Welcome 

Thank you very much for your interest in my Childminding Service.    I have put this website together to supply you with important information you will need to know and to give you a clearer understanding of the type and quality of care service I provide.

If you would like further details about any aspect of my childcare service, please do not hesitate to contact me.

All about Me

My name is Sandra Edie and I am a registered Childminder with the London Borough of Southwark and have been registered through Ofsted since October 2015.

Home and Family

I live with my husband Michael and daughter Rhianne (18).  We have been happily married for 33 years and have 6 children and 14 grand-children.  Michael is a Part-time driver for Age UK working with OAP’s and vulnerable adults, while Rhainne is training to be a Hairdresser in the Apprenticeship Programme.

I live in a 4 bed council flat next to Peckham Rye Park. We have an enclosed private front garden and a separate dedicated playroom which is bright, colourful and full of toys!

The children will have use of the following rooms:

• Playroom – This is the main playroom which has all the toys, books and other exciting things.

• Living room – Children will have use of the TV at lunch for quiet time if they are not sleeping and for reading books on the rug.

• Kitchen – This is where all the arts and crafts take place as well as baking lots of lovely things.

• Garden – The children will have lots of time to play outside in the garden.

• Bedroom – There is a spare bedroom for any children that will require it during the day. There is a cot for the younger children and bed for the older children who require sleep.

Pets

We have a family pet which has been with us since she was a puppy eight years ago.   Dior is a Doberman/mongrel mix and has been certified as healthy by a veterinarian, and is up-to-date on all immunizations. She is a quiet dog and has been in close proximity to both my children and grandchildren.  The children will be exposed to the daily aspects of care for our dog.

Career History

 Since leaving school I have followed a career path in Administration and Law. I have successfully achieved an NVQ Level 2 in Administration, GCSE, NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Law and one ILEX (Level 4 law Diploma) qualifications on my route to becoming a qualified Legal Paralegal. Following twenty-five years of working in an office in this role and six children later, I decided to enter the exciting world of childminding!   

Experience, Qualifications and Skills for Childminding

As a mother myself, I understand understand how challenging it can be to care for children with varying abilities, needs and interests plus the general needs of children which includes healthy eating and  a place that they can be comfortable and rest to balance their healthy growth.  I am well aware of the demands and responsibilities involved in caring for children. I have no doubt that the experiences that I have had already with bringing up my own children and grandchildren help me in my role as a childminder.

As part of my pre-registration training I successfully completed a six week induction course in childminding ran by the local Early Years Team and approved by Ofsted. The course covered a wide range of subjects including child protection, health and safety, child development and behaviour management. Following this training I obtained my First Aid Certificate for babies and young children and attended several courses covering a variety of areas from child development, health and safety to nutrition and hygiene.  I will continue to make full use of the training workshops provided by the Early Years Team and by the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years (PACEY) as they become available. I believe it is vitally important to continue to further my training and refresh my skills in order for me to provide a good quality childcare service.

In addition to the above I believe that the following experience & skills will also assist me in providing a successful childminding service:

• I have worked as a volunteer in a Day Nursery and school.  My experiences here have given me some understanding of what is involved in providing a good quality care service.

• I have the experience of being a mother of children who have been cared for by a childminder, nursery and after school care. I am therefore able to identify areas where that particular service has been successful and try to do the same, as well as learn from areas where I feel improvements could have been made.

• I have a very creative background. I will utilize my artistic talents and ideas when doing art and craftwork with children.I am committed in providing good quality child care where priority is given to creating a happy caring and stimulating environment that is safe and secure. I will try and provide a safe, caring, homelike atmosphere for your child while at the same time providing for their physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.

• I will regularly attend playgroups where I will have the opportunity to speak with other childminders and listen to their experiences and advice.