Home care · Medway
Children's care at home in Rainham, Kent
Children's care is offered by 5 of the 23 home care agencies covering Rainham, Kent. 75% of the 4 rated by CQC are Good or Outstanding (versus 89% for children's care across England). Expect to pay here about £33.50 an hour for visiting care and £1,610 a week for live-in careestimated. 3 home care agencies were last rated more than four years ago.
Source: CQC register · Updated 27 October 2026 · Open Government Licence
Quick summary
- Whatever your savings, Medway council will assess care needs for free.
- Rating changes in Medway are checked each day. See what changed recently.
- 5 list dementia as a specialism.
- 3 of the 4 rated agencies are Good or Outstanding, and 1 is rated below Good; 1 is still waiting for a first rating.
Reference this page as: The Care Panel, "Children's care at home in Rainham, Kent", Oct 2026, based on the CQC register.
- 5CQC-registered agencies
- 75%of those rated are Good or Outstanding
- 5list dementia as a specialism
- 1inspected or rated in the last 2 years
Who offers children's care in Rainham, Kent
Sorted on CQC rating and its date, with distance used last. How we rank
- All 23
- Elderly care · 21
- Care for adults under 65 · 20
- Dementia care · 16
- Mental health care · 15
- Physical disability care · 15
- Learning disability care · 12
- Sensory impairment care · 10
- Supported living · 8
- Children's care · 5
| # | Agency | Rating | Rated | Office | More specialisms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bluebird Care (Swale) | Mar 2022 | under 0.5 miles | 9 | |
| 2 | Sambhana Care Ltd | Jun 2024 | 2.7 miles | 5 | |
| 3 | Agincare UK Medway | Jul 2021 | 2.7 miles | 6 | |
| 4 | Community Careline | Jul 2021 | under 0.5 miles | 6 | |
| 5 | Rapid Care | Not yet rated | – | under 0.5 miles | 5 |
All agencies covering Rainham, Kent 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 Rainham, Kent: what the data shows
Registered for children's care: 5 out of 23 agencies covering Rainham, Kent (22%). Of those rated, 75% are Good or Outstanding: 7 points below the 82% for every agency here, and below the England figure of 89% for children's care.
Bluebird Care (Swale), Sambhana Care Ltd and Agincare UK Medway lead the list for children's care. Ratings run from July 2021 to June 2024, and 1 is from the last two years. Offices within 2 miles of Rainham, Kent centre: 3. 1 of them is not yet rated, which is usual for newly registered services.
Across Medway, 22 agencies are registered for children's care, and 62% of those rated are Good or Outstanding. Across Medway, 21% of agencies are registered for children's care, against 22% here.
Live-in care in the South East 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 do you work with school and health professionals?
- How much notice do you need for short breaks?
- How do you plan for the move to adult services?
- Can we have the same carers each time?
- Are carers trained in the child's specific health needs?
Where to get support: Contact helpline for families with disabled children, 0808 808 3555. Medway: care needs assessment.
Children's care in nearby towns
| Town | Distance | Agencies | Good or Outstanding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rainham, Kent | – | 5 | 3 |
| Gillingham | 1.6 mi | 30 | 13 |
| Chatham | 3.4 mi | 35 | 15 |
| Rochester | 5.2 mi | 30 | 13 |
| Sittingbourne | 5.5 mi | 8 | 4 |
| Maidstone | 7.5 mi | 20 | 10 |
| Snodland | 7.7 mi | 34 | 15 |
Help from the council
Medway
Medway council assesses care needs free of charge regardless of savings, and may contribute when savings are below £23,250.
Free · by email
Free care cost report for Rainham, Kent
- 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 Rainham, Kent
Which home care agencies in Rainham, Kent offer children's care?
5 of the 23 CQC-registered agencies that have an office within 3 miles of Rainham, Kent list children's care as a specialism (CQC register, Oct 2026). Highly rated options include Bluebird Care (Swale), Sambhana Care Ltd and Agincare UK Medway.
What CQC ratings do home care agencies in Rainham, Kent have?
Of the 4 that have been rated, 3 (75%) are rated Good or Outstanding, while 1 is rated below Good. 1 is awaiting a first rating, as is usual for new registrations.
What are typical home care prices in Rainham, Kent?
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. 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. Our cost guide has more detail.
Will Medway council pay for home care?
Possibly. Under the Care Act 2014, Medway 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 Medway council.
What should I look for when choosing agencies in Rainham, Kent?
Three questions matter most once you have read the latest CQC report: will the staff be consistent, what is the plan for missed visits, and what is the total cost before signing? On dates, 1 of the 5 listed had an inspection or rating within the last two years, while 3 have older reports. Our checklist.
How does Rainham, Kent compare with nearby towns for children's care?
Nearest towns we cover: Gillingham (1.6 miles): 30, 13 rated Good or Outstanding; Chatham (3.4 miles): 35, 15 rated Good or Outstanding; Rochester (5.2 miles): 30, 13 rated Good or Outstanding. Rainham, Kent itself has 5, 3 of them Good or Outstanding.
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Nearby: children's care around Rainham, Kent
- Children's care in Gillingham 1.6 mi
- Children's care in Chatham 3.4 mi
- Children's care in Rochester 5.2 mi
- Children's care in Sittingbourne 5.5 mi
- Children's care in Maidstone 7.5 mi
- Children's care in Snodland 7.7 mi
- Children's care in Sheerness 8.4 mi
- Children's care in Minster 9.2 mi
More for Rainham, Kent, plus guides
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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.