Sheppard

Happy Children, Happy Parents - Highly Recommended

Our children love Steph, and so do we. We feel really lucky to have found her. She has been our childminder since January 2016 and has cared for our two children with additional needs for many years, creating a warm, supportive and family-like environment. Steph is experienced in caring for children with additional needs and takes the time to understand each child as an individual. She adapts her approach to help them thrive socially and emotionally, and her patience and flexibility make a real difference to our family.

Steph creates a lovely balance of learning and fun, with lots of encouragement and engaging activities. The children enjoy things like nature walks, park visits, and soft play, and special occasions such as birthdays and holidays are always celebrated. They especially look forward to her annual Halloween and Christmas parties. She truly treats the children as if they were her own, and it shows in the relationships she builds. Many stay in touch even after leaving her care, and that in itself says everything.

Communication has always been really strong, and she keeps us well informed while also working closely with both parents and schools. As our 8-year-old puts it: “Steph is nice and kind. She makes the best food.”

Our children are happy and excited to be with her. We honestly wouldn’t change a thing, and we would highly recommend Steph to any family looking for a caring and dedicated childminder.

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by Maria on 17/05/2026

Home away from home

Steph looked after my daughter for 7 years through primary school and my son for 3 years from 6 months of age. When I was looking for somewhere for my children I wanted somewhere where they would feel comfortable, safe and relaxed, and free to be themselves. Also somewhere where I wouldn’t worry about them, especially my son as he was very young when I returned to work. Steph truly provided that home away from home we were looking for and the kids absolutely adored her. She is so kind and caring with the children but also sets clear rules and boundaries, important for their development. When we moved away we were all very sad to be saying goodbye to Steph, but it remains some of the best memories we all have of being in London.

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by Natalie on 14/05/2026

A truly wonderful childminder

Steph has been the childminder for both my children over the past 12 years. This includes looking after my daughter from when she was a baby. She has been absolutely brilliant. It has been as if my children have had a second home and a second family. She has always gone above and beyond, with legendary Christmas parties, Birthday parties for each child and trips out. I really feel blessed that we have had Steph as our childminder.

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by Camilla on 13/05/2026

Excellent childminder

Steph has cared for our daughter since she was 5 months old she is now five years old. During this time, Steph has consistently shown herself to be reliable, caring, and highly professional.

Steph creates a warm, safe, and nurturing environment where children feel happy and secure. She is patient, caring , and genuinely interested in the wellbeing and development of the children she cares for. Our daughter has always looked forward to spending time with her and has benefited greatly from the engaging activities, structure, family environment and encouragement that Steph provides.

I have particularly appreciated Steph’s excellent communication, flexibility, and dependable nature. Whether helping with routines, supporting learning and social skills, or simply offering kindness and reassurance, Steph has always gone above and beyond.

I would not hesitate to recommend Stef to any family looking for a trustworthy and dedicated childminder. I am confident that she will provide wonderful support to any children in her care.

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by Stehlika on 12/05/2026

So much more than a Childminder

We feel very lucky to have Steph in our son’s life.
Our son has been with her for 7 years, and throughout all this time she has always been thoughtful, respectful of my son’s feelings, and creates a safe and happy environment where my son is truly supported and valued.

She balances kindness with gentle guidance, helping my son feel secure while encouraging confidence and good behaviour. It is clear how much care and dedication she puts into what she does every day. We couldn’t recommend her more highly.

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by Manna_ME on 06/05/2026

Truly Special Childminder Who Became Family

Review:
We were with Steph for 7.5 wonderful years, and I honestly cannot recommend her highly enough. She has been so much more than a childminder to our family - she has been a huge, positive part of my daughter’s childhood and development.

