Home care · Hertfordshire
Children's care at home in Bishop's Stortford
7 of the 31 home care agencies covering Bishop's Stortford offer children's care. CQC has rated 5 of them, and 80% are Good or Outstanding, against 89% for children's care across England. We estimate typical fees here at about £33.50 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 1 home care agency was last rated over four years ago. The most recent rating was Caremark (Harlow & Epping Forest), rated Requires improvement on 8 December 2025.
Updated 27 October 2026 from the CQC register (Open Government Licence)
Quick summary
- Good or Outstanding: 4 of the 5 rated agencies, and 1 is rated below Good; 2 are still waiting for a first rating.
- We check for new CQC ratings in Hertfordshire daily: see the latest changes.
- Whatever your savings, Hertfordshire council will assess care needs for free.
- 6 list dementia as a specialism.
Cite this: The Care Panel, "Children's care at home in Bishop's Stortford", analysis of the CQC register, Oct 2026.
- 7agencies on the CQC register
- 80%of rated services are Good or Outstanding
- 6offer dementia support
- 3with a rating or inspection since October 2024
Providers offering children's care
Order: CQC rating first, then how recent that rating is, then distance. Our ranking method
- All 31
- Care for adults under 65 · 31
- Elderly care · 31
- Dementia care · 28
- Physical disability care · 27
- Sensory impairment care · 19
- Learning disability care · 16
- Mental health care · 15
- Substance misuse support · 7
- Children's care · 7
- Supported living · 6
- Eating disorder support · 4
| # | Home care agency | Overall rating | Last rated | Office | Extra specialisms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Violet Care Agency Ltd | Jun 2025 | 5.6 miles | 7 | |
| 2 | Central Care Recruitment Limited | Mar 2022 | 6.1 miles | 8 | |
| 3 | Lehope Care Limited | Apr 2023 | 6.1 miles | 6 | |
| 4 | At Home Support Services Limited | Jul 2024 | 6.1 miles | 6 | |
| 5 | Caremark (Harlow & Epping Forest) | Dec 2025 | 6.0 miles | 8 | |
| 6 | Care By Us Limited | Not yet rated | – | 0.5 miles | 9 |
| 7 | Gold Cross Care Limited | Not yet rated | – | 6.8 miles | 3 |
The full list for children's care covering Bishop's Stortford: sorted by CQC rating and rating date, then distance from the town centre.
How children's care in Bishop's Stortford compares
7 of the 31 agencies covering Bishop's Stortford are registered with CQC for children's care (23%). Of those rated, 80% are Good or Outstanding: 9 points below the 89% for every agency here, and below the England figure of 89% for children's care.
Violet Care Agency Ltd, Central Care Recruitment Limited and Lehope Care Limited lead the list for children's care. 3 have a rating from the past two years. Oldest: March 2022. Newest: December 2025. Within 2 miles of Bishop's Stortford centre: 1 office. Not yet rated: 2. That is usual for services registered recently.
Council-wide, 65 agencies in Hertfordshire list children's care, and 85% of those with a rating are Good or Outstanding. Share registered for children's care: 23% here, 20% across Hertfordshire.
In the East of England, weekday visiting care typically costs about £33.50 an hour, with higher rates at evenings and weekends. Live-in care costs about £1,610 a week. Where these figures come from.
Children's care: what it means
Families of disabled children, or of children with complex health needs, can get help at home: carers give personal care, support health routines and let parents take short breaks.
Questions worth asking 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?
Free advice: Contact helpline for families with disabled children, 0808 808 3555. Hertfordshire: care needs assessment.
Nearby towns: children's care
| Town | Miles | Number of agencies | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bishop's Stortford | – | 7 | 4 |
| Harlow | 7.1 mi | 11 | 7 |
| Ware | 8.9 mi | 10 | 7 |
| Hoddesdon | 10.8 mi | 22 | 16 |
| Saffron Walden | 11.2 mi | 3 | 3 |
| Hertford | 11.2 mi | 16 | 11 |
| Epping | 11.9 mi | 30 | 22 |
Help from the council
Hertfordshire
A care needs assessment from Hertfordshire council is free whatever your savings. With savings below £23,250, the council may help pay.
Asking Hertfordshire for an assessment, and how payment and direct payments work
Free · by email
Free care cost report for Bishop's Stortford
- 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
Common questions about children's care in Bishop's Stortford
How many agencies in Bishop's Stortford offer children's care?
Children's care is a registered specialism for 7 of the 31 agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Bishop's Stortford (CQC register, Oct 2026). Well-rated choices include Violet Care Agency Ltd, Central Care Recruitment Limited and Lehope Care Limited.
How does CQC rate home care agencies in Bishop's Stortford?
4 (80%) are rated Good or Outstanding, out of 5 with a rating; 1 is Requires improvement or Inadequate. Newly registered services often have no rating yet; 2 here are still unrated.
What does home care cost in Bishop's Stortford?
Typical 2026 prices across England: visiting care around £32–£34 an hour; live-in care around £1,540–£1,610 a week. Hourly rates vary between agencies more than between regions; ask each agency for its full price list, including weekend and bank holiday rates. The Homecare Association puts the minimum sustainable price for council-funded home care in England at £34.42 an hour for 2026/27. Source: Lottie Care Index, Q3 2026. Read the full cost guide.
Does Hertfordshire council fund home care?
It can. Step one is the needs assessment: Hertfordshire council cannot charge for it and must offer it to every person who seems to need support (Care Act 2014). If your savings and investments come to under £23,250, it may then contribute following a financial assessment, depending on income, and for care in your own home the property is left out. Separately, Attendance Allowance has no means test. Getting in touch with Hertfordshire council.
How do I choose between agencies in Bishop's Stortford?
Read the most recent CQC report and check its date. Here, 3 of 7 were inspected or rated within the last two years. Older reports: 2. Before signing, ask about staff continuity, how they handle missed visits and the full price. A checklist to help.
Are there more children's care in towns near Bishop's Stortford?
In Bishop's Stortford there are 7, 4 rated Good or Outstanding. The closest towns on our site are Harlow (7.1 miles): 11, 7 rated Good or Outstanding; Great Dunmow (8.6 miles): 1, 1 rated Good or Outstanding; Ware (8.9 miles): 10, 7 rated Good or Outstanding.
Busy? Let us pass your request to providers.
Describe what's needed in one form. We send it to as many as three Bishop's Stortford providers who accept enquiries via The Care Panel, and they email you back.
Children's care near Bishop's Stortford
- Children's care in Harlow 7.1 mi
- Children's care in Great Dunmow 8.6 mi
- Children's care in Ware 8.9 mi
- Children's care in Hoddesdon 10.8 mi
- Children's care in Saffron Walden 11.2 mi
- Children's care in Hertford 11.2 mi
- Children's care in Epping 11.9 mi
- Children's care in Cheshunt 14.0 mi
Other help in Bishop's Stortford
Found a few that look right? Ask who can start and what it costs.
Two questions, no cost, shared only with the providers you choose
Built from the Care Quality Commission's register (Oct 2026) under Open Government Licence v3.0. The Care Panel lists and compares services but runs none.