Kidswithallan

Debby and Allan - What a wonderful Childminder Pai

Experiences - our little Jiji has had an amazing couple of months with the quality of experiences Debby and Allan provides, whether it's beach days, forest outings and indoor activities. We feel this gives our daughter great engagement with the outside world and also good for her development in experiencing things.
Care - Most importantly, Debbie and Allan have this in abundance and are always providing updates on what our daughter is doing which gives us peace of mind as well as confidence that she is well looked after. Thank you Debbie and Allan
Behaviours - This is an area Debbie and Allan also excel at in teaching the kids good manners as well as letting them grow and mature in their behaviours.

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by Uzo on 18/08/2026

Couldn’t recommend highly enough!

We are so pleased that we chose Debby and Allan for our daughter. She started with them when she was only seven months old, so we were a little worried about her settling into any childcare setting, but we instantly trusted Debby and Allan. They worked with us to find ways to help her to transition and settle with them, and now at ten months we are worried that she prefers being with them to us! Seeing her going on outings every day, spending time outside and being encouraged to develop in confidence and motor skills is brilliant, and we feel so pleased that we chose Debby and Allan over another setting. We are also really pleased that she has the opportunity to watch the older children and learn from them, while activities are adapted to include her in an age appropriate way. I would recommend Debby and Allan to any parents looking for a setting in which their child can spend lots of time outdoors, feel like a home from home, and most importantly, be with people who they can trust completely and with whom their child can form a strong bond. We feel so lucky to have found them!

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by Olivia on 17/08/2026

Amazing!

Our big girl went to nursery but as we’d moved to a different part of the city, we’d decided to try Debbie and Allen for our youngest. We’d had multiple recommendations from friends so it seemed like the right thing to do and we haven’t been disappointed.

Our little one has developed a super close relationship with both Debbie and Allen and we love that she’s always out and about discovering new places and experiencing new things. Be warned: confidence and walking ability are impressive!

We love that she’s in a group of mixed age kids and seems to have really bonded with her peers.

Recently, our little one was a little off colour on an outing but Debbie and Allen were so vigilant and caring. They quickly picked up something was wrong, monitored the situation and kept in touch the entire time so we could make plans to get her to see the right people. She was totally fine - but couldn’t commend their vigilance enough.

Their experience and passion is really evident in the relationships they build with the kids and the families they work with.
We’ve recommended them to several friends who also have signed up!

It’s also super handy having the pick up/drop off option. It really helps our family with the flow of our day.

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by Rowan on 11/08/2026

Highly recommend

We honestly couldn’t recommend Debby and Allan enough. From start to finish, they have been absolutely fantastic.

Communication has always been brilliant — clear, open and honest, which made such a difference to us as parents. They are incredibly confident in what they do, and that really comes across, making you feel completely at ease knowing your child is in such capable hands.

The settling-in sessions were great, and the communication throughout that process was excellent. We always felt kept in the loop and supported, which made the whole transition so much easier.

One of the biggest things we loved was the amount of outings and experiences they provide. The children get to do and see so much, and for us, that is a real asset. They are constantly out exploring, learning and having fun rather than just being in the same environment every day. Debby and Allan are also so fun and engaging with the children, and it’s obvious how much they genuinely enjoy what they do.

Leni was always talking about Debby and Allan — even at the weekends! She was so happy to see them at drop-off and genuinely looked forward to going. As a parent, I honestly think that’s all you can wish for. Knowing your child is happy, excited to go and has such a lovely bond with the people looking after them is priceless.

Of course, there are always little wobbles along the way, but what we really appreciated was that Debby and Allan were never afraid to have honest conversations about what was going on. They worked with us to understand things and find the best way forward, which made us feel like we were genuinely working together as a team.

I’ve always found the mum guilt that comes with going back to work after having children really difficult, but seeing the regular updates, photos and videos — and most importantly, seeing Leni’s happy face — made it so much more bearable. It gave us such reassurance that she was having a wonderful time and being so well cared for.

We are incredibly grateful for everything Debby and Allan have done and would recommend them to anyone looking for a childminder. They have been absolutely brilliant, and we couldn’t have wished for a better experience.

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by Tash on 11/08/2026

Would recommend!!

I can’t recommend Debby and Allan highly enough.

I am a working solo mum who had to go back to work much sooner than I would have liked to have done when my daughter was 7 months old. Amazingly, I managed to secure a place with Debby and Allan - who made the process of leaving one so little so easy. After a few settling in sessions, I immediately trusted them and felt that my daughter is in safe hands.

