Sienna

2 Years of Outstanding, Reliable and Loving Childc

I cannot recommend Sienna highly enough. I had the pleasure of working with her for two and a half years, caring for my twins from day one. She has been absolutely amazing throughout our journey — reliable, caring, and incredibly experienced with toddlers.
I have learned so much from her, particularly around child development and behaviour. She always approaches situations positively, and I have always felt confident knowing my children were safe, happy and well cared for.

We relocated away from the area for a while, but since moving back to Cardiff, I was more than happy to have Sienna work with us again. She has now been back with us for two days, and it feels like she never left. She remains someone I trust completely and would choose without hesitation.

I have created my Childcare.co.uk profile because I occasionally need additional childcare on the day Sienna is not available. She is my first choice whenever her availability allows.

I would recommend Sienna to any family without hesitation. She is trustworthy, experienced, warm and genuinely fantastic with children. I would be happy to be contacted as a reference and to speak about my experience with her.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication

by Alice J on 20/08/2026

Response by Sienna on 21/08/2026:

Thank you Alice 💖 It has genuinely been a pleasure caring for the twins and being part of their journey. Welcome back to Cardiff. I appreciate you taking the time to write this. See you tomorrow!

My experience unfortunately ended very badly despi

Sienna was calm and pleasant with my son during the two nights she worked and initially gave me confidence that we had found a suitable arrangement. We clearly agreed that she would cover four consecutive nights, and I relied on that agreement when planning my work.

After completing the first two nights, however, she cancelled the remaining agreed nights on Sunday afternoon, only a few hours before I was due to leave for work. This gave me virtually no realistic opportunity to find, speak to and safely arrange another overnight carer at such short notice.

Because I was unable to secure alternative childcare, I ultimately had to cancel two work shifts and lost the income from both. This was extremely stressful and financially damaging for me, particularly because the four nights had already been agreed in advance.

I also asked to see a current DBS and photo ID. She told me her DBS was not current. On the first day, I asked to see photo ID and she said she would bring it the following day. She did not bring it on the second day, and when I asked again, she said she would bring it the next time. However, she cancelled the arrangement before I was ever able to verify any photo ID.

There was also an incident on the morning after the second night that concerned me. When I entered the house, there was already a very strong smell of poo throughout the playroom. My son came over and hugged me, and when I touched him I realised he had soiled himself and the poo had already spread on him. Sienna told me she thought he had only just done it when I arrived.

I immediately cleaned him up while Sienna was still there. At that moment, I was focused on sorting my son out, paying her as agreed for the shifts she had completed, and getting through the morning, so I did not fully process what had happened. It was only afterwards, when I had time to reflect on it, that I became concerned about whether he had been left soiled for longer than I realised. I cannot know the exact time it happened, but given the strong smell throughout the room and the condition he was in, it left me uncomfortable about whether he had been checked and changed promptly.

Parents who rely on childcare in order to work need both reliability and confidence that their child’s basic care needs will be attended to properly. In my case, cancelling two already-agreed overnight shifts with only a few hours notice left me unable to find safe replacement childcare, and I ultimately lost the income from both shifts. Together with the concern I had about my son being left soiled, I found the overall experience extremely disappointing and unfair, particularly because the four nights had been agreed in advance and I had relied on that commitment.


FACTUAL CLARIFICATION IN RESPONSE TO THE PROVIDER’S REPLY

I am responding because the points raised in your response do not accurately reflect the arrangement we agreed or what happened during and after the two nights you worked. I therefore want to correct the record clearly and factually.


1. Pay, hours and the sleep-in arrangement

The agreed rate was £55 per night as a fixed sleep-in rate, not £45.

Before discussing the rate, I was mindful that you would be travelling from Cardiff, which is why I asked you what fixed overnight rate you would personally be comfortable with. You initially suggested £90. I explained that £90 was outside my budget, particularly as I needed several nights regularly, and suggested £50. You countered with £65, after which I asked whether you would meet me at £55.

You expressly agreed in writing: “I’ll meet you at £55 per night as a fixed sleep-in rate.”

The expected hours were also disclosed before you agreed to £55. I explained that for my 8pm–8am shifts I would generally require cover from around 7pm until approximately 8:30–8:35am, and for my 9pm–9am shifts from around 8:45pm until approximately 9:15–9:20am.

For your first night only, I specifically asked whether you could arrive at around 8pm because you were meeting my little one for the first time and I wanted him to have approximately 30–45 minutes to become familiar and comfortable with you before I left for work. This was effectively a settling period for a little child meeting a new carer, not an undisclosed extension of the agreed working arrangement.

The arrangement was always clearly described as a sleep-in. Once my child had settled for the night, you were able to sleep as well. It was never presented as a waking-night position.

Any personal travel expense incurred travelling from Cardiff does not alter the agreed rate from £55 to £45. Travel from Cardiff was already known and discussed before the £55 rate was agreed.


2. Four agreed nights, not a two-night trial

We agreed that you would cover four consecutive nights. You confirmed in writing:

“Yes, I’d be available to cover all four nights from tomorrow through to Monday.”

