Claire
Childminder in Sutton (also available for babysitting)
Usually responds within 1 hour
Female Member since Aug 2022 Last Updated Aug 2025 Last Login 03 Sep 2025
My Summary
A First Choice For Parents Who Want Their Child To Experience The Natural World Around Them šæ
About Me
In prime location for Cheam Fields Primary Academy, close proximity to Cheam Village and train station. A very convenient bus stop is located a minute away where the 151/213 route is and 93 a bit further down the road.
My childminding journey began when I was an Oncology Nurse working at the Royal Marsden Sutton in 2022. The demands of working during covid and managing 3 children forced me to reconsider my career choice and I havenāt looked back!
My setting is a true home from home with a āforest schoolā approach to learning. Your child will feel welcomed with open arms. The children in my care donāt feel like theyāre going to childcare, theyāre going to āClaireās houseā and thatās exactly the kind of childminder I aim to be! We are a happy home full of love, laughs and children can be free to express themselves. I take the time to get to know your child, likes, dislikes, favourite toys, activities, interests and build my relationship from there. I believe each child has their own unique interests and I follow their lead, children are listened to, understood, and validated here. The childrens mental and physical wellbeing is my upmost priority and in my setting we are working on the foundations to build children with confidence and self-esteem.
We are a predominantly outdoor setting, and we spend our time around the local area. We are very fortunate to be on the doorstep of Cheam Park and Nonsuch Park. We can be found exploring the vast woodlands looking for wildlife, the mansion grounds, in the playground, sandpit, play group, local library or the community garden centre. We also pop in for the occasional Babycinno and grab some fresh produce from the greengrocers.
I take the children out in all weathers and all children are appropriately dressed in wellies and waterproof clothing which are provided by the parents. The children love our forest picnics with a story.
Nature plays a vital role in early years education by supporting childrenās physical, emotional, and cognitive development. Outdoor environments stimulate curiosity and creativity, encouraging children to explore, ask questions, and engage in hands-on learning experiences. Regular time in nature promotes physical health through active play and improves mental well-being by reducing stress and increasing focus. It also fosters social skills as children collaborate, problem-solve, and build relationships in natural settings. Moreover, early exposure to nature helps develop a sense of environmental stewardship, laying the foundation for a lifelong connection to the natural world.
I run a weekly āforest schoolā session with another childminder for the little ones, each activity is adapted to the different ages in our care.
We have a well resourced playroom to suit children of all ages, I adapt the space to the ages of children in my care and we do regular toy rotations to continuously spark new interests. We use tuff play and play trays for sensory play set ups and encourage the children to get stuck in! The dining room leads onto a safe and secure decking play area. Stairs leading down to a grassed area with a bespoke jungle gym.
My Experience
A mother of 3 children is the best experience you can have, my eldest is 16, I have a 7 year old son and a 4 year old daughter who are in full time education. I understand the realities of working parents and how challenging it can be. Which is why I work so hard to keep your little ones happy, secure and very busy so you can go about your daily life knowing they're in safe hands. My last ofsted report was completed in October 2024. I was awarded an overall 'Good' score with some areas emerging into 'outstanding'. I am assessed every year to ensure we are working at the highest standards.
My Qualifications
Paediatric first aid course
Registered Nurse
Full childminder training completed including food hygiene, early years foundation stage and safeguarding children
My Availability
Opening hours 7.30am - 5.30pm all year round.
Spaces available - contact for availability.
Please send your email address if youād like me to send a parent welcome pack
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Before School | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Morning | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Afternoon | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| After School | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Evening | no | yes | yes | yes | no | no | no |
| Overnight | no | no | no | no | no | no | no |
| Last Updated: 29/08/2025 | |||||||
My Fees
- Childminding from £9.00 per hour
- Babysitting from £15.00 per hour
All types of funding accepted and tax free childcare
Ā£80 per day on non funded days.
School drop off and pick up available.
A packed lunch and snacks are provided by parents/guardians.
My Local Schools
- I provide drop offs and pick ups at Cheam Fields Primary Academy
My Documents
- Childminding Agency Certificate (added 27/10/2022)
- DBS Check (added 22/09/2022)
- Proof of Covid-19 Vaccination (added 22/09/2022)
- First Aid Certificate: Paediatric First Aid (added 05/09/2022)
Reviews
5 out of 5
Parents say
The childminder receives glowing praise for providing a nurturing, nature-focused environment. Parents appreciate the outdoor activities, home-cooked meals, and support for children with additional needs. The setting is described as welcoming and fun, fostering confidence and development in children. Overall, families express high satisfaction and gratitude.
Summary generated by AI from the text of recent member reviews
Latest reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Claire. 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.
That's it! Our time with Claire has come to an end. It really has been the saddest goodbye. Our little boy has really loved his time with Claire. As parents we absolutely loved how Claire incorporated outdoor play and nature-based learning into Zachs daily routine. She always kept us up to date on there adventures.
Zach is epileptic and it was terrifying for us as parents to have to leave him. However Claire worked with us to develop a healthcare plan.
