Home care · Lancashire
Children's care at home in Lancaster
Of the 36 home care agencies covering Lancaster, 5 offer children's care. Of the 4 CQC has rated, 100% are Good or Outstanding, compared with 89% for children's care across England. Our estimate of typical fees here: about £33.50 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 2 home care agencies have not been rated for more than four years and 2 joined the CQC register during the past two years. CQC's latest rating here went to Holywell Care Services (Morecambe): Good, on 23 October 2026.
Updated 25 October 2026 from the CQC register (Open Government Licence)
Key points
- 1 are registered with CQC to support people with dementia.
- Latest CQC rating changes in Lancashire, checked daily.
- Among the 4 rated agencies, 4 hold a Good or Outstanding rating and 1 is not yet rated.
- Lancashire council offers a free care needs assessment, whatever your savings.
Reference this page as: The Care Panel, "Children's care at home in Lancaster", Oct 2026, based on the CQC register.
- 5CQC-registered agencies
- 100%of those rated are Good or Outstanding
- 1lists dementia as a specialism
- 2inspected or rated in the last 2 years
Ranked providers of children's care
Order: CQC rating first, then how recent that rating is, then distance. Our ranking method
- All 36
- Elderly care · 31
- Care for adults under 65 · 30
- Physical disability care · 26
- Sensory impairment care · 23
- Dementia care · 22
- Learning disability care · 18
- Mental health care · 16
- Children's care · 5
- Substance misuse support · 3
| # | Agency | Rating | Rated | Office | More specialisms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Salutem Supported Living North | Apr 2026 | 1.6 miles | 5 | |
| 2 | Holywell Care Services (Morecambe) | Oct 2026 | 3.6 miles | 7 | |
| 3 | A Family’s Best Friend | Feb 2019 | 3.2 miles | 5 | |
| 4 | Specialist Care Team Domiciliary Office | Jan 2019 | 3.4 miles | 5 | |
| 5 | Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity - Kentown Team | Not yet rated | – | under 0.5 miles | 0 |
All agencies covering Lancaster with a CQC registration for children's care. Order: rating, then how recent it is, with distance from the centre used last.
Children's care in Lancaster: ratings, size and cost
Registered for children's care: 5 out of 36 agencies covering Lancaster (14%). England-wide, 89% of agencies registered for children's care are Good or Outstanding and here it is 100% (above England, 3 points above the 97% for all agencies in the town).
For children's care, the top rated agencies are Salutem Supported Living North, Holywell Care Services (Morecambe) and A Family’s Best Friend. Ratings run from January 2019 to October 2026, and 2 are from the last two years. 2 are based within 2 miles of the centre of Lancaster. 1 of them is not yet rated, which is usual for newly registered services.
Across Lancashire, 56 agencies are registered for children's care, and 93% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Across Lancashire, 19% of agencies are registered for children's care, against 14% here.
Typical prices in the North West: about £33.50 an hour for weekday visits (evenings and weekends cost more) and around £1,610 a week for live-in care. How we estimate costs.
About children's care
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
- Are carers trained in the child's specific health needs?
- How do you handle safeguarding and DBS checks?
- Can support be paid for with a direct payment from the council?
- What experience do carers have with children of this age and need?
- How do you work with school and health professionals?
Where to get support: Contact helpline for families with disabled children, 0808 808 3555. Lancashire: care needs assessment.
Children's care around Lancaster
| Place | How far | Agencies | Rated Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster | – | 5 | 4 |
| Morecambe | 2.6 mi | 5 | 4 |
| Carnforth | 5.5 mi | 6 | 4 |
| Thornton | 14.7 mi | 7 | 7 |
| Longridge | 17.0 mi | 12 | 7 |
| Barrow-in-Furness | 18.0 mi | 4 | 1 |
| Fulwood | 18.5 mi | 19 | 13 |
Help from the council
Lancashire
A care needs assessment from Lancashire council is free whatever your savings. With savings below £23,250, the council may help pay.
Asking Lancashire for an assessment, and how payment and direct payments work
Free · by email
Free care cost report for Lancaster
- 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
What families want to know about children's care in Lancaster
Which home care agencies in Lancaster offer children's care?
5 of the 36 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 7 miles of Lancaster list children's care as a specialism (CQC register, Oct 2026). Well-rated choices include Salutem Supported Living North, Holywell Care Services (Morecambe) and A Family’s Best Friend.
Are home care agencies in Lancaster well rated?
Good or Outstanding: 4 (100%) of the 4 rated. 1 is awaiting a first rating, as is usual for new registrations.
How much does home care cost in Lancaster?
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. 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. Our cost guide has more detail.
Will I get help from Lancashire council with the cost of home care?
Possibly. Under the Care Act 2014, Lancashire 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 Lancashire council.
How should I compare agencies in Lancaster?
Start with the latest CQC report and its date: 2 of the 5 listed here were inspected or rated in the last two years, while 2 have older reports. Then ask about continuity of staff, how they handle missed visits, and the full price before you sign. Our checklist.
How do nearby towns compare with Lancaster for children's care?
Counting children's care: Lancaster 5 (4 Good or Outstanding); Morecambe (2.6 miles): 5, 4 rated Good or Outstanding; Carnforth (5.5 miles): 6, 4 rated Good or Outstanding; Garstang (10.1 miles): 1, 1 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 Lancaster providers who accept enquiries via The Care Panel, and they email you back.
Children's care near Lancaster
- Children's care in Morecambe 2.6 mi
- Children's care in Carnforth 5.5 mi
- Children's care in Garstang 10.1 mi
- Children's care in Catterall 11.9 mi
- Children's care in Fleetwood 13.2 mi
- Children's care in Thornton 14.7 mi
- Children's care in Ulverston 15.6 mi
- Children's care in Longridge 17.0 mi
Other help in Lancaster
Ready to ask? Get start dates and prices from your shortlist.
Just two questions, free, and your details go to the providers you pick and no one else
Register information from CQC as at Oct 2026; Open Government Licence v3.0 applies. We do not deliver care ourselves.