Helens Happy Home
Childminder in Shoreham By Sea
Usually responds within 2 days
Female Member since Oct 2011 Last Updated Feb 2025 Last Login 21 Feb 2025
My Summary
Term Time Care
About Me
I'm Helen and I'm a Term Time Only Ofsted registered childminder. I'm based in central Shoreham-by-Sea (Queens Place) - a two minute walk from the train station or a quick drive from/to the A27.
Our childminding space is a lovely, bright & roomy kitchen / diner plus a garden for children to play in and do interesting activities! I provide a homelike environment so children have the comforts and security of home, as well as other children to play and socialise with. I aim to motivate and enthuse children by offering a stimulating and challenging, yet safe environment.
Working with you to develop a good 2-way communication flow helps me to provide the appropriate care for your child, and ensure continuity. Children feel a sense of belonging when they see us working together, which helps to re-enforces your child's trust in me and to feel secure.
I plan our day using my curriculum based on the Early Years Foundation Stage and I share activities, outings, any observations, plus photos to support the day’s events. I also encourage parents to work on your child’s Next Steps together! I encourage parent feedback, it helps to ensure my childcare setting is continually improving!
I offer each child a close and supportive relationship and pay attention to their needs. I use lots of eye contact, talking and I really listen to children so they can communicate what they need to whether it’s verbal or non-verbal. All of which helps build confidence, feel valued, and be able to thrive as a member of our little team!
We play with a wide range of quality toys, educational games and puzzles where children are encouraged to help themselves. We read lots of books each day and we use story sacks or props to bring the stories to life. We also read factual books with specific topics such as celebrations, seasons, people who help us, or if a child has shown an interest (such as shadows or water) we will select a relevant book from the library to explore this interest further.
A favourite activity is choosing an item from the song sac to choose a nursery rhyme to sing, plus we love dancing to music from around the world whilst playing percussion.
We do lots of physical activities to build our gross motor skills like walking, balancing, running, crawling, climbing, throwing, catching, yoga. We discuss exercise and why it is good for us!
Every day we mark marks with various tools and materials to develop fine motor skills - we mould, paint, stick, stamp, draw, write and cut. We display our artwork for children to proudly display their works of art! I encourage the older children to recognise letters, numbers, shapes and maybe to recognise/ write letters from their name to help prepare them for their next stage - school!
We talk about healthy eating when a relevant situation arises, and do chopping/ baking/ food smell/tasting activities based around healthy eating (like making hummus) to help develop their tastes. We also like to brush our teeth together and read stories about the importance of oral health.
Each week we attend various groups with other childminder friends and our little teams can mix with each other and form friendships. They will participate in seasonal and celebration themed activities and enjoy child-led play with all sorts of toys and activities. We also visit museums, firefighters, lifeboat station, libraries, farms, animal sanctuary's, paddling pools, soft play and much more!
We spend time outside every day whether its in the garden or at one of the numerous parks we go to, a walk in the woods, a stroll along the seafront to find treasures or even rock pooling! We often take an activity with us such as a ball to practise kicking, throwing and catching, a parachute, or maybe small world animals or trucks to play in the sand. On our journeys we discuss keeping safe, we spot letters, numbers and shapes in the environment, and we try to learn as much about the world as we can and embrace the local community.
Most afternoons we look at the photos we have taken during the day and talk about what we are doing in the photos - I find it helps the children to feel part of a team, as well as the important individual that they are!
My Experience
I opened Helens Happy Home in 2011 when my daughter was 6 months old and have been childminding ever since.
My Qualifications
I have undergone the following training, and continue to attend new seminars and online courses to keep my knowledge and skills up-to-date:
Introduction to Childcare Practice – (Pass) part of CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Home-based Childcare, Quality Improvement in Learning and Teaching for Childminders (Aims, Values and Principles - Credit level), Pediatric First Aid Certificate, Safeguarding Children, Level 2 Award in Food Safety Catering, Promoting Positive Behaviour in the EYFS, Exploring Outdoor Provision for Babies in their First Year, Sustained Shared Thinking with children in the EYFS, Child Development, Creative Storytelling, Makaton for Professionals, Its Cool to be Creative, Discovery Boxes, Treasure Baskets and Heuristic Play, Babies’ Brains are Amazing, Observation, Assessment and Planning, Running, Developing & Marketing a Childminding Business, Next steps from observation, Deserving the best, meeting the needs of two and early three year olds, Multicultural Teaching, Understanding the World, Partnership with Parents, An Enabling Learning Environment, Emotional Health and Wellbeing, Equalities Awareness, Speech, Lanuguage and Communication Development, EMAS - Raising the Status or Children with EAL, Activities are not enough, Attachment and Key Person Role, Developmental Play, Literacy - Steps to Reading.
All training approved by the local authority and childcare.co.uk and follows guidelines set out in the Ofsted Early Years Foundation Stage.