You completed the first two nights and then cancelled the remaining two.

I was never told that the first two nights constituted a separate two-night trial period after which the other two confirmed nights could simply be withdrawn. We had discussed whether a longer-term regular arrangement would continue afterwards, but the immediate four nights had already been agreed.

The cancellation came at very short notice and left me unable to secure appropriate replacement childcare. I ultimately had to cancel two work shifts and lost the income from both.


3. DBS and photo identification

Before you started, when you came to my house, I asked to see your current DBS. You told me that your DBS was out of date. Because there was therefore no current DBS available for me to see, I asked to see a basic form of photo identification so that, as the parent leaving my little one overnight with someone I had only just met, I could at least verify that the name and face on the identification matched the person presenting herself to me.

I did not insist that you send me photographs or copies of sensitive identification documents.

On the first night, you told me you had not brought your ID and said you would bring it the following day. On the second night, you still did not bring it. When I asked again, you said you would bring it the next time.

On the morning after the second shift I made it clear that, if you were returning that evening, I needed you to remember the ID because you had already attended twice without it and I needed to verify the identity of the person caring for my child.

You cancelled before returning for the remaining shifts, so I was never able to verify any photo ID in person.

Childcare.co.uk having verified a document on its platform is separate from my reasonable request, as a parent, to know and verify the identity of the individual physically entering my home and caring for my child overnight.

The repeated failure to bring the ID after saying it would be provided, followed by the arrangement ending before I could verify it, understandably left me uncomfortable and raised concerns for me about why such a basic in-person identity check could not be completed.


4. The front door

The front door was secured during both nights you worked.

On the first night I experienced some difficulty with the door and told you that my landlord was dealing with it. The door nevertheless locked and the house was secured before I left.

You returned voluntarily for the second overnight shift. You also used that same door yourself when entering and leaving the property.

You never told me during either shift that you felt unsafe in the house or that the door was a reason you were considering ending the arrangement. If the door had genuinely been a concern for you, I would have expected you to raise it after the first night. Instead, you returned for the second night and continued with the arrangement. The arrangement only ended after I had again made it clear that, if you were returning that evening, I needed you to bring photo identification so I could verify your identity in person.


5. Cameras

The cameras in my home are there for everyone’s safety, particularly my little one’s, because he has additional learning needs and delayed speech, which I explained to you before you ever started. This is also something I routinely explain to anyone before they come into my home to care for my little one, so that they are aware in advance and can decide whether they are comfortable with the arrangement. When you came to my home, I showed you around, explained the cameras again and specifically showed you the camera in my little one’s bedroom. You accepted the arrangement and did not raise any concern about the cameras or any camera light during either overnight sleep-in shift. The light referred to is simply part of the camera’s normal operation in a dark room and is not something I separately switch on or use independently of the camera. The camera was openly disclosed and was never hidden from you.

There are no cameras in private areas such as the bathroom or toilet, and you were also informed of this so that you had private spaces available to change clothes or attend to any personal matters in complete privacy, you accepted the arrangement and never raised any concern.

My little one has been around home-monitoring cameras for a long time because of his additional learning needs, and there has never been any concern about them. If you believed that the camera light was upsetting him, or if you had any concern about the cameras at all, I would have expected you to tell me at the time so that I could address it. As the person caring for him until I returned, I should have been made aware of any concern you believed was affecting him. No such concern was raised with me during either shift.


6. Nappy and breakfast

My review did not say that you never changed my little one’s nappy at any point during either night.

My concern relates specifically to what I personally found when I returned home on the morning after the second night. There was a strong smell of poo throughout the playroom, and when my child came to me I realised he had soiled himself and the poo had spread on him. You were still present when I immediately cleaned him.

I cannot know the exact moment he soiled himself, which is why my review was careful not to claim that I did. My concern was whether he had been checked and changed promptly.

Regarding food, our arrangement was that I would provide his main meals and feed him myself in the evening before leaving for work, and that I would prepare and feed him his breakfast when I returned in the morning.

Snacks and water were left available for you to give him if he wanted them. Handing him a biscuit, chocolate snack or other prepared snack, or topping up his water bottle, was part of ordinary overnight supervision and was not the breakfast I referred to in my review.

I personally prepared and fed him his breakfast after returning home. During the two sleep-in nights you worked, you did not feed him any of his main meals. Your role regarding food was simply to offer him the snacks I had left available if he wanted them, and he eats those snacks independently without needing to be fed or assisted.


7. Positive feedback

I have never denied that there were positive aspects of your interaction with my child.

In fact, my original review expressly states that you were calm and pleasant with him during the two nights you worked.

Being pleased with the way someone initially interacts with a child does not prevent a parent from later reviewing the whole experience, including matters that occurred afterwards or concerns that only became apparent later.

A person can interact warmly with a child and there can still be separate issues involving reliability, basic care, identity verification or the way an arrangement ends.


8. Why I left the review

My review was not written because you decided that you did not want a long-term arrangement.

It was written because four specific nights had already been agreed, only two were completed, and the remaining two were cancelled with very little notice after I had relied on that commitment.