She settled in extremely well and enjoys her time with them. The stand-out aspects for me are the amazing trips out every day which not only keep the little ones stimulated, but are very educational - and not something that you’d get in a nursery setting. I love that my little girl gets to go out with her little gang of friends and socialise. Debby and Allan also keep you up to date throughout the day with lots of updates, pictures, videos and newsletters which make you feel like you have gone along on the trip too.

As someone who works full time in a demanding industry, I also really appreciate how flexible Debby and Allan are.

There’s so much love and humour in the setting which is brilliant.

I would absolutely love to shower Debby and Allan in more praise as there is so much more to say - but, as I said, I’m a busy working mum and time is not on my side!

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by Ali on 09/12/2024

Trusting you gut - re settling in

We recently switched childcare to Debby and Allan. We were very conflicted about whether to do this (as my daughter was making some progress settling in her other setting). However I felt out of the loop with how her days were going, I wanted to feel more involved in the settling in process. I'm SOOO glad we made the switch. Debby and Allan were so open to hearing what I felt like my daughter needed from a setting AND what I needed from a setting(!) As me feeling confident would inevitably rub off on her too. They made suggestions about what might be the best first steps for settling in, and what the next steps might be after this. They did 2 straight weeks of settling in sessions (even on a Saturday morning!!!) all with the aim of helping her to adjust to them, adjust to the routines and adjust to the setting. They put so much thought and care into each child, I honestly don't know how they find the time and energy but they do!

Throughout the two weeks of settling, there was constant communicating back and forth. Which was incredible for me. I feel like some settings want to reassure parents saying "they're fine" when you know that isn't the case (you can tell if they've been distressed or teary eyed ...and then they are acting differently at home). I do understand this logic to an extent - but for me, not hearing the detail was making me feel more distressed, as I felt I didn't have the full picture. With Debby and Allan, they took this on board and in the early days they sent videos of her frequently (even if she wasn't happy), this allowed me to feel like I knew how best to support her when I picked her up. But also it allowed for the adults to brainstorm together what to do (one example being when she was on video letting out short sharp cries, I knew she hadn't slept well...and together we agreed to give Calpol which completely turned her day around 🙂). For settling in they actually listened to me about her likes and dislikes....They heard she liked encanto songs and played them for 2 weeks straight as a comfort blanket for her ❤️ (although I think Allan quite enjoyed this to be fair!!)

There are still some teething issues - inevitably, as life isn't perfect. One example being, she is not eating much at lunchtime. However, we are in communication about this. They are receptive to my ideas and also make suggestions based on their experience. They reassure me that this can be common in children who are still settling. We message each morning about potential issues - whether it might be teeth, normal toddler fussiness etc.... Long story short - it's a really good working relationship - we have good communication, share ideas and have the combined goal of making my daughter feel safe and loved 💕

I was a self-proclaimed anxious mum, very attachment focused (cosleeping, coregulation etc). I felt like no one could look after my baby as well as me, but needed to get back to work (as I'm sure many mums can relate to). I feel like if I could make a mould of who I'd want to look after my children, it would be Debby and Allan. 3 weeks in she is happy, playing with other children and goes over in the morning happily for a cuddle (After only 3 weeks!!!❤️) This all makes it so much easier for me to have the headspace to go back to work. They will probably never fully realise how appreciative I am for this - they give me peace, so I can get on with other things. I cannot say enough good things!

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by Aisling on 21/10/2024

Response by kidswithallan on 21/10/2024:

Thank you so much for your kind words , it’s been amazing to see her confidence grow from strength to strength in such a short period of time and yes I think I do love Encanto way to much 🫣

Fantastic childcare

My daughter (2yo) has been going to Debby & Allan's (or Debbyallan as she always calls them) for almost a year and she loves her time with them.
As we moved our covid-baby from grandparent-childcare to a totally new place & situation, we preferred a childminder to a nursery, and we're so glad we chose Debby & Allan: our daughter has been able to get the benefits of being with a little gang of children of different ages and abilities, and of the sort of 'family-style' outings you just can't get with nursery.
Every day, the children are out and about, and even if bad weather means they're visiting a shopping centre rather than a farm or park, Debby & Allan do such a great job of making it a fun learning experience. (This has also made me feel more confident that even if I'm not "doing activities" with my daughter all the time, she is still gaining something from being out with me. And it takes the pressure off a bit, as I know that with Debby & Allan she will be having a really sociable, enlightening full week.)
From the first meeting, it was clear how great they are at adapting to the needs of the kids in their care, and communicating what they're up to with parents. We really appreciate the videos/ photos and messages about how our daughter is getting on, and seeing how much fun she is having with them and the other kids. Our daughter's communication, confidence and manners have definitely improved thanks to her time with Debby & Allan, but she is also completely accepted and enabled to enjoy herself.
My mum, who was a teacher for almost 40 years, also praised Debby and Allan's way of talking to and with the children.
They have also been so helpful and considerate when we have needed to make changes to our days, and were really understanding in allaying our anxieties when my daughter first started with them, making her transition to childcare so much easier for the whole family.
Although food is not provided by Debby & Allan, they have been really great at encouraging our lunch-averse child to try to eat, without ever making it into an issue.
In short, we really recommend Debby & Allan.