My Availability
Please contact me to discuss current availability.
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Morning | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Afternoon | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| After School | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 10/02/2025 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £7.00 per hour
£7 per hour - FE Funding can cover some fees.
My Local Schools
This childminder has not yet informed us whether or not they provide any drop off or pick up services at local schools.
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
- Ofsted Certificate (added 24/02/2024)
- DBS Check (added 13/03/2023)
- UK Passport (added 13/03/2023)
- First Aid Certificate: Full Paediatric First Aid 12hr (added 13/03/2023)
Reviews
5 out of 5
Parents say
This childminder is consistently praised for providing exceptional care in a nurturing home environment. Parents appreciate the wide range of stimulating activities, outings, and educational opportunities offered. The childminder is described as kind, patient, and attentive to each child's individual needs. Many reviewers highlight the positive impact on their children's development and the strong bonds formed.
Summary generated by AI from the text of recent member reviews
Latest reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Helens Happy Home. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk members 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 started Helen's Happy Home (HHH) just before her 2nd Birthday. I was very nervous about sending her to someone we didn't know, and at the time nursery wasn't a suitable option. I am so glad I sent my daughter to Helen. She has progressed so much (speech etc), and has grown in confidence. My daughter has some additional needs. Helen has been nothing but AMAZING in helping us both manage these. I honestly trust Helen with my daughter more than anyone (and that is saying something). Drop offs were hard at the beginning, but Helen reassured me and I was led by her to make the process as smooth as possible - my daughter now runs to the door and is so excited to be there! Helen is kind, caring, patient, compassionate and FUN! My daughter absolutely loves going to HHH and playing with her little tribe (Helen will never have more than 3 children at a time, which has been brilliant for us). She updates us regularly with pictures and lets us know what they've been up to. Helen has excellent organisational skills, and nothing is ever too much. The children get to do lots of activities away from Helen's Home too e.g. Paradise Park, learning to plant vegetables at the Allotment, Farm visits, Play groups, library visits - just to name a few! The house has gorgeous bi-folding doors from the kitchen into the garden. The children get to be outside a lot, which was really important for me. Helen even bakes a variety of goodies with the children too. The house is clean, warm and welcoming. My daughter has learnt how to climb, kick a ball, catch and count to at least 10. Her speech and communication skills have excelled! My daughter is always singing and dancing when she comes home, telling me she learnt new songs and dances with everyone. I honestly cannot recommend Helen enough, there's not enough stars to give. My daughter and I are extremely sad to be leaving at Feb half term, and if we didn't have to leave, we wouldn't! Thank you so much Helen for providing the best home from home setting I could have ever wished for. We will miss you!!!
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Becca
on 30/01/2025
I found Helen’s happy home by chance on a recommendation on a mothers group online when my child was just under a year old. By far the best chance I’ve taken in my parenting life to date!
The level of nurturing and encouragement is honestly impeccable! So far in my 7 years of experience as a parent Helen is by far the most loving understanding and nurturing childminder that I have ever known! My child flourished under her care, learned to walk. Learned to climb like a big kid. Could count to 14 some how by age 2! There’s been so many wonderful experiences and days out that have happened. Helen is so great we decided to stay right up until we had to leave! We only wish we could carry on and Helen be our child’s teacher.
We will surely miss you when our time comes.
I would give 1000 stars if I could.
Thanks you so much
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Millicen
on 26/01/2025
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 27/01/2025:
Thanks so much for your lovely review!
Our daughter has been with Helen for the last 18 months and we can't recommend her enough. Our daughter looks forward to her time there every week and comes back happy and full stories from the day. They do a large range of stimulating activities and games and visits about the local area. Helen develops a tremendous rapport with the kids and we look forward to her updates from the day.
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Ben
on 26/01/2025
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 26/01/2025:
Thanks Ben - it’s great working with your family too!
We feel extremely lucky to have come across Helen when she moved her childcare from Hove to Shoreham. Our daughter settled in quickly and it was never too traumatic at drop off. Helen made it easy by being jolly on the door and very empathetic towards the child and the parent. Helen led us as parents on the best way to manage drop off in the beginning.
Helen always has plans for the children - buckets of fun, paradise park and the local old people’s home to name just a few.
Helen spends lots of time supporting our daughters Progress with her speech and language. Lots of the games and toys she has at her house are very educational.
Helen is accommodating for times and dinners. This was helpful to us for our busy work schedules.
Helen keeps her numbers low, lower than others - this is so good as we know our daughter gets really good care and time spent with Helen. The others that go are all so lovely and our child has the absolute best time and has made some great friends.
Helen was very accommodating with naps when she was younger. Really trying to meet our wants and desires for nap environment and timings and length. All whilst juggling other people’s demands too 😆.
