Brentford Childcare's Reviews

Very pleased we found Mary

My child is now 14 months old and has settled very well with Mary. Mary provides a stimulating environment for the children but also works around the individual child’s routine as well which has helped her napping and settling in well.

The facilities are spacious and Mary is always doing a variety of crafts, cooking and play, both inside the house and in the garden/outdoor area

Mary caters very well, my child loves her food and has tried new things with Mary as well. It is all home cooked and nutritious.

The communication is brilliant in terms of knowing what the children are doing, with regular picture updates throughout the day. Which has definitely helped me as a parent.

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by Lotte about Brentford Childcare on 10/05/2021

Amazing childcare

I highly recommend Mary. The environment at her place is very well set up, safe, fun and stimulating. My son has been going to her for almost two years now and he loves her. He's having great fun with other children, doing lots of crafts projects which he loves, having physical activities and also doing educational exercises. He's much better in English language since he started going to Mary as at home we speak mainly Polish so I am really glad about that. Mary keeps in contact when he's at her place sending pictures of the kids playing or learning and explaining what they're doing. I would highly recommend Mary to anyone who's looking for a reliable and caring childminder.

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by Marlena about Brentford Childcare on 09/05/2021

Unprofessional & Unreliable but nice environment

I do believe Mary genuinely cares for children in her care, but I was disappointed in how she treated us.

We are both NHS workers and thus felt peace of mind sorting it early (more than 6 months in advance) and felt reassured with leaving our baby in her care. We were pleased with the rich and stimulating environment she provides in her home but more importantly an opportunity for our baby son to socialise with other children after 11 months of being isolated at home due to the pandemic. She communicates well via Whatsapp throughout the day with parents and appears committed to her job, and we formed what I thought was a great trusting relationship with Mary and under her guidance commenced paid settling in sessions since Dec 2020.

There were some minor things which I felt I could overlook; unwanted advice on changing my breastfeeding routine, and her not wiping my son's face after eating.

However, we were told this week (with <6 weeks notice) that she cannot accommodate our hours suddenly and that I could not drop off before 9 and had to pick up before 5, due to pandemic, availability of assistant, and increased cleaning needs. There has been no change in lock-down rules recently and paid a deposit and signed a contract Aug 2020 for March 2021 for 8-6pm part time. We feel there was ample time for either informing us earlier or making arrangements for additional help.

We tried to be flexible to make it work, including altering some of the hours and/or changing the days, but it felt like there was no room for negotiations. In retrospect, we feel fortunate that at least we found out now. A surprise changes to hours when he has started going there would be much more difficult, and the lack of flexibility does not suit key workers.

These website reviews are often biased as people only post good experiences as the childminder relationship has obviously never been greatly tested. However, we have been left with no childcare at short notice, and do not feel the issue has been dealt with in a professional way or with a willingness to make things work.

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by Aggie about Brentford Childcare on 06/02/2021

Response by Brentford Childcare on 06/02/2021:

Thank you so much for your review and for the lovely comments regarding how I communicate well with the parents during the period the children are in my care , however I can see that you gave this 3 stars although it is as you mentioned one of my strengthens .

I can understand your frustration however I have to follow the EYFS guidelines in terms of ratios and though there was only 15 min to 30 min to pick up where I would be left without my assistant still I was not willing to compromise my professional standards in adhering to the government regulations . With regard to my changed opening hours these again following the department of health guidelines in trying to minimise the spread of the virus by maintaining a hygiene environment before the children arrive and after they are picked up which hence is reflecting my professional integrity And safeguarding the children in my care and their families within my bubbles at all time specially as we are still in total lockdown now .

I really sympathise with you regarding having to abort this contract for the reasons mentioned that my assistant attendance schedule Was not working with your schedule , and of course on a professional level I can not agree to a compromise because I need to think God forbids If there is an emergency . Hope you find a suitable childcare and of course if I do have any availability in the future I will let you know .

Excellent Childminder

Our son started to go to Mary when he just turned seven months old.
Mary organised a very useful and smooth settling in period for our son, and he very quickly felt at home. Our boy loves Mary, and he very much enjoys his time filled with fun, interesting developmental and educational activities.
Mary’s setting is just incredible! She has plenty of space for the children to move around and offers a wide range of toys paired by age and always educational that she updates very frequently.
Mary sends us daily updates and feedback regarding daily activities, behavior, development, and photos.
Mary prepares fresh, nutritious, tasty, varied and healthy food that our son very much enjoys.
Mary offers a warm & caring home environment with a focus on development. We are fortunate to have found Mary.

