All original references and recommendations are available for parents to view on request.

My house, garden and play equipment have been inspected by OFSTED and everyone in my household over the age of 16 have an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure for their suitability to work with and/or be around children.  

As an “early years provider” it is my legal responsibility to ensure that my practice meets the learning and development requirements, and complies with the welfare regulations, as required under the Childcare Act 2006.  It is mandatory for early years providers in Ofsted’s registered settings attended by young children (0-5) that they comply to these requirements within the Early Years Foundation Stage framework. My childcare policies comply with the purpose and aims of the Early Years Foundation Stage (“EYFS”); to give each child the best possible start in life and support to fulfill their potential and to help young children achieve the five Every Child Matters outcomes of staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution, achieving economic well-being. I also follow the standards required by the NCMA Children Come First Network which has allowed me to become a Registered Accredited Childminder.  My current qualifications are as follows:-

Level 3 Diploma in Home Based Childcare – Grade A
First Aid - Early Years (specialising in babies/young children)
Early Years Foundation Stage trained
Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene
Safeguarding Children Basic Awareness
Promoting Positive Behaviour
Race Equality
NCMA Children Come First Network
Accredited Childminder (NCMA Children Come First Network)
Letters and Sounds: Principles and Practice of High Quality Phonics - Phase One

All 3 and 4 year-olds are entitled to free early years education sessions paid for by government funding. I became accredited in April 2007 and as a Registered Accredited Childminder through the NCMA Children Come First (Early Years Education) network I am able to offer the same level of education as a child of 3-5 years would receive in pres-school/nursery within my setting and draw down the funding of these education sessions from the government.  
I am a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA), a NCMA ‘Children Come First’ Network Childminder and one of the founder members of the “Buggy Brigade” Childminder Service which covers Chelmsford, Rochford, Rayleigh and Castle Point.   As both individuals and as a group, we pride ourselves on providing reliable, quality home-based childcare in a warm, loving environment.   The Buggy Brigade regularly meets with the children we care for, for example, every two weeks in the summer we hire a bouncy castle between us.  We regularly meet for other events such as the “Teddy Bear’s Picnic” at Barleylands and go for pre-organised days out together to places such as Marsh Farm or the beach.  This not only has the benefit of widening the social circle of the children in our care, but also allows them become familiar with other Registered Childminders.  For the parents, this offers the reassurance that if one of us were to go on holiday or be unable to look after the children in our care for any reason, one of the other Registered Childminders in the “Buggy Brigade” that the children already knows may be able to assist with childcare.

Having children of my own, I have a vast experience in all areas of baby care and childcare including: creative play, role-play, singing and dancing, story times, learning nursery rhymes, fine and gross motor skills, counting, alphabet recognition etc. I have looked after children of friends and family and have experience in babysitting.