I highlight recommend Helen. It’s fantastic when you find someone you 100% trust with your child , no question.
Her house is lush too.
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Faye
on 13/01/2025
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 26/01/2025:
Thanks for your lovely review Faye 😊
Erika was with Helen a little over a year and we were sad to have to leave, Helen has been very caring and kind. Helen takes the children on wonderful day trips where they can learn, explore and play. She has a lovely homely environment that’s calm and relaxing allowing the children to sing, dance and get creative.
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Hazel
on 05/01/2025
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 05/01/2025:
Thanks so much Hazel, it’s been so lovely to work with your family ☺️
We’ve been working with Helen for over a year now and we are thrilled with the care our son has received (from 10ths old) and adventures he has been on.
Helen is thoroughly organised, communicative and thoughtful. Our son enjoys a wide variety of excursions (indoor and outdoor) in Shoreham and beyond. At home, Helen’s space is perfect for our boy and his pals to learn through play, dancing, singing, role play…
We know that we have struck gold with Helen’s Happy Home and we would not hesitate to recommend!
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Sally
on 17/09/2024
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 21/12/2024:
Ahh thanks Sally ❤️
Elwen started going to Helens Happy Home in January 2015 at the age of 12 months and it was definitely a big step for me, leaving her with someone other than immediate family. I didn't feel ready to put her in a nursery and HHH seemed closer to her home environment and seemed less daunting somehow. After meeting Helen, I knew straight away that Elwen would be happy there. She started going once a week, and quickly went up to 2 days in and she loves her time there. Elwen settled in very quickly and now runs in, often not looking back. She has made great progress and has learnt so many things with Helen and her development has been incredible. Helen provides a great variety of activities, including plenty of outdoor exercise as well as time in her lovely home. There are lots of fun outings to play parks, museums and play groups as well as downtime at her home. She has a great range of toys available and encourages messy play. There is also a lot of imaginative role play, from making dens to dressing up, which we always encourage at home too. Living in a city, its important for us that Elwen also explores the outdoors and wildlife around her and this is something Helen certainly introduces into their daily routine. They might go walking through leaves in the park, or talk about the weather outside or collect specimens like twigs and mint for their nature bag to examine back at Helens home. I really like Helens creative approach to learning. It may be counting through number pebbles or leaves for example. She encourages child led play and to be independent whilst always maintaining a happy and safe environment. I could not believe it when Elwen could put her coat on by herself. Helen had taught them how to do this along with counting to 10, repeating days of the week. It is brilliant. Helen encourages good behaviour, sharing and kindness to others which are important values to us at home as well. I love going onto the Baby Day site after Elwen has been there to see all the fun activities they have been up to and the photos that Helen has taken of their adventures. I get a complete picture, including how long she has slept and eaten. This helps me to feel involved with her care and something I can talk to Elwen about when she gets home and throughout the week. She gets so excited about her next visit and playing with her little friends there, including Helens daughter Ionie, who Elwen loves. She chats so much when I pick her up in the evening and I often have to sing all their names for her to fall asleep at night. Helen is kind, patient and conscientious, as well as being understanding of every childs needs and I love her fun and creative approach. I would highly recommend her to anyone as a great and reliable childminder. Sending Elwen to Helens Happy Home has been one of the best choices I have made.
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tonwen
on 26/03/2023
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 27/03/2023:
Thanks so much for your lovely review Ton x
My daughter Elektra, who is now four years old, has been looked after by Helen for almost two years. Helen has been simply amazing and a joy to work with. She is nurturing and caring whilst allowing kids to take (reasonable) risks. She is a natural teacher with a knack for communication. She is considerate and thoughtful, and able to work with each of her childrens' sensibilities. I have learned so much from her on how to deal with tantrums, fussy eating etc.
Many thanks, Helen.
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Evb
on 20/03/2023
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 21/03/2023:
Thank you so much Evangelia x
Everyone in our family looks forward to Thursdays, when Cleo spends a day at Helens Happy Home and us parents get some time to ourselves.. Cleo loves Helen and her daughter, and gets to do lots of activities that we probably don‘t do at home. She loves playing with Helen‘s daughter and the variety of children at different ages and selection of activities means that Cleo gets a really interesting day in a place where she feels very at home and secure. When your child talks about and looks forward to seeing their childminder you know you are on the right track.
Alix, Newtimber
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Alix
on 20/03/2023
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 20/03/2023:
Thanks Alix, lovely review x
Helen and her very Happy Home were absolutely brilliant in looking after our rather shy 2 year old.
We were very apprehensive as to how he would behave but we needn't have worried at all. Helen was brilliant at getting him settled in and interacting with the other children straight away. The activities and day trips Helen organises are fantastic.
Thank you for everything!
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Charlott
on 19/03/2023
Response by
Helens Happy Home
on 20/03/2023:
Thanks for your lovely Review x
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