Shaftesbury Dolphin Court

179-182 Eastern Esplanade, Thorpe Bay, Essex, SS1 3AA

01702584088

Care Type

Residential Care

Inspection date

1 October 2019

Provider

Livability

Beds

17 beds

Rating history

Requires ImprovementApr 2016
Requires ImprovementJun 2016
GoodApr 2017
GoodNov 2019

Improved from Requires Improvement to Good in 2017.

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

Costs and who runs this home

Run by Livability, which runs 13 care homes in England: 1 rated Outstanding and 12 Good.

Average care home fees in the East of England: £1,034 a week for residential care and £1,411 for nursing care (2024-25 averages). Self-funders usually pay more. See our care home costs guide.

This home lists dementia care, which usually costs more than standard residential care. See dementia care home costs. NHS Continuing Healthcare may apply where someone's needs are primarily health needs.
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 Shaftesbury Dolphin Court

Shaftesbury Dolphin Court is a residential care home in Southend-on-Sea, providing personal care for adults with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and acquired brain injuries. Further detail on the service can be found in the CQC findings below.

Dolphin Court accommodates up to fifteen people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and acquired brain injuries, providing personal care and accommodation but not nursing care. At inspection, fourteen people were using the service, with eleven receiving personal care. Feedback from residents and professionals was consistently positive, with people expressing satisfaction about living there and maintaining control over their daily lives.

The service's vision and values, embraced by all staff, emphasize supporting people to live full and independent lives while challenging barriers faced by those with disabilities. Staff demonstrated knowledge of safeguarding procedures and how to protect people from harm.

Source: CQC inspection report, 1 November 2019

Specialist Care

DementiaLearning disabilitiesOlder peoplePhysical disabilitiesYounger 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 21 September 2026. This is a check of published information, not a visit to the home.

Registered service: Care home service without nursing; Domiciliary care service
Registered capacity: 17 places — this is not a vacancy count
Registration checked: Registered · SS1 3AA

Registered care categories

Caring for adults over 65 yrs; Caring for adults under 65 yrs; Dementia; Learning disabilities; Mental health conditions; Physical disabilities; Sensory impairment.

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 1 November 2019. Latest inspection date recorded: 1 October 2019.

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

Read Shaftesbury Dolphin Court'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 Shaftesbury Dolphin Court, consider asking...

1.What specific dementia training do staff receive and how recently?
2.How do you support a resident who becomes distressed or confused?
3.How does the home keep a record of a resident's life history and personal preferences?
4.How do you involve families as dementia progresses and communication becomes harder?
5.What happens when a resident's dementia reaches an advanced stage?

5 Things to Look For on Your Visit

When you visit Shaftesbury Dolphin Court, look out for...

1.Is the environment calm, uncluttered and easy to navigate?
2.Do staff speak to residents with patience and dignity, even if they repeat themselves?
3.Are there memory cues around the home -- photos, familiar objects, clear signage?
4.Do residents seem settled and safe, or agitated and unsupervised?
5.Is there meaningful activity happening, or are residents just sitting quietly with nothing to do?

Could the NHS fund Shaftesbury Dolphin Court'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