increase significantly -- will they have to move?
2.How do you handle concerns or complaints from families?
3.What does the monthly fee cover and what will cost extra?
4.How do you keep families informed about their relative's day-to-day wellbeing?
5.What happens if my relative is unhappy here?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Forge House, look out for...

1.Do staff greet residents by name and stop to chat?
2.Are residents dressed, up and occupied, or sitting alone in front of a TV?
3.Does the home smell fresh and feel clean without being clinical?
4.Do residents look comfortable and at ease, or anxious and withdrawn?
5.Does the manager answer your questions openly or deflect?

Could the NHS fund Forge House's fees?

The average nursing home costs £1,535 per week. That's £79,820 a year. NHS Continuing Healthcare could cover all of it. No means test, no contribution from you.

Find out if the NHS could fund these fees