I’ve spent a long time wondering just how to express my thanks to Lisa, knowing no gift or present would ever be adequate enough. Lisa has been a childminder to our daughter 3 days a week for nearly 4 years and throughout this time she has been many things to her; a mother, a guardian, a teacher, a moral guide, and also to me; an empathiser, a source of knowledge and wisdom and a good friend. Her experience and support during teething, growth spurts, chickenpox and other challenging times over the past 4 years has been invaluable and always a great comfort to know that someone else also understands our child in the same way.

Lisa’s love and nurturing of the children in her care is clearly evident by the close bonds she develops with them. It was important to us for our daughter to be looked after by someone who offers cuddles freely, is happy and open and offers the same level of care similar to that we would provide at home. Lisa does all this and so much more.

Lisa constantly demonstrates her excellent skills as a childminder: she is patient yet firm, caring and attentive, and is able to find the fun in any activity. Our daughter loved going to the park, doing messy play and attending the weekly playgroups and song time sessions with Lisa and also the day trips further afield during holiday times like the zoo and the beach. Other parents have spoken to me who have seen Lisa at playgroups and observed how attentive she is with the children in her care. Throughout the time I’ve known her, she has been constantly reliable having taken no time off sick and holidays are always planned well in advance. She is very flexible and understanding in the times when I’ve been delayed at work or stuck in traffic before afternoon pick up for which I am very grateful.

Over the years our daughter has been very happy spending time with Lisa and her family, forming a close bond with Lisa's boys, and we’ve been very fortunate to never have tears or clinging when leaving her there in the morning. It was a different story when she started pre-school!

In my opinion Lisa is an outstanding childminder and we are all very sad as our daughter has started school this September and we won’t see Lisa so often. We moved house last year which means we’ve had to find a local childminder for pre and after school however our daughter will still go to Lisa during holiday times as I know she will miss Lisa terribly. We hope our daughter will continue to see Lisa during the school holidays for many years to come.

It feels like a huge decision choosing a childminder when your baby is still so young, especially when there is little information, other than an Ofsted report, to support that decision. I found Lisa via the TVBC website and I am so grateful I did. Thank you Lisa for all your hard work but especially the love you have shown our daughter over the years. You have been incredible and I’m so glad we were given this opportunity to know you.

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