Danielle Smith

Your child will receive high quality care in a home from home environment led by myself; a qualified teacher with extensive Early Years experience. The childcare is run from our own home; I live with my husband, Chris who is also a qualified teacher, my son Arthur and our two dogs. I have always had a passion to work with children since I was a child myself. I thrive on ensuring children feel safe, inspired and empowered to develop emotionally, socially and academically. I love allowing children to unlock their potential in their development through a range of approaches. At Creative Little Love children are encouraged to follow their interests and I help further and deepen their understanding through their curiosity.There are a lot of myths around childminding and the quality of care that is offered. However all childminders are required to have up to date childcare qualifications, nurseries are also expected to have members of staff that hold a level 3 childcare qualification, here at Creative Little Love all of the provision and planning is constantly updated and reflected upon by an experienced qualified teacher. At Creative Little Love we always ensure that your child builds a nurturing relationship with us to help support their development in the setting. We offer two, two hour settling in sessions to allow your little one to get used to the provision and to begin to develop a bond with Danielle. These settling in sessions are free once the contract and relevant paperwork has been completed and a non-refundable deposit has been paid. The deposit is 2 weeks care or £100 (whichever is greater) and this is deducted from the first month's fees once the child starts their full days.

Our childcare is open Monday - Friday 7:30 - 5:30 which gives you the opportunity to drop you little ones off before work and pick up after work. We do close promptly at 5:30pm, so we do ask you to arrive earlier than this so we can spend time chatting about your child's day. We offer half and full days to fit around your routine, this can be discussed further after your look around our lovely home/provision. We offer care based on half days and full days which are set after your initial look around and paid monthly this will be explained in detail on our prices page. We understand the importance of flexible childcare and will always try our best to meet your family's working patterns. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements and we will try to accommodate your family's needs.

Creative Little Love offers a home from home experience which supports you little one to settle in and feel comfortable to explore the provision. We always aim to make sure that they will settle quickly and build strong bonds with Danielle. We also try our best to follow any routines that you have established at home e.g. nap times. We pride ourselves in the environment that we offer your little one. We are required to follow the Development Matters Framework just like private and school nurseries. We also follow a range of theories including the curiosity approach and Montessori.

At Creative Little Love we pride ourselves in the environment that we offer your little one. We are required to follow the Development Matters Framework just like private and school nurseries. We also follow a range of theories including the curiosity approach and Montessori. Your little one will be part of a 1:3 ratio within our setting which depending on their age is a smaller ratio that they would receive from a private or school nursery. This means that your child will have more one on one time and potentially bond quicker with their main carer in the setting. This also means that their individual needs and interests will also be followed in more depth and consistency. Children benefit from sharing the family setting with children of different ages, allowing them to learn from each other.

Parent / carer communication is very important to us here at Creative Little Love Childcare. We understand just how necessary it is for you to know exactly what your child has been up to, where they are in their development and the availability to talk about any concerns you may have. This is why we offer 2 parent / carer consultations a year and constantly update your child's learning journey. We are also always available to discuss any other queries at drop off or pick up.

Safety is paramount here at Creative Little Love, just like other educational settings we have safeguarding policies in place to ensure that your little one is always safe when they are with us. We also carry out risk assessments around our home on a regular basis. If you would like to look at one of our policies they are available within the setting.

When you sign up, an assessment document will be created for your little one and will be continuously updated throughout the year. These will also be discussed at parent/carer consultations.