Lily

About Me

Hello, I'm Lily

I have been looking after babies and children of all ages for over 12 years (I'm 33). I find looking after and teaching children extremely rewarding and feel privileged to have been involved in the education and development of the young people I've worked with so far!
I'm an English Literature graduate (Goldsmiths, 2015) and have completed a Counselling and Psychotherapy training at Birkbeck, specialising in child psychotherapy and early years. I am also a practicing artist, potter/ ceramicist, and performer.
I'm currently continuing my training as a therapist part time/ some weekends (which works well alongside nannying and art work). I also recently started volunteering for the NSPCC Childline, which is flexible and part time/ from home. Through my work and studies I'm pursuing a specific interest in supporting children's emotional and psychological development and understanding how formative experiences affect children's patterning.
My approach is enthusiastic, gentle and creative around children of all ages, informed by my years of experience working with children, my own art practice and education, and my strong belief in encouraging confidence, optimism, creativity and playfulness.

At the moment I'm looking for a part time/ nanny position with babies, toddlers or school age children of all ages.

***I don't drive so, as the buses aren't very reliable in my experience in Stroud, this must be *within 40 mins walking distance from either Stroud centre or Painswick*.

In the past twelve years I have looked after newborn babies as young as four days old for long periods in the day and at night. For almost three years I was a very full time nanny for a little girl, starting when she was 8 months old full time until her family emigrated (they even asked me to move to New York with them!). I've helped support young people up to sixteen years old with tutoring, assisting with homework, cooking, playing, supervision and upbeat companionship, for long periods in the day and overnight. I'm happy to help parents organise children's routines and after-school activities as well as playdates, classes and events. I love cooking and I'm more than happy to cook nutritious meals for parents as well as children! I'm vegan but I've frequently cooked meat for families and will always cater to fussy little ones, with some gentle encouragement motivating healthy eating!
I am comfortable working both as a sole charge nanny, housekeeper, gardener, and in a parents' help role.
I have also tutored young people from teaching them to read and beginning numeracy, KS1, GCSEs and up to A-level standard, according to the national curriculum and exam boards. As well as my English degree and psychotherapy training/ masters I achieved 6 A-levels all at A/B grades at college and I'm comfortable with most academic work, except maths and physics.
I enjoy making up games, reading to little ones and teaching them to read, collaboratively inventing stories, making up and performing characters with children, art projects and activities, music and singing, nature walks, going to groups and classes and on outings, helping and encouraging with homework and tutoring, baking and teaching cooking to children, and playing games with children of all ages! I have experience weaning babies, potty training, helping with sleep schedules, and activities that encourage language acquisition and development.
I'm confident keeping children safe and helping parents maintain their rules and boundaries set with children (but I am not someone who is strict, shouts or makes rules without explaining why to young people).
I'm currently looking for a regular part time mother's help/ nannying and babysitting position that reflects my ongoing interest in the care, education and development of children of all ages.
I pride myself in being warm, encouraging and enthusiastic with children of all abilities, confident teaching and tutoring young people who are particularly gifted intellectually and/ or artistically, as well as children who have additional needs, learning idiosyncrasies/ diagnoses such as ADHD, SPD, ASD, dyslexia, and neurodivergent children.
I use my diverse skills as a practicing artist, performer/ actor, psychotherapy scholar and teacher to encourage children to express themselves and learn through having fun, exploratory and creative games, as well as drawing on other resources such as educational work-books, reading plays, and learning to make art projects together (for example clay modelling, origami, puppet-making etc).

I specialise in tutoring english, creative writing, drama, history, art, geography, science, and biology/ natural sciences for children aged 1-16, and am competent helping with all school homework and after-school activities. I am fully background checked (Enhanced DBS certificate updated 2019) and have training in paediatric first aid (certified 2018). I co-founded and direct an artist support network and collective where I run and organise events and workshops, mostly for young LGBTQ+ artists and performers. Following my English degree, I completed a sculpture course, and I have also worked in acting/ theatre-making in London theatres. I have my own practice as an artist, performer and sculptor. In 2019 I wrote and directed a play with a the Arcola Theatre in Dalston, and I really enjoy encouraging imaginative play and drama with young people. I find the equilibrium in teaching and looking after children combined with my practice as an artist/ tutor really inspiring, playful and rewarding.
Through my work as a director of the artist support programme I have worked in schools and taught workshops to young people in art institutions across London, including Tate Modern, Tate Britain and Somerset House. I have also worked as a guest lecturer at Art Universities and colleges, including Winchester School of Art and Bristol University, teaching art and art history to undergraduates and masters students.

In my spare time I make sculptures/ ceramics in my studio and draw, cook (I'm mostly vegan and love cooking vegetable-based meals, but most of the families I've nannied for ate meat, which I’m also comfortable cooking), and doing other craft activities (I went to a Steiner School as a child so learned a lot of craft and art activities I now enjoying teaching to children). I also really enjoy exercise, especially cycling, walks outside, practicing Pilates and meditation. I love animals and am comfortable around all pets.
I am happy with all nursery duties, children's laundry, cleaning up after children (and helping them to learn to tidy up themselves!) and other domestic work. For cleaning I will only use natural/ eco cleaning products (not bleach/ chemicals, except in lavatories) which makes for a much more thoroughly cleaned and healthy home environment that you can be sure has been properly scrubbed fresh rather than chemicals being spritzed everywhere and left!
I really enjoy cooking and am happy to cook and prepare meals for parents as well as children.

I was born and grew up in Bristol, then Stroud as a child, and I lived in London for fourteen years until recently when I moved back to Stroud and its lovely wood, fields and friendly people! My parents are a doctor and a nurse (my mother is now also a teacher and body worker). Growing up with a medically and holistically trained family I have a sound understanding of mental and physical health and immunity, nutrition and the physical constitution, and am confident and calm with helping parents to assure the general wellbeing, nutrition and development of their children.