Home care · Cambridgeshire
Children's care at home in Waterbeach
9 out of 37 home care agencies covering Waterbeach are registered for children's care. CQC has rated 3 of them, and 67% are Good or Outstanding, next to 89% for children's care across England; 1 is Outstanding. We estimate typical fees here at about £32 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 2 home care agencies have a rating more than four years old and 2 registered with CQC within the past two years.
Source: CQC register · Updated 26 October 2026 · Open Government Licence
In short
- You can ask Cambridgeshire council for a free care needs assessment; savings make no difference.
- For dementia support, 7 have it on their CQC registration.
- We check for new CQC ratings in Cambridgeshire daily: see the latest changes.
- CQC rates 2 of the 3 agencies with a rating as Good or Outstanding; 1 is Requires improvement or Inadequate. 6 are not rated yet.
Citation: "Children's care at home in Waterbeach", The Care Panel analysis of CQC register data, Oct 2026.
- 9CQC-registered agencies
- 67%rated Good or Outstanding (of those rated)
- 7list dementia as a specialism
- 0inspected or rated in the last 2 years
Who offers children's care in Waterbeach
Sorted on CQC rating and its date, with distance used last. How we rank
- All 37
- Physical disability care · 35
- Elderly care · 34
- Care for adults under 65 · 32
- Dementia care · 30
- Sensory impairment care · 23
- Mental health care · 23
- Learning disability care · 21
- Children's care · 9
- Substance misuse support · 7
- Eating disorder support · 6
| # | Agency | Rating | Rated | Office | More specialisms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guyatt House Care | Sep 2022 | under 0.5 miles | 6 | |
| 2 | Edmund House | Apr 2020 | 0.5 miles | 1 | |
| 3 | Mercylink Care Cambridgeshire | Nov 2022 | 4.3 miles | 7 | |
| 4 | ANK Solutions Ltd | Not yet rated | – | under 0.5 miles | 8 |
| 5 | Perfect Care Cambridge | Not yet rated | – | under 0.5 miles | 5 |
| 6 | Nurse Plus UK - Bury | Not yet rated | – | 3.2 miles | 8 |
| 7 | Verity Healthcare - Cambridgeshire | Not yet rated | – | 3.6 miles | 5 |
| 8 | Med Onc Professionals Limited | Not yet rated | – | 4.3 miles | 6 |
| 9 | Gifted Quality Care Main Office | Not yet rated | – | 5.1 miles | 7 |
Every agency covering Waterbeach registered with CQC for children's care, ranked by CQC rating and how recent it is, then by distance.
Children's care in Waterbeach by the numbers
CQC lists children's care for 9 of the 37 agencies covering Waterbeach, or 24%. 67% of those rated are Good or Outstanding, 19 points below the 86% for all agencies here and below the 89% for agencies registered for children's care across England.
Leading on CQC ratings for children's care: Guyatt House Care and Edmund House. 0 were rated in the last two years; the oldest rating dates from April 2020 and the newest from November 2022. Offices within 2 miles of Waterbeach centre: 4. 6 of them are not yet rated, which is usual for newly registered services.
Across Cambridgeshire, 30 agencies are registered for children's care, and 92% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Here 24% of agencies list children's care, compared with 22% across Cambridgeshire.
Live-in care in the East of England runs at around £1,610 a week; visiting care is about £33.50 an hour on weekdays, more in the evening and at weekends. How these costs are worked out.
What children's care involves
At home, a carer can look after a child with a disability or complex health needs: helping with personal care and health routines, and giving parents a short break. Support is for the young person and the whole family.
Questions to ask agencies about children's care
- How do you handle safeguarding and DBS checks?
- Are carers trained in the child's specific health needs?
- What experience do carers have with children of this age and need?
- Can support be paid for with a direct payment from the council?
- How much notice do you need for short breaks?
Where to get support: Contact helpline for families with disabled children, 0808 808 3555. Getting a care needs assessment from Cambridgeshire.
Children's care in nearby towns
| Town | Distance | Agencies | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbeach | – | 9 | 2 |
| Cottenham | 3.2 mi | 9 | 2 |
| Histon | 3.8 mi | 9 | 2 |
| Cambridge | 5.1 mi | 9 | 2 |
| Northstowe | 5.9 mi | 12 | 5 |
| Sawston | 10.0 mi | 3 | 0 |
| Cambourne | 11.6 mi | 5 | 2 |
Your council
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire council assesses care needs free of charge regardless of savings, and may contribute when savings are below £23,250.
Assessments, care funding and direct payments in Cambridgeshire
Free · by email
Free care cost report for Waterbeach
- Typical local prices for home care, overnight and live-in care
- What the council and the NHS may pay, with the 2026/27 savings limits
- The best-rated services near you, from the CQC register
Questions families ask about children's care in Waterbeach
Which agencies in Waterbeach provide children's care?
The CQC register for Oct 2026 shows that 9 of the 37 agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Waterbeach list children's care as a specialism. Highly rated options include Guyatt House Care and Edmund House.
How are home care agencies in Waterbeach rated by CQC?
CQC has rated 3. Of those, 2 (67%) are Good or Outstanding (1 Outstanding). Rated Requires improvement or Inadequate: 1. Not yet rated: 6. That is common for services registered recently.
How much should I expect to pay for home care in Waterbeach?
Usual 2026 prices across England: visiting care around £32–£34 an hour; live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. Ask every agency for a full list of charges, with weekend and bank holiday rates: hourly rates vary more between agencies than between regions. According to the Homecare Association, councils across England should pay no less than £34.42 an hour for home care in 2026/27 if it is to be sustainable. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. More in our cost guide.
Can Cambridgeshire council help pay for home care?
It may. Cambridgeshire council must offer a free care needs assessment to anyone who appears to need support (Care Act 2014). If savings and investments are below £23,250, the council may contribute after a financial assessment, depending on income, and for care at home the value of the home is not counted. Attendance Allowance is not means-tested. How to contact Cambridgeshire council.
How can I pick between agencies in Waterbeach?
Check how recent each CQC report is first: none of the 9 on this page were inspected or rated in the past two years; 3 have older reports. Next ask three things: will staff be consistent, what happens about missed visits, and what is the full price? Use our checklist.
What about children's care in towns near Waterbeach?
Waterbeach has 9, with 2 rated Good or Outstanding. Nearby: Cottenham (3.2 miles): 9, 2 rated Good or Outstanding; Histon (3.8 miles): 9, 2 rated Good or Outstanding; Cambridge (5.1 miles): 9, 2 rated Good or Outstanding.
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Nearby: children's care around Waterbeach
- Children's care in Cottenham 3.2 mi
- Children's care in Histon 3.8 mi
- Children's care in Cambridge 5.1 mi
- Children's care in Northstowe 5.9 mi
- Children's care in Soham 7.6 mi
- Children's care in Newmarket 8.9 mi
- Children's care in Ely 9.7 mi
- Children's care in Sawston 10.0 mi
More for Waterbeach, plus guides
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CQC register data (Oct 2026), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is independent of every provider listed.