Our family, taken on a weekend break - my husband Paul is on the left
Why me?
Having been a working mother myself I have been through the process and anxieties of handing over your child or children to someone else to look after, sometimes just for a short time and other times for a whole working week. I know that it isn't always easy to make that choice, and I understand how important it is to feel that you are leaving your child with someone who will care for them, stimulate and teach them, and provide fun activities for them. You will also want them to feel at home and safe and secure, in a place where you feel that your child's interests are being taken into account, not somewhere where they just have to "fit in" with whatever is going on around them. That is part of the service that I hope to provide, aiming to work in partnership with parents to ensure that all the children in my care get the best out of their childhood, and enjoy and achieve life to the full.
"I know that it isn't always easy to make that choice....."
I also aim to help children to have a healthy childhood, by encouraging them to eat healthily and look after their bodies, and encouraging them to make a positive contribution to their daily lives – by valuing and enjoying their individuality and teaching them to feel good about themselves and appreciating and valuing both their similarities and differences to other in a positive way.
When Ofsted visit registered childminders they give them limits on the number of children they are allowed to look after within their setting. These are understandably small and this is what gives childminders the opportunity to care for children in a relaxed and caring environment - an opportunity I relish.