Home care · Essex
Children's care at home in Wickford
30 of the 115 home care agencies covering Wickford offer children's care, from 29 providers. Hales Group Limited has the most, at 2. 96% of the 24 rated by CQC are Good or Outstanding, against 89% for children's care across England. 2 are Outstanding. Expect to pay here about £33.50 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 15 home care agencies were last rated over four years ago and 2 registered in the last two years. The most recent rating was Kemfa Services Limited, rated Good on 13 October 2025.
Data: the CQC register, updated 27 October 2026, under the Open Government Licence
Quick summary
- Essex council offers a free care needs assessment, whatever your savings.
- 23 list dementia as a specialism.
- Among the 24 rated agencies, 23 hold a Good or Outstanding rating, 1 is rated Requires improvement or Inadequate and 6 are not yet rated.
- We check for new CQC ratings in Essex daily: see the latest changes.
Reference this page as: The Care Panel, "Children's care at home in Wickford", Oct 2026, based on the CQC register.
- 30CQC-registered agencies
- 96%of those rated are Good or Outstanding
- 23support people with dementia
- 2inspected or rated in the last 2 years
Who offers children's care in Wickford
Highest CQC rating first; ties go to the more recent rating, then the nearer provider. How the list is ordered
- All 115
- Elderly care · 108
- Care for adults under 65 · 106
- Physical disability care · 94
- Dementia care · 91
- Sensory impairment care · 73
- Mental health care · 68
- Learning disability care · 59
- Children's care · 30
- Supported living · 24
- Substance misuse support · 18
- Eating disorder support · 17
| # | Agency | Rating | Rated | Office | More specialisms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kemfa Services Limited | Oct 2025 | 3.6 miles | 6 | |
| 2 | J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon | Sep 2025 | 3.8 miles | 7 | |
| 3 | Hales Group Limited – Essex | Sep 2024 | 1.0 miles | 9 | |
| 4 | Remaj Care | Jul 2022 | 2.3 miles | 2 | |
| 5 | London Care (Basildon) | May 2023 | 3.0 miles | 8 | |
| 6 | Dion Care Services Limited | Sep 2023 | 3.1 miles | 9 | |
| 7 | Caronne Care Essex Branch | Oct 2022 | 3.6 miles | 8 | |
| 8 | Cera - Essex and Havering | Jul 2024 | 3.7 miles | 8 | |
| 9 | Amazing Grace Personnel | Mar 2022 | 3.8 miles | 6 | |
| 10 | KB Solutionz Head Office | Mar 2022 | 6.1 miles | 7 | |
| 11 | Brisca Healthcare Ltd | Mar 2023 | 6.3 miles | 7 | |
| 12 | Nexus Support Ltd | Jan 2019 | 0.9 miles | 4 | |
| 13 | Poplar House | Feb 2019 | 2.2 miles | 9 | |
| 14 | Wellspring Care | Jul 2021 | 2.3 miles | 7 | |
| 15 | Prompt Healthcare Staffing Limited | Sep 2018 | 3.6 miles | 9 | |
| 16 | Excellence Care | Jan 2020 | 3.7 miles | 6 | |
| 17 | Potton Services | Jul 2021 | 3.9 miles | 4 | |
| 18 | Hospice at Home | Jan 2023 | 4.5 miles | 7 | |
| 19 | Southways Group Ltd | Jun 2021 | 4.6 miles | 5 | |
| 20 | Care Quality Services Maldon | May 2020 | 5.1 miles | 9 | |
| 21 | Real People Ltd | Apr 2019 | 5.3 miles | 6 | |
| 22 | Bluebird Care (Southend & Rochford) | Apr 2019 | 5.5 miles | 7 | |
| 23 | Seccare+ | Mar 2020 | 5.6 miles | 7 | |
| 24 | Fresh Tree Care Services – Basildon Branch | Dec 2022 | 5.8 miles | 7 | |
| 25 | Satellite Health Care Limited | Not yet rated | – | 2.6 miles | 2 |
| 26 | Great Future Support | Not yet rated | – | 3.0 miles | 6 |
| 27 | Favour Care Limited | Not yet rated | – | 3.2 miles | 6 |
| 28 | Sycamore Staffing | Not yet rated | – | 3.7 miles | 3 |
| 29 | Nurseplus - Rayleigh | Not yet rated | – | 3.8 miles | 10 |
| 30 | JNJ Support Services Ltd | Not yet rated | – | 5.8 miles | 5 |
All agencies covering Wickford with a CQC registration for children's care. Order: rating, then how recent it is, with distance from the centre used last.
