Karen Lu
Childminder in Mitcham
Usually responds within 2 hours
Female Member since Jan 2010 Last Updated Dec 2024 Last Login 19 Dec 2024
My Summary
About Me
Karen Lucas (Tonstall Road - 1 minute walk from Mitcham Eastfields Train Station) - 21 years experience. FREE FUNDED HOURS. Suitable for parents who would prefer to have their child looked after in a family home rather than in a busy nursery. It's a very calm, happy, relaxed and fun atmosphere where the children can learn through play to help them to get ready to start school. I offer full time and part time places from birth onwards. I also offer 15 hrs of universal free childcare and 30 hrs extended funded entitlement for eligible parents of funded 2, 3 & 4 yr olds. From September 2024 free 15 hrs for babies from 9 months old for eligible parents.
I have been registered with OFSTED since 2003 so i have been childminding for many years now and have gained lots of experience. I treat the children in my care as I would my own. From the very first day that they walk through my door, they are welcomed into and treated as part of the family. I would say that the hardest thing for me is having to say goodbye to them and their families when the time has come for them to leave, especially when the families have been with me for many years. It's a very emotional time!
I am married with two grown up children. No pets! I would describe my location as easy/quick access to Mitcham Town Centre - located just a 1 minute walk away from Mitcham Eastfields Train Station. 5 minutes away from St. Mark's Primary School, St. Mark's Church and Family Centre, St. Thomas of Canterbury Primary School and Lonesome Primary School.
Local buses are: 264, 280, 118, 463, 152, 127, 200, 270 and S1 and Mitcham Eastfields Train Station is literally a 1 minute walk away.
I offer a home-from-home environment for your child with the warmth and comfort that they deserve. Their safety is paramount. From day one they are treated as part of the family! Please feel free to contact me if you have any queries, I would love to hear from you!
I will answer any queries as soon as possible, usually within the same day.
My Experience
I have been registered with OFSTED since August 2003 and I am a member of PACEY (formerly NCMA). I was rated as GOOD in my latest Ofsted inspection which was January 2024. I am up-to-date with courses such as Safeguarding, LEAD Safeguarding, SEN, First Aid, Literacy and Maths course for 2.5 yrs to 5yr olds, WRAP - Prevent Duty training, Phase one Phonics, Supporting Positive Behaviour for 3 to 5 yr olds and FGM awareness.
I have two grown up children of my own with no pets. I find that being a childminder is an incredibly rewarding experience and it's so nice to watch as the children have fun, learn, grow and develop. I do not drive so, unfortunately, we do not travel far but we do visit local parks, feed the ducks, play football and ball games, visit local playgroups, go for lovely walks learning about nature, the weather and seasons etc. I have a large garden with a variety of children's toys e.g a slide, swingball, rocker, sandpit, waterplay, paddling pool, footballs, archery set (don't worry, its plastic!) and the children have their own picnic/activity table with a parasol which can be used for painting/drawing/playdough etc.
My Qualifications
ICP (Introduction to the Childminding Practice)
Child Protection Awareness Programme (NSPCC) modules
Basic Child Protection Awareness for Childminders (Merton Early Years)
Introduction to Early Years Foundation Stage for Childminders
Observation, Assessment & Planning for Childminders
Common Assessment Framework (CAF)
Updated Revised EYFS
SEN
Lead Safeguarding
Maths and Literacy
First Aid
WRAP - Prevent Duty training
Phase One Phonics
Supporting Positive Behaviour
FGM Awareness
My Availability
I have one vacancy
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Morning | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Afternoon | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| After School | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 19/12/2024 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £5.00 per hour
FREE FUNDED HOURS AVAILABLE (UNIVERSAL & EXTENDED IF ELIGIBLE)
or £30 for the day
£5 per hour before and after school
My Local Schools
- I provide drop offs and pick ups at St Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Primary School
- I provide pick ups at St Mark's Primary School
- I provide drop offs and pick ups at Lonesome Primary School
My Ofsted Inspections
The inspection grades below have been obtained from the Ofsted website based upon the registration number the childminder has provided to us. You should verify this information yourself prior to using the childminder.
My Documents
- UK Driving Licence (added 02/10/2022)
Reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Karen Lu. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk users and not of Childcare.co.uk. Parents must carry out their own checks and references on childcare providers to ensure that they are completely happy before enaging in the use of their services.
My daughter has been with Karen since she was five months old. Karen has nurtured and supported her in every way from teething to crawling to walking to learning the alphabet and numbers.
As a teacher myself, I worried so much about leaving my child to go to work. With Karen, those fears disappeared through her motherly nature, warm and loving environment and ability to support my child in ways that I could not have even imagined.
She is not only treats my daughter as though she were one of her own but has supported me on my journey through motherhood and back to work.
She is incredible!
Overall
Karren has been looking after our son for nearly 3 years since he was 9 months old. Karen is an excellent childminder. Karen provides a homely environment for our son where he can grow, develop, learn and have fun. Over the last couple of year Karen has supported our son in developing his numeracy and literacy skills and we are astounded how well he doing, we can not thank Karen enough for this.
Our son loves Karen and we couldn’t ask for a more caring and supportive childminder for our child.
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Karen is a lovely lady who loves children. She is a very enthusiastic lady with a very friendly and welcoming approach. My little girl used to go there for over a year and she had so much fun and thanks to Karen's calm nature her self-confidence grew so much over the year. She now loves to pop in a see Karen every now and then.
Leaving my girl with Karen was always stress-free as I knew she was always safe with her and being well looked after.
Karen is extremely patient with children and she just loves working with little ones- you can notice it straight away. Childminding is not just her job but her passion so I would recommend her to anyone looking for a great childminder.
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This profile has been produced from information provided to us by the user. We have not verified or confirmed the accuracy of any of the information and members should undertake their own vigorous checks and references. Please ensure you read our Safety Advice and information on how to Check Childcare Provider Documents.
