Unfortunately, our experience was extremely disappointing and I would not recommend this childminder.

Our son never settled despite several visits. From the beginning he became severely distressed before every drop-off, cried excessively, and even tried to run away when arriving. Whenever I raised concerns, I was repeatedly told this was "normal" and encouraged to continue with swift drop-offs, but I never felt that his individual needs or emotional wellbeing were properly considered.

What concerned me most was that after attending he repeatedly told us he had been hit by the childminder and that he was frightened of her dogs. I raised these concerns immediately, but they were dismissed without any meaningful discussion or reassurance. More than two months after leaving, he still becomes extremely distressed whenever childcare is mentioned and continues to talk about the childminder and her dogs in a fearful way. While I cannot know exactly what happened, these persistent reactions were deeply concerning as a parent.

I was also disappointed by the settling process itself. The settling sessions required my child to be separated from me almost immediately rather than allowing a gradual parent-supported transition, yet the fees began from the official start date despite him never completing the settling process successfully.

Finally, when an unexpected family emergency forced us to travel after only a handful of attended sessions, I found there was no flexibility whatsoever. Although we had already paid a full month's fees while using only a small fraction of the booked sessions, and I offered what I believed was a reasonable compromise regarding notice fees, every proposal was rejected and the matter quickly escalated to demands for payment and threats of legal action.

I understand childminding is a business, but I believe young children's emotional wellbeing, parents' concerns, and unexpected family circumstances should be met with empathy and flexibility. Sadly, that was not our experience.

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