Joana

A wonderful experience

My daughter began her care with Hayat when she was 16 months old. They built such a beautiful bond, which made the whole experience even more rewarding to witness. The only reason we left was that we moved to a different area, making the journey too far. Otherwise, she would have absolutely continued under Hayat’s care.

From the very beginning, communication was excellent. I was kept updated on my daughter’s day, any struggles, milestones, and achievements. Hayat always made sure to tell me whenever she reached a new milestone or learnt something new, and she constantly encouraged her development. She grew so much during this year, and I truly believe Hayat played a big part in that.

One example of this was my daughter’s walking journey. She started walking quite late, and Hayat got her a walker, kept me updated on her progress, and encouraged her every step of the way. Now I have a little toddler who runs everywhere. She also fully supported my wish to raise my daughter bilingually by providing books and games in my language, which meant so
much to me.

Throughout our time with her, I found Hayat to be incredibly helpful and flexible. Although she had a structured routine for all the children, she always did her best to accommodate us whenever she could. During our final month, while we were moving house, she even picked my daughter up and dropped her off each day, which made a very stressful time so much easier.

A wonderful part of my daughter's time there was the variety of experiences she had. Practically every day, she visited a different stay-and-play, giving her plenty of opportunities to socialise with other children and enjoy a range of activities. During the warmer months, they also went to farms, zoos, splash parks, and other outings. I loved knowing that she regularly got out, explored, and had so many enriching experiences.

What stood out most was how warm, caring, and genuinely invested Hayat was in every child. My daughter was welcomed with cuddles and encouragement, and I was always kept informed if she was having an off day, just as her achievements were celebrated. Hayat also surprised my daughter with thoughtful little gifts from time to time, which she absolutely loved (and
so did I!).

Beyond the care she provided, Hayat also gave my daughter the structure and boundaries children need to thrive and knew when to be firm when necessary. My daughter absolutely loved her and grew so much in confidence while in her care. I feel incredibly lucky to have had Hayat as such an important part of my daughter’s early years, and I couldn’t recommend her more
highly.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication

by Joana about Hayat (Childminder) on 28/07/2026