I was left urgently trying to find replacement overnight childcare and ultimately had to cancel two work shifts, losing the income from both.

Reviews exist so that people can share their genuine experiences. Positive feedback is naturally welcome, but negative feedback is also part of a review system. Where someone disagrees with feedback, they are entitled to explain their perspective, but the parent is equally entitled to describe what they personally experienced.

My original review already acknowledged the positive aspects of your interaction with my child while also explaining the serious difficulties I experienced with the overall arrangement. I stand by that factual account.

For clarity, I have retained evidence relating to the matters I have referred to above, including the written agreement confirming the £55 fixed sleep-in rate, messages concerning identification, and private records relevant to what occurred during the shifts, including the breakfast arrangement. I will not publish private footage involving my child publicly because I take his privacy seriously, but I have retained the evidence and can provide appropriate material privately to Childcare.co.uk if required. My original review reflects my genuine experience of the arrangement, and I stand by the factual account I gave.

• Overall
• Communication

by Gabby on 17/08/2026

Response by Sienna on 20/08/2026:

Your review does not accurately reflect what happened.

1. Pay and hours:

The arrangement was not what we originally discussed. We agreed on a 12-hour overnight arrangement, but the actual shift was 6:30pm until 8-9am — around 15 hours. At your £45 for the entire shift, this works out at £3 per hour.
If you are new to the UK, you may not be familiar with childcare rates here, but £45 for 14- 15 hours is not a reasonable rate for overnight childcare, particularly when I was also travelling to another town and my travel expenses not covered.

2.Safety and the front door

I had concerns about my personal safety. The front door and lock were not working properly, and you told me yourself that the landlord needed to change the lock. Despite this, the issue had not been resolved after my two trial shifts.

Being expected to sleep overnight in a property where I did not feel the door could be properly secured made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe. I have every right to take my personal safety into consideration when deciding whether a position is suitable for me.

3.Cameras during the night

There were cameras in all the rooms, which I accepted. However, during the night the camera light in the bedroom was repeatedly activated with an orange light while I was beside your 3-year-old son. The sudden light was frightening him, something that should be visible on your own camera recordings.

4.The trial period

A trial period works both ways. A parent is entitled to decide that a childcare provider is not the right fit, and a childcare provider is equally entitled to decide that the hours, pay, travel arrangements or working conditions are not suitable.
Choosing not to continue after two trial shifts does not make someone unreliable.

5. Nappy change

Regarding your son’s nappy, it is not at all true that I refused or failed to change him. I changed it twice, before he slept and when he woke up, and helped with his breakfast. Despite originally being told that you’d take care of it before and after your shift. I was nevertheless happy to do it.

6.The positive feedback you gave me

During both shifts you told me how happy you were with the care I gave and you hoped I would continue, and you were pleased he was already learning new words with me.

I would happily provide the messages showing this, because they give a different impression from your review.

7. Identification

Childcare.co.uk holds my identification and I provided you with my full name and full address. I am entitled to be cautious about sending copies of sensitive personal identification documents directly to individuals.

I have noticed that the only reviews you have left on the platform are 1-star.

I am responding because I do not believe your review reflects what happened or the feedback you gave me while caring for your son. I wish you and your son all the best Gabby.

well exceeded expectations

Sienna

We cannot recommend Sienna highly enough. Over the past 4-5 months, she has been with our family six days a week, and she quickly became much more than a babysitter—she became a trusted, valued, and genuinely cherished presence in our home.

From the very beginning, Sienna was easy to connect with on a personal level. She is kind, professional, punctual, respectful, and incredibly thoughtful. She consistently listened to and honored our parenting preferences while tailoring her care to our child’s individual needs, personality, and circumstances. Her ability to balance professionalism with warmth made it easy to trust her completely.

Sienna brought remarkable creativity and enthusiasm to playtime, always finding engaging and enriching ways to interact with our child. Her background in psychology also added a unique dimension to her care. We enjoyed many insightful conversations about child development, emotional growth, and gentle, practical tools for helping children navigate the world with confidence and resilience. Her knowledge, perspective, and genuine interest in children’s wellbeing were evident in everything she did.

Most importantly, our child absolutely adored her. She quickly became one of the most important people in his daily life. She was often his first thought in the morning, and his excitement would grow each day as the time for her arrival approached. The sound of a knock at the door would instantly fill him with anticipation and joy. The bond they formed was truly special and a testament to her caring nature and natural ability to connect with children.

We also greatly appreciated the richness she brought through her linguistic abilities and cultural background. Our conversations about languages, cultures, and different life experiences were both enjoyable and enriching, and they added another wonderful layer to our family’s experience with her.

Beyond her role as our babysitter, Sienna has become a dear family friend. She remains our first choice whenever childcare is needed, and we continue to value the relationship we have built with her.

We wholeheartedly recommend Sienna with complete confidence and sincere gratitude. Any family would be fortunate to have her care for their child, and we truly hope that others will enjoy the same exceptional experience that our son—and our entire family—had with her.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication

by Alina on 25/06/2026