Nicswan
Childminder in Hartlepool
Usually responds within 5 minutes
Female Member since Dec 2017 Last Updated Apr 2024 Last Login 07 Nov 2024
My Summary
About Me
My name is Nic and I’m an Ofsted Registered Childminder. I live with my husband Andrew, two children Elizabeth and Joshua and our dog Eric. We live on Mowbray road, Hartlepool in a lovely laid back, family friendly home with a well equipped secure garden. The estate is quiet despite being on a main road, with lots of green areas only a short walk away and we have a car for further afield trips.
I love children of all ages and helping them to learn and grow as individuals is extremely rewarding; I aim to offer a ‘home from home’, warm, friendly environment with lots of opportunity for fun and learning with stimulating activities, outings and experiences. Our home is full of fun, we enjoy being outdoors, in the garden or parks, farms. We equally enjoy chill out days, baking, song times, reading and crafts – all creations are valued equally, even mine!
Our usual day is breakfast, out for an activity on the morning such as role play centres, soft play, playgroups, forest school, gym tots, parks wherever we fancy! We arrive back around 11.30 for a home cooked dinner before some children go to Fens nursery and the smaller children either nap or play in my well equipped playroom and garden. We spend our afternoons playing with the toys, song time, reading, messy play, crafts and lots of fun. I then do pick up from nursery and have our tea before children go home, usually tired, happy and probably a bit mucky!! I use an app called Babysdays that allows parents to see in real time (time and children permitting) nappy changes, sleeps, bottles and I send photos via WhatsApp app or Babysdays regularly throughout the day. In the school holidays we go a bit further afield, enjoying local attractions like Tweddle farm, The Historic quay and various parks in the North East. We often meet up with other local childminders so children make friendships far and wide, with lots of opportunities to socialise outside of our little team. Overall we are a little community of families with a real focus on that family feel, ideal for consistency, supporting their learning through fun and experiences before they start formal education.
My Experience
I have experience of caring for all ages of children from babies right through to teenagers through family and friends before Childminding which I started in September 2018. Since September 2018 I have had the pleasure of working with many lovely children and built long lasting relationships with them and their families.
Before my move into childcare I specialised in learning disabilities, complex physical needs, challenging behaviours and progressive end of life care, all of which has equipped me with a lot of skills, patience and importantly, a sense of humour. Unfortunately the responsibility I had within the role was almost impossible to commit to alongside having children so I appreciate the importance of flexible, reliable childcare. Since my move into Childcare I have built an excellent reputation amongst my local community and have watched most of my babies, turn to toddlers and stayed with me right until they start school.
My Qualifications
Level 3 Award in Preparing to Work in Home Based Child care
Paediatric Infant & Child First Aid Level 3
Introduction to Safeguarding Children V5
FGM: recognising and preventing FGM V3
Food Standard Agency: Food Allergy Online Training.
Food Hygiene
Schemas
Supporting Children with speech language and communication needs
Effective Partnership working with fathers
Safeguarding Children including separate qualifications in Prevent/FGM/Domestic violence/hidden harm/ county lines.
Raising Developmental concerns with parents
Home Office - Prevent
Delivering the EYFS
Expectations of Behaviour
Supporting children's emotional well-being
I am constantly doing CPD to ensure my knowledge is the most relevant it can be.
My Availability
I am available 8 til 5 Monday to Thursday
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Morning | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Afternoon | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| After School | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 15/03/2024 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £5.50 per hour
8-5.00 - £40.00
5.50 per hour minimum of 8 hours
other times to be discussed depending on availability.
I offer all the government funding/childcare vouchers and government tax free top ups.
I do not charge a retainer for term time only children, I do ask that in the longer holidays children come in for one session every two weeks to keep familiarity and consistency.
My Local Schools
- I provide drop offs and pick ups at Fens Primary School
My Ofsted Inspections
The inspection grades below have been obtained from the Ofsted website based upon the registration number the childminder has provided to us. You should verify this information yourself prior to using the childminder.
My Documents
- Ofsted Certificate (added 07/07/2019)
Reviews
Below are the latest reviews for NicSwan. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk users and not of Childcare.co.uk. Parents must carry out their own checks and references on childcare providers to ensure that they are completely happy before enaging in the use of their services.
Nic is an outstanding childminder with a remarkable ability to engage and care for children. She has a natural talent for making each day full of exciting activities, creativity, and learning that my daughters adore. Both of my children have always had an amazing time in her care.
In addition to her exceptional childcare skills, Nic is a very supportive and approachable person. She is always available to answer any questions or concerns I may have as a parent. I have often sought her advice on a variety of issues and she has never failed to provide me with valuable insights and tips.
My daughters have been attending Nic's since they were babies, and they still love going there during term time now that they are in school. Nic has created a warm and nurturing environment that my children feel comfortable and happy in. I am grateful to have her as my children's childminder, and I highly recommend her to anyone looking for excellent childcare.
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Our daughter has been going to Nic for almost a year now and loves it. Never any tears on drop off / pick up or any of the days out they go on. Plenty of updates throughout the day along with arts and crafts at times of the year. No hesitation in recommending Nic or Katie who she works along side with. Thanks again
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Nic was our first choice to look after our daughter and I’m so grateful that she was available to do so! Our 13 month old daughter started with Nic just over 3 months ago and settled in straight away. The transition period was seamless as Nic kept us up to date on a regular basis on how things were going and what to expect. We still receive daily updates and photos showing the amazing jam packed days they’re experiencing. We have total piece of mind with Nic looking after our daughter and know she is in safe hands and enjoying her days there. Thank you!
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My son has been with Nic since he was 18 months old and is now 3. He absolutely adores Nic and loves going to her house when we go to work. My son was previously at a private nursery, but we were concerned that he was not getting the attention he needed. Since moving him to Nic, he has made amazing progress and it is the best decision we have made! He is now so independent and has come on leaps and bounds with his social skills.
Nic really makes sure she takes the time to get to know each and everyone of her little ones and their families and it is clear just how much she loves each child she cares for. Nic keeps parents up to date with key information on their child's progress and always sends lots of lovely photos and videos to show what the children have been up to.
Nic makes everyday both fun and educational and the children have so many lovely trips out and opportunities planned for them. My little boy comes home each day full of stories of his adventures with Nic, Nic! She also takes the time to celebrate a range of holidays with parties, crafts and activities such as for Christmas, Halloween, Mother's and Father's day. She also makes a real fuss of the children on their birthdays, making each child feel truly valued and special.
Nic is a truly wonderful childminder and I highly recommend her to anyone who wants a kind, caring and supportive childminder for their little one!
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My Son has been with Nicola since day one and the service she offers is second to none. Shes made me feel able to leave my son with her without any concerns from the very beginning. She goes above and beyond in every aspect of his care and her communication is excellent. Highly recommended.
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This profile has been produced from information provided to us by the user. We have not verified or confirmed the accuracy of any of the information and members should undertake their own vigorous checks and references. Please ensure you read our Safety Advice and information on how to Check Childcare Provider Documents.
