I write this letter of recommendation with both joy and some sadness. Joy because Emma has been a fantastic childminder for our baby son, helping him blossom from a 6 month old staying away from parents for the first time till his first birthday. And I write with some sadness, because our son has to leave this setting at 1 year old simply – and only – because we have moved to a village a long way away from Shortstown and he could not cope with the daily commute.
Emma took our baby under her wing at 6 months old and has managed his transition beautifully from gummy smiles to two teeth, from breastmilk to mixed feeding to cows milk, from just milk to spoon feeding to independent eating. Under her care our son has blossomed physically, developmentally, socially and emotionally. Just a few particular points are especially important to note -
• Emma has helped shape him to be a very sociable child – we find he is so confident in his interactions. This is because she does rhymes, stories and activities with the children that help them communicate, learn and share.
• She has enabled him to learn to feed himself by offering a variety of food options alongside what we have provided and we now have a 1 year old who despite being fussy with food to start with is a curious and independent eater.
• In terms of his development, she has shaped his motor skills very well in terms of holding objects, clapping hands, standing up, waving goodbye, recognising faces and names.
• She has helped shape a well-adjusted and happy child by being there for him with lots of cuddles when teething has had him feeling grumpy, despite having other children to look after. This warmth and affection has helped our baby blossom.
• Emma has gently moulded our son into a routine – not by enforcing things on him – but rather working with him to develop a meal-play-nap routine that is individual to him and also flexible.
• And finally, we can clearly see that in all of this, she has met and exceeded the Early Years Foundational Stage recommendations for children, and has created a safe, happy, stimulating, inspiring and comfortable setting for our son and his little friends.
In all, my husband and I thoroughly recommend Emma to you. It’s the best feeling of relief when your child plunges into his chidminder’s arms happily and with a huge grin. That was our with Emma, so I have no reservations recommending her.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication