A Bit About Me & My Home

Hello, I’m Isobel, an Ofsted-registered fully insured childminder working in Halesowen. I live in a house close to Halesowen town centre with my two children age 12 and 10 who go to Windsor High School / Lutley Primary School. I live very close to Hasbury C of E Primary School, up the hill from the 24 hour Asda (see the map at the bottom of the this page). I aim to share a warm and caring environment where children are treated with respect, kindness and caring whilst receiving home-from-home care in a clean, safe environment.   


EYFS & the Under 5s

All under 5 year olds receive the Early Years Foundation Stage of learning (see my page 'EYFS What Is It?' for more information). ALL childcare providers are required by Ofsted to deliver the EYFS and this includes childminders. This will include crafts, play-based learning both indoors in a spacious living room as well as outdoors in a pleasant and secure garden, using different types of media, cooking activities, gardening, and going out to parks and outdoor locations to run around, have some fun, and learn about science and nature. 

Of course what activities and play are offered is totally dependent on two things - 1. your child's age and stage of development and 2. what things interest and stimulate your child. For younger children the emphasis on providing a feeling of love and security and meeting their essential needs for food, milk and importantly, sleep are my priority. I ensure that when a little one looks at me and smiles that they get a totally interested, kind and loving response so that they can communicate using facial expressions (and of course crying!), and that they will be understood and their needs taken care of. I have cared for several children from 8 months old and work hard in conjunction with the parents to ensure that their child settles in and forms a rewarding and loving attachment. I mostly follow a child-led method of choosing activities. This is much like you do at home - if your child is very keen on animals then I will pick activities that are linked to this and pick trips or experiences that will expand their knowledge of the thing that they like. If they like puzzles I will start off with simple puzzles and build on this so that your child is always achieving the most development that they can. However, I fully believe that all children are capable individuals and should never be rushed or pushed into development which they aren't yet ready for - given lots of non-pressurised opportunities to play allows development in a natural way at your child's pace.

About twice a week I attend mother/toddler groups in order to give children a different range of toys/equipment to play with, and to offer social opportunities with other children and experience of a more structured environment where things are done at certain times, as a group. This is good, simple preparation for later times at pre-school or reception year at primary school. I fully and actively supervise your child and observe everything that they are doing to ensure that they remain safe whilst in my care - and this absolutely includes when out and about. To this end I have risk assessments for every place I visit and take a great deal of care with your most precious of things - your child. I consider it a privilege to care for someone elses baby and take a great deal of pride in doing the very best job that I can. 

I provide a stimulating and loving environment but within firm boundaries of good behaviour of the type that you would want your child to model.

I like to work very closely with parents about all aspects of their children's care and development and feel it is absolutely VITAL that we work together as a unified team.

I totally understand how nerve-wracking it can be leaving your child with someone for the first time eg when returning to work from maternity leave. Rest assured I will schedule in settling in sessions for your child and do everything to help them settle that I possibly can. In order for you to feel happy you will have met me once or twice before and during settling in sessions and always, I will keep in touch with you to let you know how your child is doing.  

Policies/Safety
I have a range of policies in which I have thought very carefully about. These exist for the benefit and safety of all minded children. Copies of these policies are given to parents who sign up to my services. There are also full risk assessments conducted for all trips and car journeys to ensure your child's safety. A checklist is completed every day to confirm that the setting is safe and ready to receive children into its care.

I have a CRB certificate, I am fully registered with Ofsted, I carry public indemnity insurance, I hold full business class vehicle insurance, paediatric first aid, and a food safety/food hygiene qualification. These can be provided by email upon request. I have completed all Dudley MBCs childminder training plus additional training in safeguarding. I also hold Dudley MBCs 5* Scores on the Doors rating for Food Hygiene and Food Safety. I hold NHS Dudley's Gold award for their Food for Health initiative.

My Range of Services
I offer a wide range of childminding services from newborns, twins, right up to the age of 16 - talk about continuity of care!!:

For Under 5s
I offer a range of activities in a spacious living room that has access to a secure garden for outdoor play. I attend local playgroups in order to give the opportunity for children to play with others and experience a different range of resources and large play equipment. I make trips to local parks and outdoor locations to ensure variety, physical development and to do activities around science and nature. The children will do crafts, painting, literacy and numeracy and take part in a wide variety of activities including messy play and cooking activities (appropriate to the child's age and level of understanding and are thus age-appropriate). For most activities attended outside the home there is no charge. However, if a special outing is arranged parents may be asked to pay the entry fee if it is of a more significant nature. I can offer flexible hours of care for parents working shifts/long hours. I can do early starts if these are needed - usually these hours attract a slightly higher hourly charge. 

For babies of course the focus is on meeting their needs for food, milk, comfort and sleep whilst also ensuring that we get out and about and have fresh air and get to look at lots of interesting things. I have a bouncy chair, lots of baby toys and resources for babies, and a cot upstairs where they can have a quiet sleep, and a baby sling. I can work with you to provide food from weaning and through the various stages of eating - meals are included for children under 2/children who are full time with me. For part time children I ask parents to provide a packed lunch to cover the mealtimes that your child is with me. I always provide snacks and drinks to all children.

For Primary School-age Children
I don't do after or before school care or do drop-offs or pick-ups during term time, but I can offer school holiday care.  

For Secondary School-age Children
I am able to offer after school care for older children attending Windsor High School whose working parents need a safe and secure place for their older child to come to at the end of the day where they can relax, unwind, make a start on their homework (I have a laptop with wi-fi printing available), and have a good meal before being picked up. This is based on them walking to my setting at the end of the school day - a 10 minute walk that many of these pupils routinely undertake, my son included.  

A note about meal provision for the under 5s:
Meals are only included in my prices for children who are attending FULL TIME. For all others who do not attend full time and are 2 or over, parents need to provide meals in a packed lunch format which the child will eat at my setting. Snacks and drinks will always be included in my prices for all children - but I no longer provide meals for children who are not full time and age 2 or over. Formula if used has to be provided by the parent. 

Hours
My core opening hours are 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday. However, I know that working hours aren't always '9 to 5' so I am happy to be flexible on my start and finish times - I will always endeavour to meet your requirements if you are working shifts or have a long commute that requires an especially early start or a later finish (there are usually slightly higher hourly rates for this). Again, let me know your needs and I'll get right back to you.