CharChar's Reviews
Childminder
Below are the parent reviews for CharChar. Back to CharChar's profile
Average Rating:
(5 from 17 reviews)
Charlotte has been an incredible childminder to my two daughters, looking after them for five years from the ages of 5 and 1 year old. I have always been 100% confident leaving the children with Charlotte as I know they will be safe, will have fun - and be well loved in her care.
In their words "She's really fun, plans loads of activities, makes us feel really at home and happy, cooks yummy teas and takes us to loads of fun places".
We all just couldn't recommend her enough!
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
Charlotte (Char Char to my girls) has been a childminder to both my girls since they were 6 months old. She then continued childminding but after my second baby also gave us one day a week nannying, as well as babysitting for my husband and I (I am a doctor and my husband is a fireman so we work varying hours). I cannot recommend her enough. I asked my children what they would say about Char Char. My 3.5 year old said "I love her. I love it when she comes to my house". My 5.5 year old said "She is really nice, she paints faces and takes us to the zoo".
I have absolute trust in Charlotte. She provided excellent care for my girls as babies, working with their routines (and with their complete loss of routines when they were being the fickle creatures that babies can be) and ensuring they went out everyday, ate healthy food and had an appropriate amount of sleep in real cots. They are naturally very attached to her - both my girls are now in school/preschool so see Char Char less. They recently had a day with her and my 5 year old was counting down the sleeps until the day arrived. (Enough said - she is the equivalent of Christmas.)
Charlotte has taken the children to so many different places and is always looking up new or topical places to visit. They have attended weekly classes, visited playgroups, farms, zoos, museums, parks, soft play and created many prized pieces of art. They have baked and learned to help cook and enjoyed a lot of messy play (oh, and painted faces -see above). In the summer they have been to paddling pools and picnics and played ball games - the list goes on.
When I was looking for childcare I visited every person with a space for a 6 month old within the two boroughs we lived and worked. At that time Charlotte was working with Jane Dainty as co-childminders. I came away knowing they were the one. I hope you find the same because I have never worried or had cause to doubt my decision. Charlotte is outstanding.
-
Overall
-
Setting
-
Cleanliness
-
Food
-
Communication
Charlotte looked after our son Edryd from the age of 11 months until he was nearly 3 and I know I will struggle to find words to express just how wonderful she is. Edryd adored her!
If one were to list all the things that Charlotte should do as an excellent childminder, then she does all of those things perfectly: we never doubted that Edryd was safe and happy, she always communicated clearly with us how he was getting on, and she adhered to all the standards of care, safety, hygiene, early-years education, organisation etc with the utmost conscientious professionalism and atten- tion to detail. Under her watch, Edryd developed from a clingy 11-month old who cried quite a lot, into a happy, confident, caring and sociable little toddler, who loved to join in with the hundreds of varied tasks, activities and trips that Charlotte and the others organised.
What makes Charlotte so special in my mind, however, is all the things that she does and the attributes that she has that go even above and beyond the things that would be on the ideal list mentioned above. In a word, this can be summarised as "warmth". Whilst maintaining all the professionalism mentioned previously, she cared for Edryd with the same attentiveness, tenderness, empathy and joy that a close family member would have. On the few occasions when Edryd was unwell or upset, she clearly felt his pain; when (as was the case 99% of his time there!) he loved taking part in all the activities that they do, her enthusiasm matched his; when he learned a new skill she was evidently proud; when he did or said something funny she was truly tickled; over any holiday she genuinely missed him and the delight of being reunited was palpable and mutual! She is a truly lovely person with a huge heart and a natural, easy, perfect way with babies and children.
When we moved away from London last year, taking Edryd away from his "Char-Char" was without a doubt the hardest part. We feel so grateful that she was such a wonderful part of his life at such a crucial stage. Thank you, Charlotte!
-
Overall
Charlotte looked after my daughter and son over a 3 year period until we left London in the summer of 2012. Charlotte has a natural warmth and connection with children and is exceptionally caring with babies, toddlers and young children. I always felt incredibly confident in Charlotte's ability to care for my children to a very high standard and my children loved having Charlotte care for them. Charlotte also babysat for me on a number of occasions and my children were always full of excitement to know that Charlotte was coming to look after them! Charlotte is full of enthusiasm for her job and genuinely cares for the children she looks after. She is fantastic at keeping the children entertained and stimulated and is incredibly patient with them. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending Charlotte to anyone looking for a first rate childminder.
-
Overall
Charlotte has been looking after my daughter along with Jayne for almost a year now and she is a very important part of the setting. My daughter absolutely adores her and her nick name 'cha cha' was amongst my daughters first words! She is an incredibly warm person and a great communicator. i always feel well informed at the end of the day with what my little one has been up to, how she's eaten, what she has said and done. She is wonderfully helpful with providing extra hours and added bits of childcare when I am in a tight spot which is genuinely completely invaluable. Especially as I feel so confident about getting on with my work life as I know that my daughter is in brilliant hands. I am a very lucky mum.
-
Overall
Charlotte has been taking care of my daughter alongside Jayne Dainty for the past 18 months and she is absolutely wonderful. Her and my daughter have formed a very special bond and my daughter talks very fondly about Char Char regularly at home. Charlotte has a really warm spirit and genuinly really loves children and that really comes across in her way with them. I totally trust Charlotte not only to look after my daughter, but to tell me how my daughter's day has been, how she's interacted, slept, eaten, and even how many poos she'd done in the early days. Also, if you ask Charlotte to do something it will get done. All really reassuring stuff when you're a parent who has to leave your child in the care of others.
Char Char has also been known to babysit on occasion, so she's an all round superstar in our books. Cant recommend highly enough.
-
Overall
My daughter Maia was lucky enough to have Jayne Dainty as a childminder from when she was 8 months old to just after her 4th birthday. During that time Charlotte started working for Jayne and it was as if the family had been extended.
Maia adored Charlotte and looked up to her as if she was her big sister. Charlotte has amazing patience, a great attitude and all the children clearly loved her. She's very confidence inspiring and I felt completely at ease leaving Maia in her care. Charlotte was brilliant at reporting every detail of their day together and repeating things that Maia would tell her which made the whole experience very personal and made me feel involved with what they were doing.
I'd recommend Charlotte without a doubt, both as a childminder and as a babysitter. Maia would push us out of the door when she knew that Charlotte was coming to babysit desperate to have her all to herself!
If you're looking for someone to care for your child and want them to be in a nurturing, fun, safe, educational, home from home environment, and you're lucky enough to find that Charlotte is available - grab her with both hands and don't let go!
-
Overall
You must be a registered parent and logged in to leave a review.
If you don't have an account then Register Free now.