My daughter wanted to share this message herself:

“Steph, I miss you so so so so so so so much!!!! ❤️❤️🥰🥰 You’re the best childminder I have ever had. I think about you every day. I don’t know if you remember, but the grey teddy bear from Poundland was from the last trip we went on there, and I sleep with it every single night. I love it so so so so so so so much!!!!!!! Steph, you helped raise me. You and Julien were like a father figure in my life and helped raise me to be a better person. I miss you so much. Love you Steph!!! 🥰🥰🥰❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
– Ada”

As a parent, I can only echo how special Steph has been to us. She created such a warm, safe, loving, and nurturing environment where my daughter always felt happy, secure, and genuinely cared for. Steph goes above and beyond in every way — she doesn’t just look after children, she builds meaningful bonds with them and helps shape them into confident, kind, and happy young people.

The fact that even after 4 years since we moved away, my daughter still treasures those memories, keeps mementos from their outings, and speaks about Steph with so much love says everything about the care, dedication, and kindness she shows every child she looks after.

Steph and Julien became like extended family to us, and we will always be incredibly grateful for the love, guidance, patience, and support they gave during such an important part of our daughter’s life. Any family would be beyond lucky to have Steph as their childminder.

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by Beata on 04/05/2026

A safe, happy place where our son is thriving

Our son has been with Steph since he was 20 months old, and we couldn’t be happier with the care he’s received. From the very beginning, she created a warm, calm environment that helped him settle in quickly, which made a big difference to us as parents.
Steph is patient, attentive, and genuinely invested in the children she looks after. We’ve seen a real boost in his confidence, communication, and social skills over time. He comes home happy, chatty, and clearly enjoys his days, which says a lot.

What we especially appreciate is the balance she keeps between structured activities and free play, as well as the time spent outdoors. It feels like a home-from-home setting rather than anything too rigid.

Communication has always been clear and consistent, and we feel well-informed about his day and development. It’s reassuring to know he’s in a safe and caring environment where he’s known as an individual.

We’re really grateful for the role she’s played in his early years and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her to other families.

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by Michaela on 03/05/2026

Excellent care for my Child

We have had an excellent experience with Stephanie, and we feel very lucky to have found her. Our son has been with her for nearly a year now, starting when he was just one year old, and the way he settled in so quickly really reassured us that we had made the right choice.
From the very beginning, Stephanie created a warm, caring, and welcoming environment where our son felt safe and comfortable. As parents, that was the most important thing for us, and she has consistently provided that sense of security. It’s clear that she genuinely cares for the children she looks after and treats them with kindness and patience.
Stephanie regularly takes the children out to activities and to the park, which our son absolutely loves. We’ve seen him grow in confidence and enjoy being active and social. Every day he comes home happy, which speaks volumes about the care and attention he receives.Communication has also been excellent. Stephanie keeps us updated and is always approachable and supportive. Knowing that our son is safe, happy, and well looked after gives us complete peace of mind.
We are truly grateful for everything Stephanie has done for our family, and we would highly recommend her to any parent looking for a trustworthy, professional,caring childminder.

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by Ganimete on 03/05/2026

Best Childminder in Merton

We have had the pleasure of having Stephanie as our childminder for the past two years, caring for our son from the age of 22 months. From our first meeting, I felt confident that she was the right choice for our family.

Stephanie is a beautiful person—loving, caring, and gentle. Our son was very attached to me at the time, but her kind approach helped him settle in quickly. They formed a strong bond, and he began eating better at her place than at home!

He attended two full days a week, from 8 am to 6 pm, and enjoyed a variety of activities: playgroups, library visits, soft play, playgrounds, farm trips, and picnics. These experiences helped him develop good habits—he now says “sorry,” “thank you,” and “excuse me” in the right context. Being around children of different ages also improved his communication skills.

Stephanie created a warm, family-like environment with birthday and Christmas parties that made everyone feel included.
We only left because we moved to a new area and our son started nursery. If we could, we would have stayed with Stephanie forever.
We are truly grateful for everything she has done for our family.

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by Diana on 03/06/2025