Lucy
Childminder in Colchester (also available for babysitting)
5.0
My Summary
About Me
Hi, my name is Lucy and I live in a small village called Frating, just outside of Colchester which has great access to the A120 and A12.
I live with my husband And our two children aged 17 and 14 our 2 dogs and 3 cats. All very friendly!
I have 17 years experience looking after young children as a childminder / babysitter and before becoming a childminder I used to run a parent and toddler group.
I can offer a lovely home from home setting where your child will be treated like a member of the family.
I work alone, so can only look after up to 6 children under the age of 8 as per the EYFS so spaces are limited.
I look after children from birth until around 8 years old.
I accept government funding for 9 month olds & 2 year funding.
I do accept 3/4 year old funding, but encourage children to go to a pre school setting from the term after their 3rd birthday as I feel it helps them get used to a bigger, more structured environment ready for school.
My families say that I’m more like an Auntie to their children, as they all love coming to Lulu’s house! I treat the children like I would my own and make them feel like a part of my family.
I have a lot of patience and enjoy teaching the children how to be independent and develop their confidence to help prepare them with the skills they need for starting school.
I have routines set out for the children and we regularly go to playgroups, meet with other childminders, parks, farms,beach and zoos and generally just out and about. This helps the children to gain social skills in larger groups and learn about the wider community.
I have lots of indoor and outdoor toys at my home and a very large garden to play in.
We do lots of arts and crafts and messy play activities which is a big hit with all ages!
We love to get messy and muddy and go out in all weather.
My garden is very wild and children are encouraged to freely explore and engage in supervised risky play to encourage resilience and confidence.
I run a very relaxed setting and always follow children’s interests and ensure that they are learning through play.
I have lots of educational toys here that children can freely choose to play with to build essential skills and I set up a different adult led activity for them to explore each week to enhance their learning.
We love animals here and children are taught how to be kind to them and how to look after them. Our animals are very much a part of the family and are free to play around the children.
We also take care of our wildlife and learn lots about looking after the environment as this is something that is very important to me.
If you would like to come and have a look around my setting and see if it is suitable for you and your child, please get in touch and we will arrange a meeting.
My Experience
17 years experience in looking after young children.
Experience in looking after twins.
Some experience with SEND.
My Qualifications
OFSTED rated GOOD
Paediatric first aid trained
cache level 3 award in preparing to set up a Home-based child minding business.
level 2 food hygiene.
Safeguarding level 1,2 & 3
Managing behaviour
Delivering the EYFS
SCHEMAS
Planning a curriculum
Full clean driving license
My Availability
I’m open between the hours of 8 AM and 5 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
I take 5/6 weeks holiday per year during school holidays. These dates will be given in January to allow you to plan holiday cover for the year.
You will need to provide a packed lunch for your child for the day.
Snacks, water and milk is provided.
My Fees
- Childminding from £8.00 per hour
- Babysitting from £15.00 per hour
My fees are £8 per hour for EYFS childcare plus occasional extras for day trips.
I accept childcare vouchers, tax free childcare and government funding.
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
- DBS Check (added 20/04/2021)
- Ofsted Certificate (added 26/04/2017)
- Other (added 29/12/2025)
- First Aid Certificate: paediatric first-aid (added 08/04/2024)
- First Aid Certificate: Paediatric first aid level 3 (added 20/04/2021)
- Training Certificate: CACHE Level 3 (added 02/01/2017)
Reviews
5 out of 5
Parents say
This childminder provides exceptional care in a welcoming home-from-home environment. Children consistently show excitement about attending and demonstrate significant developmental progress, particularly in communication and social skills. Parents praise the childminder's dedication, regular updates, and ability to meet individual needs, including caring for children with additional requirements.
Summary generated by AI from the text of recent member reviews
Latest reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Lucy. 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 son is almost two now and has been going to Lucy’s for over a year and he absolutely loves it. They’re constantly going to local parks, play groups, sensory rooms and so much more during the week and she’s so focused on accelerating key learning stages during development, like walking and talking. He is always coming back with new words his obsessed with. Lucy is also an absolute pleasure to deal with. I’d highly recommend!
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Zachary
on 15/06/2026
Our son has now been going to Lucy’s for 6 months. He has autism and currently non verbal so we were anxious to leave him with anyone. I now do not ever have that worry.
Arlo absolutely loves it at Lucy’s, she is literally like another parent to him and it really is his home away from home. He is so comfortable and content which for me means more than anything.
He gets excited to go and actually gets the hump sometimes when he has to leave. Lucy is so caring and treats Arlo like her own. She keeps me updated on the days he’s in about how he is and how his day is going and sends the cutest pics of him having the best time!
He has improved so much with his development and communication. Lucy always goes above and beyond to meet Arlo’s needs and will help wherever she can. He has got a beautiful bond with Lucy and that’s all we ever want is for our children to be happy and safe when they are not with us.
Not only does Lucy have a beautiful and clean home she also has an amazing garden which Arlo LOVES! He gets to explore and have so much fun whilst being safe.
What I love so much about Lucy is that she lets the children who she cares for be who they want to be.
I honestly can’t thank Lucy enough, we were so lucky to find her and I know there is nowhere else I would want Arlo to go.
xXx
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Abbie
on 15/06/2026
My son who is almost 3, has been going to Lucy’s house for almost a year and he loves it there! It’s a real home from home setting and he is so relaxed there. He has progressed so much developmentally too being with Lucy, wouldn’t want him anywhere else.
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Georgia
on 12/06/2026
My little boy has been going to Lucy for a year now and he absolutely loves it! Going back to work when he was 9 months old was difficult but Lucy made me feel like her home was a home from home and sent me pictures everyday and gave him cuddles all day. I couldn’t have gone back to work without Lucy. Her care is turning my little one into the most amazing child. Thank you xxx
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Jade
on 12/06/2026
My daughter is nearly 3 and has been going to Lucy’s for a year and a half and absolutely loves ‘Lulu’s’. Lucy gives a home from home setting and works really hard to make sure the children get everything they need. My daughter has come on leaps and bounds since being here. Lucy is more than just a childminder and really cares about the children, I can talk to her about anything and she very helpful with advice and in general with anything. I highly recommend Lucy as a childminder, she is the best!
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Jade
on 21/02/2024
Our daughter has been with Lucy twice a week for a year and a half now, we are so happy with the care she receives there.
Lucy provides so many fantastic resources and each day there will be a new activity to capture the children's imagination and expand/develop their skills. Lucy offers a structured and fun-filled day in a warm and wonderful setting.
I would highly recommend Lucy as a childcare provider.
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by
Natasha
on 04/02/2019
Response by
Lucy
on 04/02/2019:
Thank you for your lovely review xx
My daughter has been going to Lucy for a few months now and has recently started five full days a week. Sofia was only 9 months when she first started and is now a year old. From the very word go, I never had any fear about Sofia being in Lucy's Care. The setting is beautiful, and Lucy provides/organises different activities everyday. Sofia is very forward and confident but since being with Lucy she has developed so much more. I have absolute faith in Lucy and would recommend her at the drop of a hat, to anyone. Her family are lovely too, and Sofia adores her children.
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by
Parent
on 25/05/2017
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This profile was last updated on 8th June 2026 and has been produced from information provided to us by the user. We have not verified or confirmed the accuracy of any of the information and members should undertake their own vigorous checks and references. Please ensure you read our Safety Advice and information on how to Check Childcare Provider Documents.