Kiddlywinks Childminding Services

18 Carolbrook Road
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP2 9JF

Kiddlywinks Childminding Services

My name is Emma and I am married to Mike and we have one child, our son Jack, who is 3.  We have two cats called Evie and Milton (both girls), a terrapin called Mrs Pinn, and a pond-full of fish fenced off in the back garden.

My house is situated within walking distance of the local schools, preschool, toddler group, and a Play Park.  There is easy access to my house by many bus routes, as they stop within a 5 minute walk, including no’s: 7, 12, 13 & 15. 

There is parking available at my house for drop off and collection times.  My vehicle is insured for business purposes so I am able to take the children on outings, I have a Ford Galaxy with 5 seats available for children, bag, buggies and toys.  I also have a full clean driving licence.

My qualifications /insurance

• NCMA Public Liability Insurance
• Introduction to Childcare Practice (home-based) - Pass
• Paediatric First Aid
• Safeguarding Children (Level 1)
• Food Hygiene Certificate

Courses attended:

• Letters & Sounds,
  
• Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) – Exploring the Pack (codes of practice and regulations),
• Developing the Learning Environment for Home-based Carers,
• The Developing Child,
• Including Everyone,
• Observation & Assessment Workshop,
• Social & Emotional Aspects of Development,
• Fire Awareness,
• Allergy Awareness &
• Coughs & Sneezes and Childhood Diseases

The early year’s foundation stage framework (EYFS) which I work within provides assurance to parents that my provision will keep their children safe and help them to reach their full potential.
The aims of the EYFS are to help children reach the 5 ‘every child matters’ outcomes (be safe; be healthy; make a positive contribution; enjoy and achieve and develop skills for the future.) My aims as a childminder are:

• To provide a warm, welcoming and stimulating environment, build positive relationships with the children in my care and make sure their individual physical and emotional needs are met so they can reach their full potential.
• To offer children a continuity of care as close to their home environment as possible. I would like children in my care to feel “part of the family” and thus valued as a family member.
• To ensure that by following the EYFS standards every child in my care makes progress and that no child is disadvantaged
• To follow equal opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children in my care. No child will be disadvantaged because of gender, ability, culture, religion, language, ethnicity, family background, learning difficulties and/or disabilities
• To work in partnership with parents, professionals and all the settings which a child in my care attends to ensure they receive the full benefit of the EYFS in ALL areas. My role is to complement and work alongside the home environment and other settings; such as pre-school or school; which a child in my care may attend.
• To follow and adhere to the universal standards set out in the EYFS
• To use my observations, assessment and play planning for individual children to inform me when planning for our daily and weekly activities to ensure that all children’s learning and care is tailored to their individual needs and interests and complements their learning experiences at the other settings which they may attend
• To look carefully at each child in my care, consider their individual needs and interests; stage of development and abilities and use this information to help plan challenging and enjoyable experiences across all areas of learning and development in order to help develop their future skills
• To ensure all areas of learning and development will be delivered through a balance of planned purposeful play and adult led/child initiated activities.

Who can I look after?

I look after children from the age of 6 months and upwards. I will always consider the needs of those I am already caring for and how the age and ability of prospective children may affect those already in my care.

I DO NOT discriminate against race, language, gender, physical ability or learning ability. I am happy to modify my practice, resources and equipment to any child’s needs wherever possible or practicable. My home is a 3 bedroom house with 1 ground floor toilet and 1 upstairs bathroom.

To maintain Ofsted Standards I can currently look after:

• A total of 5 children under eight years of age; 2 children under five, of which only 1 can be under one year old, (plus my son Jack),
• Plus 3 children between the ages of five and eight years old
• Plus any over eight years of age, as long as they don’t affect the care of the under 8’s.

I can drop off and pick up from Brookside Pre-school, The Willows Nursery and Gusford Primary School.

I provide breakfast, lunch and dinner. I charge £1.50 per meal per child.  I endeavour to provide healthy balanced meals from fresh ingredients where possible. Water and fruit will be available to children at any time. Other snacks and drinks will be provided on a regular basis. What these snacks and any treats are will be decided in consultation with the parents. Parents will need to provide baby milk and meals for babies less than 12 mths old.

Where will they spend their time?

Following my Ofsted visit the areas of my home available to children are as follows:

• Large diner kitchen
• Playroom/conservatory
• Large living room
• Downstairs toilet/Upstairs Bathroom
• Grassy rear garden with playhouse, play areas and outdoor equipment

How much do I charge?

• I charge £3.50 per hour 8am-6pm / £4.25 per hour after 6pm and ad hoc
• I charge fees in 30 minute increments.
• I will discuss any possible major outings with larger entrance fees.
• I will not charge for any holiday time I take
• I will charge full rate for any holidays taken by the children, to hold their place.
• I will charge full rate if your child is ill, to hold their place.
• I will not charge you anything if my son or I am ill.

• I am flexible with payments being four weekly, monthly or weekly.
• I will expect one week’s payment at the start of the contract, and the remaining 3 weeks at the end of the month.
• I will accept payment via the following routes; cash, standing order, childcare vouchers and tax credits.

What if I am ill, what if a child is ill?

• If I am ill and unable to work I will inform parents/carers as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made. Where possible I will liaise with other childminders in the area to make this easier.  My back-up childminder is Mel Cox and she is based about a mile and a half away from me.
• If a child is ill then parents/carers will need to call me and let me know. If they are under the weather I am flexible and we can discuss risks to other children. It may also be possible for me to look after them in their own home depending on other children in my care. If they are infectious I may not be able to look after them until they have recovered, depending on the children in my care on that day
  

What happens for holidays?

• I will take 4 weeks holiday a year (1 week at Christmas)
• I do not work bank holidays or weekends
• I will let parents/carers know 4 weeks prior to any holiday I take.
• I will expect 4 weeks notice of parents/carers holiday time.

What happens if a parent/carer changes their mind?

• If a parent/carer changes their mind within the 3-4 week settling in period there will be no notice period.
• If parents/carers change their mind subsequently or no longer require a childminder there will be the contractual 4 weeks notice period.
• If my circumstances were to change and I could no longer care for a child I will ensure parents/carers have alternative childcare whenever possible before giving the contractual 4 weeks notice.

Please click here to download examples of play activities I do with the children of different ages and examples of a possible daily routine for Pre School Age Children and a weekly routine for After School Pickup Children