• Childminding

    Choosing a Childminder

    1 May 2024 - By 

    Choosing the right childminder can be daunting. This person will have a big part in your child’s life, and you need to be happy with them. Here are five points to consider when choosing a childminder:

    1. Do their working hours suit you? If you need childcare 8am-6pm 5 days a week, but the childminder only works 9am-3pm Mon-Thurs then they might not be the right fit. You may still be able to use them, but you would need to look at alternative care for the hours they cannot cover. Also be aware that the childminder might only have advertised a part-time space, but could have full-time hours available in the future.
    2. Does the location work for you? Childminders work from their own homes and you will usually be required to drop off to and pickup from that address. Some childminders also work from a second location for part of the week. If you will be dropping off or picking up on your way to or from work be sure to do a test run at the normal times to make sure the travelling works within your schedule.
    3. Do you like their setting and their working methods? This is probably the most important point! Your child will be spending a lot of time at the setting, so it’s important that you are happy with it. Are there interesting activities? Is there a nice outdoor area? Does the childminder’s approach align with your own parenting style? You should get a good gut feeling from visiting the childminder and be happy about your child going there.
    4. How will you pay? There is government help available to pay towards childcare, but not all providers accept all methods. You may be able to use tax-free childcare, universal credit, student finance or eligible funded hours. Check with the childminder which methods they accept. Discuss their fees and any additional costs. Make sure you understand their policies for holidays, sickness and any late charges. Many childminders charge an initial deposit and/or a month’s payment up front. Payments are usually required in advance of childcare.
    5. Have you checked their credentials? Childminders should be registered with either Ofsted or an Ofsted-registered childminding agency such as Tiney or SCA. They will have a registration certificate showing their registration number. They should also have a first aid qualification, DBS check and appropriate insurance. Anyone who is not registered will not be insured, will not be able to accept government childcare payments, has not been vetted, and could be putting your child at risk.
  • Family Wellbeing

    Aromatherapy

    11 January 2024 - By 

    The art of aromatherapy had been practiced for thousands of years. Strong evidence was found to link aromatherapy to many ancient traditions. Though aromatic oils have been used to treat and cure various ailments and conditions for centuries, the formal study on their properties only started in 1928.

    In its simplest form, aromatherapy is the use of essential plant oils for therapeutic purposes. They are normally employed to relieve a person from stress and a variety of stress-related conditions. They are also used for promoting an individual’s general well being and in invigorating the body and the psyche.

    Aromatherapy works by inducing the olfactory nerve cells with aromatic oils, which then carries out the message to the limbic system in the brain. The limbic system is the part of the brain that is responsible for controlling memory and emotions.

    Aromatherapy is concerned in the workings of both the physical and emotional aspects of the person under treatment. Physically, aromatherapy helps in relieving specific conditions through the stimulation of the nervous, immune and circulatory system. In emotions however, they may evoke pleasant memories and uplifted moods.

    Although the medical community is not in agreement over whether aromatherapy in itself is instrumental to healing various medical conditions, the idea of recovery through aromatherapy is widely accepted.

    Essential oils are derived from the distillation of the elements of a plant like the leaves, roots, flowers, stems and bark. They hold the true essence of the plants from which they originally came in high concentration. Though termed as oil, essential oils normally do not have the real properties of oil. Some essential oils are yellow like that of the lemongrass and orange and many are clear.

    These oils are used in a variety of methods: through inhalation, by adding them in the bathwater and by the application of the diluted oil on the body.

    The use of oil in aromatherapy is only restricted to those with unadulterated qualities. The purest of the essential oils alone have the therapeutic values.

    In spite of the lack of formal research on aromatherapy, therapists and European physicians are often prescribing certain aromatic oils for a range of complaints including colds and flu, insomnia, sinusitis, migraines, digestive problems and muscle pains. It must be understood though that aromatic oils must never be taken orally and should be first tested to determine the degree of skin’s sensitivity to some oils.

    I have written a downloadable guide for using aromatherapy with children, specifically in a childminding setting.

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  • Childminding

    Hygge

    4 January 2024 - By 

    I have completed the Hygge in the Early Years accreditation. Hygge (pronounced hoo-ga) is a Danish concept. There is no direct English translation, but it generally means a feeling of cosiness, togetherness and calmness.

    So how does this apply to my childminding setting?

    • We take things at a slower pace, trying not to rush from one activity to the next.
    • We enjoy moments of calm throughout the day.
    • We spend lots of time outside in nature.
    • We steer away from noisy plastic toys, instead choosing natural materials, loose parts and small world play.
    • I spend time getting to know children, welcoming them into my home and following their interests.