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by Marinha about Brentford Childcare on 18/03/2019

So glad I found Mary

I cannot recommend Mary enough. From the moment I walked in on my first visit I felt very positive and at ease with the lovely environment she created for the babies and children at her home. She has a warm personality and a very calming, can do approach. She's been very sensitive to the personality and needs of my baby daughter and all of her suggestions and approach showed that she was thinking about my concerns and my baby's needs. She's thoughtful and caring which makes a lovely environment for babies to grow and flourish.

During settling in her approach was so reassuring to me and I believe that because of it, things went really well! My baby settled in really well and seems happy and relaxed when I leave her with Mary in the morning. I also noticed that Mary enjoys spending time with her too which is absolutely lovely . My fiance and I get regular updates during the day which are priceless! So overall communication is great and I feel I can talk to Mary about anything as she's quite receptive and open.

Mary has an array of age appropriate toys, all in good condition. She has lots of space so the children are not stuck in one room, they move around for a change of scenery during the day. It's a homely and clean setting and healthy meals with fresh ingredients are cooked everyday. My baby loves her food. To me diet is very important and the fact that Mary cooks everyday is very well received and shows that she cares about the children.

All of this makes me confident that my baby is getting the best start in life and I truly trust Mary's capable hands to care for my baby in her very important first years.

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by Simone about Brentford Childcare on 28/12/2018

Amazing Childcare!

My toddler has been with Mary for a few months now and he absolutely adores her. Her home is welcoming & full of fun.
Mary is a very kind, warm and caring person who gives each child the attention they need. She’s also very accommodating. We always love receiving pictures and updates throughout the day feel very lucky to have found Mary!

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by Fran about Brentford Childcare on 02/10/2018

Excellent care in a loving environment

This reference is to confirm that I have known Mary Tadros in a professional capacity as my daughter's childminder. Mary has cared for my daughter for a period of 4 years and I have been very happy with the service she has provided and work ethic. I can confirm Mary has provided excellent care and my daughter has developed really well. Mary supports the children in her care with their learning needs whilst developing the child’s own interests.

My daughter really enjoys arts and crafts activities and Mary has focused on this interest and encouraged my daughter to develop her skills. Not only developing my child’s own preferred interests but also providing new experiences such as horse riding as well.

Mary would regularly take my daughter on activities which she enjoyed providing the detailed attention to ensure my daughter thrived in her care. She was also up to date with childcare developments and kept diligent records of my daughter’s progress. Mary was also happy to work longer hours and put in the extra effort if needed.

The space for the children to play and relax is very well set out and my child has felt comfortable and at home. Mary has taken the time to develop a very good bond with my daughter. My daughter loves and trusts Mary and really enjoys spending time under her care. In the earlier years Mary focused on the EYFS to develop my chid, but as my child has grown she has provided appropriate activities and help relevant to her age. I do feel Mary is very conscientious and pays attention to each child’s own personal needs.

Mary has numerous year’s experience in working independently and has always produced fantastic results. Mary also has a passion for health and safety. Whilst Alina was under Mary's care all the relevant protocols were followed and I was assured my child was always safe and secure. Mary would cook delicious and nutritious meals for my child, using a number of ingredients with a focus on traditional English and Egyptian cuisine. There was always fresh fruit and vegetables and my daughter has now developed very good healthy eating habits I am sure which will have lifelong benefits to her health. Regular exercise was also planned, including trips to the park which all helped my daughter’s development. My child’s medical needs (allergies) were always catered for and I really can say my daughter has thrived in Mary’s care.

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by Claire about Brentford Childcare on 14/11/2017

Highly recommended-I wish I had found Mary sooner!

I honestly can't recommend Mary enough. If you are looking for childcare in her area - I really recommend going and visiting her & her setting. Mary has a lovely calm, warm & nurturing nature. This is really clear to me as I see my son so relaxed and playful when he is there.

The setting is spotless, colourful, fun and highly engaging for little ones. Mary has numerous age-related activities, a sensory area, art & crafts and toys. My older (school age) son accompanies me when I drop off my baby and is always asking if he can stay to play too :-)

It's clear that Mary has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to caring for children but she is also very attuned to and dedicated to their development. The setting is a true indication of this.

Mary is kind enough to provide delicious, varying and importantly really healthy & nutritious food as well. My son consistently enjoys what she offers.

Communicating with Mary is always a pleasure - she is highly professional and so warm at the same time. I don't feel that anything is too much trouble. She is very open & transparent in her communications and I thoroughly enjoy receiving updates about my son throughout the day. It really puts my mind at ease about being away from him.

Again, can't recommend highly enough.

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by Annalise about Brentford Childcare on 14/11/2017