While with Claire, Zach had a seizure, Claire's calmness, quick thinking and clear communication with us was reassuring and impressive.
Thank you Claire for being such a steady, dependable and supportive childminder. We will miss you!!
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by
LauraSG
on 24/08/2025
Response by
Claire
on 24/08/2025:
Oh goodness this made me have watery eyes! Thank you so much. We will miss that cheeky little man but forever grateful to have the opportunity to look after him x
So lucky to have our 2 girls with Claire. We really appreciate the openness and transparency shown whenever weāre discussing our girls development, current situations and future plans.
With Claireās support and environment our first, who has needed additional support, has really improved her confidence and speech. The second is the juggernaut and adapted very quickly to being in full time care and now canāt wait to play with the others. The exposure they get is unrivalled. Best decision weāve made.
Couldnāt be happier!
Thank youuuuuuu
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Shirin
on 21/10/2024
We feel so incredibly lucky to have Claire minding our two year old son. She is so kind, patient and caring with him. He struggled at the start leaving us and Claire was so understanding and reassuring. She sends lots of updates during the day and now our little boy walks in happily every morning. We love that she takes him exploring and really feel like he has grown in confidence.
Claire is so hardworking, you can see that this is a passion for her and not just a job. We have no hesitation in recommending her.
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LauraSG
on 16/10/2024
Our son loves his 2 days a week with Claire. Claire is very warm and welcoming and treats the children like her own. We feel very confident leaving our 15 month old son in her care. She sends photo updates each day of what the children get up to. One thing we love most is the children are always outside in nature, rain or shine. Claire has also taken the children out on day trips, they are experiencing so much and we much prefer this type of setting over a nursery plus the children always get home cooked meals. We would recommend Little Hedgehogs to any local parents and are very happy with our choice š
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Soph2126
on 16/10/2024
Our 4 year old son has been at Claireās setting for the last year as wraparound care whilst attending nursery at a local school. He has really enjoyed his time there and loves Claire and her whole family. The children all clearly interact well and heās never short of a story about what fun games they have been playing that day. It is a pleasure to know he is being looked after by someone who obviously takes such care in nurturing and developing his character and, most importantly, he is very happy there.
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by
Joanna
on 18/07/2024
Response by
Claire
on 18/07/2024:
Thank you so much for your lovely words. I hope he has a lovely start to his new class āļø
I will be forever grateful to have found Claire. Our son has ASD and through no fault of his own we found ourselves having to move him from a nursery without an alternative provision lined up. A couple of weeks later we were at our settling session and didn't look back. Claire was extremely understanding, patient and relaxed (in a good way) about his needs. She allowed him to be himself, explore and develop in confidence. Nothing made me happier than the days he spent running around forests and parks, eating picnics (and new foods!) clearly loving life. Having watched how unhappy my son had been in his final month at nursery and how distressing the environment has been, Claire's home was a sanctuary and he never looked happier.
I have no hesitation in recommending Claire, she was exactly what my son and I both needed āŗļø.
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by
Hannah_T
on 18/07/2024
Response by
Claire
on 18/07/2024:
Hannah, thank you so much for your lovely review. Good luck to your beautiful son in his wonderful new setting š„°
Claire has looked after our little 1 year old for the last five months, and we honestly couldnāt have hoped to find anyone better!
Claire is warm, caring and full of energy, giving our girl the best and safest days in her nursery. Claire is so creative and full of ideas, teaching our girl to love nature and the outdoors and helping her learn so much. Our little one has grown SO much in confidence over the last few months, both socially and with her language, and we are so grateful to have found such a loving and kind childminder to take care of her. As well as trips to local parks, national trust places etc, she also gets taken out for her faves, babyccinos and sausage rolls, whatās not to love?!
Claireās setting really does feel like a home away from home, our girl absolutely loves it and comes home so happy. We genuinely couldnāt recommend Claire more.
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Ella
on 18/10/2023
So pleased to have found Claire and her family for our 2 year old daughter.
We had a very comfortable few days settling in and lead up for our official first days. Since starting, our daughter has grown massively in confidence and courage, coming home bubbly and enthusiastic, itās a pleasure to see.
Kids are meant to be having fun, enjoying games and life in a safe, loving environment - thatās exactly what we crave, need and get at Claireās.
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Shirin
on 16/10/2023
Claire is amazing. The best childminder we could even imagine. Our son was 20 months old when we left with her full time every day of the week and he just loved her and her family! Very caring, kind and friendly, they were a second family for him! We are very grateful and highly recommend Claire and the little hedgehogs!
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Zheni
on 16/10/2023
Claire is a lovely and caring childminder. She has been a reliable source of support in caring for our daughter before and after school. Our daughter is always busy having on fun nature trips to different parks as well as indoor activities. Couldnāt ask for better person to care for our daughter. Highly recommend!!
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by
Leyre
on 29/11/2022
Response by
Claire
on 29/11/2022:
Awww thank you for your kind words, it means a lot! Absolutely pleasure looking after your daughter :)
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