Community
Ashford Gateway provides access to a wide range of community services.
If you need help or advice concerning the welfare of yourself or others, call the Kent Contact And Assessment Team on 08458 247 100.
A Contact Assessment Officer can offer assistance if:
- children need protection
- families are under stress
- children are seriously ill or disabled
- people with a disability need advice or support
- people are unable to look after themselves properly
- carers need assistance with caring for vulnerable adults
- adults need protection because they are frightened or worried by something
- older people need help because they are having difficulty looking after themselves and their home
- you need help with accessing Social Services online
They will assess your needs and then refer you to the right teams for more specialist help and advice.
A Contact Assesement Officer is available in the Gateway every Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9am to 5pm and Saturdays from 9am to 3.30pm.
Visit the Social Services website or call 08458 247 100 for more information about the service.
The Occupational Therapy Service provides assessment, advice, equipment and adaptations for disabled people living in their own homes. It works in close partnership with other organisations to arrange Disabled Facilities Grants and general support to help fund larger adaptation programmes.
The unit helps people to:
- Increase their independence
- Take control over their lives
- Live in their own homes as safely as possible
The OT service offers the following services at the Gateway:
- Assessments 1:1 and on line self assessment
- Advice and provision of equipment
- Advice on how to adapt your home
The Gateway has a fully adapted bathroom and kitchen that gives you a chance to see and use the equipment for yourself. Ask at Gateway Customer Services or call 08458 247 100 and ask to book an appointment to see the equipment at Ashford Gateway.
Visit Kent County Council’s Occupational Therapy website for more information.
You can assess your care needs – or on behalf of someone else - online with Kent County Council’s self-assessment service.
The service is for adults who are finding looking after themselves increasingly difficult. They might be struggling to get in and out of the bath, climb stairs or have difficulty with other aspects of their personal care.
Self-assessment is open to people who live within Kent County Council’s boundary, are 18 years or older and who do not receive any social care support.
Visit Kent County Council’s self-assessment website for more information.
Customers can now make an appointment to register births and deaths at the Ashford Gateway. Registrars from Kent County Council are now available everyday. You can also re-register births and pick up a wealth of information about the various other services they can provide.
Registrars are avaliable Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm by appointments only.
Visit the Registration Service Website or call 08458 247 400 for more information about the service and to book appointments.
If your partner is hurting you, emotionally or physically, then you can visit our drop-in session to get information and support that will help you make decisions about your future.
You will get advice on legal issues, housing and welfare benefits from representatives from family support, social services, the police, victim support, solicitors, benefits and housing.
Advisors are available in the Gateway on the first and third Tuesday of each month from 12pm to 2pm.
Visit Kent County Council’s domestic violence website for more information.
If you have been affected by crime, you can talk to someone in the Victim Support team in confidence about your experience and find information on police and court procedures.
Advisors have a drop-in session on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month.
For more information about the help and support available, visit the Victim Support website
Connexions offers information, advice and guidance for all young people aged between 13 and 19 years old, and for young people up to 25 years old if they have a learning difficulty or disability.
A Connexions officer will be in the Gateway every 3rd Thursday of the month from 10am to 1pm to discuss issues such as:
- carers
- employment
- training
- leisure
- health
Visit the Connexions website for more information about their services or call 01233 647862.
JobCentre Plus advisors help:
- more people into paid work
- employers fill their vacancies
- give people of working age the help and support they are entitled to if they cannot work
Visit the JobCentre Plus website for more information and to find your nearest office.
Community Wardens
Community Wardens aim to help the people of Kent to live safely and independently in their neighbourhoods and communities.
They provide a visible uniformed presence to tackle anti-social behaviour. Many wardens are regarded as the focal point for the communities they serve and their mobile telephone number is accessible to all.
A Community Warden is available at the Ashford Gateway every Wednesday 9am to 11am.
For more information visit the Community Warden website.
Chamber of Commerce
The Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, provide business advice within the Ashford, Tenterden & surrounding districts for start-ups and existing businesses. An advisers will take clients through the early stages of formation and planning, through to how to develop and expand their enterprise. They can help with the business plan and cash flow, together with all aspects of business and related legislation.
An adviser is at the Gateway office in Ashford, every Tuesday from 9.00am to 12.15pm. They hold surgeries at the Chamber offices on Tuesdays 2.00 pm till 5.00pm & Thursday 9.15am till 5.00pm. They also visit clients on site by appointment.The Chamber is accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce and are also members of the National Federation of of Enterprise Agencies.
For more information visit the Chamber of Commerce website or call 01622 295544.