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by Lauren on 06/02/2023

The best childminder in Brighton

Our son has been with Allan and his partner Debby for about 18 months now and we can't recommend them highly enough.
They take the children out every day to a variety of exciting things - e.g the aquarium, toddler groups, national trusts, paradise park etc. Far more places than we would ever have time to visit!
It's clear they are experts in their profession and have taught our son many important life skills such as how to slide safely (backwards on his tummy) and how to go down stairs safely (on his bottom). They are versatile and plan their days around the children's needs and ensure they have plenty of time to rest (either in the buggy or the car) and are good at ensuring they get adequate sleep opportunities according to their age. They also offer the option to pick-up and drop-off which have been invaluable with our busy schedules. Because there is 2 of them working together this means they have twice the capacity of other childminders. We really like this as it means there are more children for our son to socialise with and it offers the feel of a 'mini nursery' whilst still being very personal and homely.
They send lots of photos and videos daily so you can really feel a part of your child's day and are excellent at communication. They are very genuine in their love and support for their children and are both very kind and friendly people. Our son is so excited to see them and speaks so happily of his time there and that makes us very happy too!

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by Jenna on 04/02/2023

Amazing childminder

Our son has been with Allan for just over a year now and has been settled and so happy since day 1. I was very nervous going back to work and leaving my son, but Allan was so kind and patient and oferred many settling in sessions....mainly for me! I was worried about naps as my son has always been a contact sleeper or has sleeps on the go (car, buggy). Allan oferred to wear our sling and we went through a few plans in case he didn't settle when he was tired. In the end my son fell right into step with Allan and we never had a problem or a worry.

My son loves the adventures they go on and has learned so much from Allan. He talks constantly about Allan and the friends he has made. Every morning he asks to go to Allan, even on the days he is home with me. When he gets something new one of the first things he says is he wants to show it to Allan. My point being with all of this is that my son adores Allan.

We get updates and pictures/vidoes throughout the day, but they never feel like they are taking away from attention the kids should be getting. We are kept up to date about milestones and development. My son has also learnt safety skills and how to be kind.

One of the things I love the most is that I genuinely feel that Allan loves and adores every child he looks after. I think he sees something wonderful in each child and helps foster kindness in all of them.

We couldn't be happier and we highly recommend Allan!

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by Cece415 on 03/02/2023

Now part of our chosen family

Our first and only child is now 20 months and has been with Debbie and Allan every week since she was 6 months old. I was cautious and unsure about whether or not childminders were the right option for us and I spent ages researching every possible option months and months in advance.

To this day every single day I count my blessings that we found Debbie and Allan. They are truly family now and they don’t just ‘mind’ our daughter, I consider them our co-parents as they love her for exactly who she is and nurture her unique little personality and teach her and go absolutely above and beyond not just to meet her needs promptly and with such care and sensitivity but also to enrich her life and make her feel special.

They take her on outings that we never could and she has done and seen so much more because of them.

They have used gentle compassionate methods to teach her so much in terms of her emotional and social development as well as her language and other educational skills.

They squeeze the best out of every moment they have with her and make it fun filled and joyful and peaceful and calm as well.

You never think you could so deeply trust someone outside of your own family with your child but I trust them both totally 💯 to always do the best by her.

They have so much experience and have so often (when I’ve asked for it!) been the source of wise guidance and reassurance when I’m trying to learn each new stage of parenting.

Thanks to them I have a happy secure little girl who looks forward to her ‘Debbie and Allan days’ and when she is with them I can completely switch off and relax knowing that she is not just safe but having a wonderful adventure (though the also always make sure to send lots of photos and video updates every day in case I do want to see exactly what is going on / I’m missing her a lot that day!). I’d be happy to speak to anyone who is considering placing their child in their setting and answer any questions.

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by RoseA on 03/02/2023