Helping Hands
Helping Hands is a home care agency in Dartford, Kent (DA1 2DE). It holds a CQC rating of Good.
About Helping Hands
We provide care at home in Dartford and the surrounding part of Kent, supporting older people and younger adults, including people living with dementia, adults with learning disabilities, autistic people, people with physical disabilities and people with loss of sight or hearing. Needs that varied cannot be met from a standard package, so we ask before we plan. For an older person, help often centres on personal care, medication, meals and keeping the house manageable. For a younger adult it is more likely to be about independence: running a home, getting to work or college, handling money and keeping appointments. Where somebody is living with dementia, a familiar and unhurried carer does more good than anything written down. We put real effort into continuity, sending the same carers to the same households wherever the rota allows. It spares people from explaining themselves repeatedly and means somebody is likely to notice when a person is unwell, in pain or unusually withdrawn. Where sight or hearing is poor, small habits matter: saying who you are on coming in and leaving things where they were put. Our staff are trained for the needs they are asked to meet and have senior colleagues they can reach. Our most recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission rated us good overall. If you are looking into care at home, please get in touch for an honest conversation about what we can take on.
Care provided at Helping Hands
- Older person care
- Dementia care
- Learning disability and autism support
- Physical disability support
- Sensory impairment support
- Younger adults care
- Covers approximately 10 miles
- Last CQC inspection: 7 September 2019
Read the full inspection report on the CQC website.
What the inspectors found
A plain English summary of the Care Quality Commission inspection behind the current rating of Helping Hands Dartford. Report published 7 September 2019.
- 9 August 2019
- First assessment of the service
Safe
Inspectors found that risks were assessed for each person, and steps were put in place to help keep people safe. Risks inside and outside people's homes were recorded. Staff had infection control training and the protective equipment they needed, and medicines were checked by the registered manager.
Effective
Inspectors found that each person had an assessment before they received a service. This was used to write a care plan for them. New staff had an induction and were introduced to people before they supported them. Staff also had training about the conditions people lived with.
Caring
Inspectors received positive feedback from people and their relatives. Comments included having a great relationship with carers and carers being matched to a relative's needs.
Responsive
Inspectors found that care plans were personalised and fully completed. Staff could read individual information about each person. There was an up to date complaints procedure, and people and relatives said they knew how to complain. End of life care was not being provided at the time.
Well-led
Inspectors found that the provider had values that staff understood, including protecting people's human rights. The registered manager and provider asked people for their views and used audits to plan improvements. Managers also learned from meeting other managers in the organisation.
What people told the inspectors
People and their relatives gave positive feedback about the service. People said they felt safe and knew who they would talk to if they did not.
The best care staff I have ever had. A person using the service or a relative
Since the last inspection
This is the earliest rated inspection report we hold for this service, so there is no earlier rating to compare with.
- 7 September 2019: Routine inspection, rated Good. This inspection gave the current rating.
Read the full report on the CQC website
Source: Care Quality Commission inspection report, summarised by CareAssura. Contains CQC data used under the Open Government Licence.
How Helping Hands Dartford compares in Dartford
Measured against the 68 home care agencies registered in Dartford.
- CQC rating
- Good. 21 of the 68 agencies (31%) are rated Good or Outstanding. Across Kent the figure is 42%.
- Latest report
- 7 September 2019. 18 of the 68 agencies have published a newer inspection report since.
- Registered
- August 2018. One of the longer established agencies. 54 of the 68 registered more recently.
- Provider
- 151 services. Midshires Care Limited runs 151 adult social care services.
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Data: CQC register and Food Standards Agency ratings. Counts cover registered home care agencies in Dartford.
The local picture: Dartford
What the numbers say about home care in Dartford, in Kent.
What home care costs
| Type of care | What it costs |
|---|---|
| Hourly care visits, Kent | £28.50 to £39.15 an hour (Middle half of prices from 7 agencies. Median £32.00.) |
| What Kent pays | £28.05 an hour (Average hourly rate, October 2026.) |
| Homecare Association minimum price | £34.42 an hour (2026 to 2027. The Association's estimate of the lowest price that covers the cost of delivering care. It is not a legal minimum.) |
| Live in care, England | £1,250 to £1,668 a week (Middle half of prices from 62 agencies. Median £1,455.) |
Published prices come from agencies that publish rates, so treat them as a guide. Ask the agency for its own price.
- People aged 75 and over: 8,500. Rising to 9,600 by 2035, up 13%
- People aged 85 and over: 2,400. Rising to 3,300 by 2035, up 37%
- Living with dementia, aged 65 and over (estimate): 1,100. Rising to 1,400 by 2035, up 21%
- Dementia diagnosis rate: 78%. The NHS ambition is 67%. Kent as a whole is 62%.
- Agencies in the borough, last 12 months: 1 opened, 0 closed. 67 registered today.
- Choice of agencies: 651 within 10 miles. In a typical neighbourhood. The nearest is under a mile away (0.4 miles).
Powered by Orrery Intelligence. Market model built 22 October 2026 (ONS 2022 based population projections, dementia estimates, CQC register), published home care rates, Homecare Association.
Good to know about Helping Hands Dartford
Facts from public registers, and what the agency has told us.
- Registered with CQC
- 30 August 2018, so 8 years.
- Run by
- Midshires Care Limited, which runs 151 adult social care services in England. 131 of the 134 that have a rating are rated Good or Outstanding.
- Service type
- Personal care in people's own homes (domiciliary care).
- Where it covers
- Not yet confirmed by the agency. Check that your postcode is covered before you rely on it.
- Live in, overnight and 24 hour care
- Not yet confirmed. The agency can add these when it claims its profile.
Sources: CQC register and the agency's own entries. Anything marked not yet confirmed is shown as unknown rather than guessed.
Common questions about Helping Hands
Where is Helping Hands located?
Helping Hands is a home care agency based in Dartford, Kent (DA1 2DE), providing care to people in their own homes within approximately 10 miles of the area.
What type of care does Helping Hands provide?
Helping Hands is registered to provide care in people’s own homes, with support that includes Older person care, Dementia care, Learning disability and autism support, Physical disability support, Sensory impairment support, Younger adults care. The full list of services is shown on this page.
What is Helping Hands's CQC rating?
Helping Hands is registered with and inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Its most recent overall rating is Good following its last inspection on 7 September 2019. You can read the full CQC report from the link on this page.
Does Helping Hands provide dementia care?
Yes. Helping Hands supports people living with dementia. We recommend contacting the agency directly to discuss your individual situation.
Questions families ask about Helping Hands
Can they support someone living with dementia at home?
Yes. Yes. Helping Hands Dartford is registered for dementia care in people's own homes.
Can they help with medication and nursing tasks?
Ask the home. Most home care agencies prompt or give medication but do not provide nursing tasks. Ask what their carers are trained to do.
Do they cover our area?
Yes. Helping Hands Dartford covers roughly 10 miles from Dartford.
Will the council help pay?
Ask the home. The agency has not told us which funding it accepts. Most take both council funded and self funded clients; a direct payment from the council can be used to pay them.
Typical home care fees in the South East
Helping Hands Dartford has not published its fees yet. These are typical hourly rates for the South East, so you know roughly what to expect before you call.
- Home care (per hour): £29 to £35 per hour, typical range
Indicative figures for the South East, not a quote from Helping Hands Dartford. Actual fees depend on the room, the level of care and how it is funded.
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