How children's care in Wickford compares
Registered for children's care: 30 out of 115 agencies covering Wickford (26%). Their Good or Outstanding share is 96%, in line with the town-wide 96% and above the 89% for children's care across England.
The highest rated agencies for children's care are Kemfa Services Limited, J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon and Hales Group Limited – Essex. Ratings run from September 2018 to October 2025, and 2 are from the last two years. Offices within 2 miles of Wickford centre: 2. 6 of them are not yet rated, which is usual for newly registered services.
Across Essex, 87 agencies are registered for children's care, and 92% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Across Essex, 18% of agencies are registered for children's care, against 26% here.
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
Short breaks for parents, personal care and support with health routines are the main parts of this care, which is for young people and children with disabilities or complex health needs, together with their families.
What to ask about children's care
- How much notice do you need for short breaks?
- How do you work with school and health professionals?
- Can we have the same carers each time?
- How do you plan for the move to adult services?
- How do you handle safeguarding and DBS checks?
Where to get support: Contact helpline for families with disabled children, 0808 808 3555. Ask Essex for a care needs assessment.
Children's care in nearby towns
| Town | Distance | Agencies | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wickford | – | 30 | 23 |
| Rayleigh | 3.5 mi | 38 | 27 |
| Basildon | 3.8 mi | 32 | 23 |
| South Woodham Ferrers | 4.4 mi | 12 | 9 |
| Billericay | 4.7 mi | 34 | 23 |
| Hadleigh | 5.1 mi | 36 | 25 |
| Hockley | 5.6 mi | 23 | 15 |
Council support
Essex
Savings under £23,250? Essex council may help with the cost, and its care needs assessment is free for everyone.
How to ask for an assessment, paying for care and direct payments in Essex
Free · by email
Free care cost report for Wickford
- 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
Children's care in Wickford: your questions answered
Which home care agencies in Wickford offer children's care?
30 of the 115 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Wickford list children's care as a specialism (CQC register, Oct 2026). Among the highest rated are Kemfa Services Limited, J.C.Michael Groups Ltd Basildon and Hales Group Limited – Essex.
How does CQC rate home care agencies in Wickford?
23 (96%) are rated Good or Outstanding, out of 24 with a rating, including 2 Outstanding, while 1 is rated below Good. 6 are awaiting a first rating, as is usual for new registrations.
What does home care cost in Wickford?
Prices typically seen across England in 2026: visiting care around £32–£34 an hour; live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. The gap between agencies is bigger than the gap between regions. Ask for prices in writing, and check what weekends and bank holidays cost. Homecare Association figure for 2026/27: a sustainable council rate for home care in England starts at £34.42 an hour. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Our cost guide has more detail.
Does Essex council fund home care?
Possibly. Under the Care Act 2014, Essex council has a duty to assess, free of charge, anyone who seems to need care and support. After a means test, the council may pay towards care when savings and investments total less than £23,250, depending on income; your home's value is ignored for care at home. Attendance Allowance does not depend on savings or income. Contacting Essex council.
How do I choose between agencies in Wickford?
Read the most recent CQC report and check its date. Here, 2 of 30 were inspected or rated within the last two years, while 22 have older reports. Before signing, ask about staff continuity, how they handle missed visits and the full price. Our checklist.
Are there more children's care in towns near Wickford?
In Wickford there are 30, 23 rated Good or Outstanding. The closest towns on our site are Rayleigh (3.5 miles): 38, 27 rated Good or Outstanding; Basildon (3.8 miles): 32, 23 rated Good or Outstanding; South Woodham Ferrers (4.4 miles): 12, 9 rated Good or Outstanding.
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Provider details from the Care Quality Commission register, updated Oct 2026. Contains CQC data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel is not a care provider.