Our son started with Barbara and Cara when he was 7 months old, he was born during the first months of the pandemic and this only added to the very normal feelings of nervousness when leaving your child for the first time. Barbara and Cara were amazing in reassuring both us as parents, and helping him adjust to their setting. They made suggestions regarding settling in times, listened to his schedule at home and really went above and beyond to make sure things went as smoothly as possible. We received regular photos and updates which really helped us in the early days and our son settled in really quickly.

Barbara and Cara's setting is one which is both caring and nurturing but one in which we feel our son is also being challenged; he is learning to be kind and considerate to others, to take responsibility for tidying up, washing his hands and that he cannot always get his own way! Cara in particular is wonderfully creative and our son has developed a real love of drawing and craft even at a really early age. They plan and undertake activities that I don't think we ever would at home.

Barbara and Cara also support us as parents; they are excellent at communicating and concerns or making tailored suggestions and very helpful if there is anything particular that needs addressing. Our son has eczema and a dairy intolerance and they have been very helpful in working with us to manage this and make adjustments to their menu. We have been particularly impressed with the way they have managed the COVID restrictions and have taken every precaution to minimise the risk to the children in their care. For us, the set up being outside really suits our son and he loves the freedom this brings.

Having our son with Barbara and Cara means, in the nicest possible way, that we don't need to worry about him on those days. We know he is being cared for, kept very busy and entertained, well fed and will come home having had the best time. We really notice when he hasn't been with them for a while as he's raring to get back and play. He often asks for them and is always happy to head in in the morning, often without a backwards glance.

• Overall
• Setting
• Cleanliness
• Food
• Communication