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The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive
Residential Care
3 February 2025
The Kent Autistic Trust
6 beds
Rating history
- Dec 2015
- Jun 2018
- Mar 2025
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
Run by The Kent Autistic Trust, which runs 5 care homes in England: 1 rated Outstanding and 4 Good.
- 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 The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive
52a River Drive is a residential care home in Medway, run by The Kent Autistic Trust, providing care and support for people with a learning disability and autistic people. Full details of the CQC's most recent findings are set out below.
52a River Drive is a residential care home run by The Kent Autistic Trust, providing care and support for people with a learning disability and autistic people. The CQC rated the service Good, finding people were protected from harm and their health risks well managed, with staff skilled and confident in their roles. Consent and choice were respected, and people were supported to be as independent as possible.
Inspectors found staff responsive to people's needs and working within "right support, right care, right culture" principles. Relatives and a visiting professional gave positive feedback, describing kind, informed staff and a welcoming atmosphere. One gap was noted: end of life care plans were not yet in place, though the manager had a plan to address this.
Source: CQC assessment, 4 March 2025
Specialist Care
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
- Registered capacity
- 6 places — this is not a vacancy count
- Registration checked
- Registered · ME2 3JR
Registered care categories
Learning disabilities.
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: .
Assessment published 4 March 2025. Assessment date recorded: 3 February 2025.
Read CQC's assessment overview
The following is CQC's published account of its assessment, published 4 March 2025. References to “we” mean CQC. It describes findings at that time.
52a River Drive is a residential care home that provides care and support for people with a learning disability and autistic people. We completed the assessment between 4 February 2025 and 10 February 2025. We assessed quality statements in Safe, Effective, Caring and Responsive and found areas of good practice. We found end of life care plans were not in place, however the manager had a plan to address this. People were protected from the risk of harm and abuse; people’s health risks were well managed, and staff had the skills and competence to support people safely. People’s needs were assessed, and their consent and choice were always considered. Staff supported people to be independent. Staff were responsive to people’s needs. We have assessed the service against ‘Right support, right care, right culture’ guidance to make judgements about whether the provider guaranteed people with a learning disability and autistic people respect, equality, dignity, choices, independence and good access to local communities that most people take for granted. The provider was working within the principles of the Rights support, right care, right culture guidance.
- Safe
- Effective
- Caring
- Responsive
- Well-led
Read The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive'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 The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive, 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 The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive, 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 The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive'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.
Location
52a River Drive, Strood, Rochester, Kent, ME2 3JR

The Kent Autistic Trust - 52a River Drive
CQC overall rating
Assessment date: 3 February 2025
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