Joanne

About Me

Personal profile
I am currently a professional nanny working in the Surrey area with my current nanny family for over 3 and half years. I have worked as a nanny since 2019. I have a BA in Childcare and Education (level 6). I ran my own childcare business for over 25 years working directly as a childminder which I loved. I have supported people in the childcare profession for 4 years as a childcare tutor and childcare assessor/support co-ordinator working with the National childminding association and Ofsted. I also worked as a staff manager of a local domiciliary care company and a wrap around care manager for an afterschool club, a nursery nurse, nanny before having my own children, pre-school worker to name a few of my roles. I am a very caring calm person and really enjoy working in the community and in the home environment, my real passion is working with children. I am hardworking, reliable and will always put 100% into everything I do. I work well in a team and on my own using my own initiative. I’m a very good listener, very patient and have the ability to communicate well with people at all levels. I have been a nanny for 7 years, I have been an Ofsted nanny and a non Ofsted nanny happy to do both as parents require and have a current DBS. I have a driving licence, non smoker, first aid trained, safeguarding children, and have extensive knowledge of the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage Framework) and follow this to support children’s learning and development in a play based way following the children’s interests and ability. Additional educational training includes forest school and heuristic play, SEN and birth to three training, continuous provision, enabling environments, and many more. I love to have fun and laughter with the children I care for, helping them learn and develop through planned and unplanned play experiences and from the world around them and the experiences it brings. Play outside, walks, forest play, visits to nature parks, garden play are encouraged. Yoga, mindfulness and developing kind, thoughtful children, sharing and helping one another is also encouraged, including caring for animals.
Within my role I am happy to complete light housework if needed, and care for any animals in the family. I have lots of experience with young babies as well as twins and all aged children, including children with additional requirements. I focus on keeping updated with relevant training and updates to keep my knowledge and skills relevant. I support the families I work with and having a good relationship is very important.
I have 3 adult children who live in their own houses now and live near Alton in Hampshire. 2 of my children have followed my footsteps in working with children both as nannies and now childminders, so have gained my experience of caring for children. My mother was a childminder so I was bought up with lots of children around me, my sister and her husband were also childminders, so I say it’s in the blood!
During my experiences with older children and adults, I have planned many activities and experiences indoors and outdoors. I have organised drop in childminding groups, networking support groups and activity days for children. We love the outdoors, going on bear hunts, making dens, going to playgrounds, the woods, forest school activities, walks and visiting places of interest and learning. Indoors lots of craft and role play, sensory experiences and play following the children's interests. I have lots of experience with babies from helping them develop, to weaning, sleeping and providing them with appropriate play experiences. I have been a mothers help and also been in sole charge of the children I care for. I really love having a bond with the children in my care.
Hobbies
I enjoy listening to music, arts and crafts, watching films, and gardening cooking, seeing family and walking. I am also learning to play the guitar.
I love planning activities for children and researching new ideas, experiences for them to help them learn, achieve and have fun.
What I will bring to the job.
I have very good communication skills, I have worked with lots of parents, adults and children of all ages including professionals in the field. I would continue to do this to the best of my ability. I support parents to my best ability. Again helping children to learn and develop to their full potential, in a caring, fun, supported way.
I have office skills and have had to manage my own systems and organisation skills to carry out not only my own business (including my own accounts) and working for NCMA but also running a successful Network of childminders. As staff manager and wrap around care manager, I organised my own diary, planning ahead to make sure I complete all my tasks and supported all the staff on a regular basis. This has helped me in my nanny role to be efficient and plan ahead, to help the families in my care.
Quotes from parents
“you are a natural with children and they love you, you can’t even think of working with anything else than with children, Jo” (A parent of a child I used to care for, that I still keep in contact with).
“you are so calm and patient Jo it helps us all stay calm and the children love you”
“she has thrived at school because of your hard work, teaching her phonics, numbers and good life skills before she attended school”