Kidswithdebby's Reviews
Childminder
Below are the parent reviews for Kidswithdebby. Back to Kidswithdebby's profile
Average Rating:
(4.9 from 51 reviews)
Debbie and Allan have been a blessing for our family! Our 2-year-old daughter has been under their care for over a year, and we couldn't be happier. Allan's morning pickups are eagerly awaited by our daughter, who affectionately calls him Ally. Their compassion is evident, and the love they have for each child is heartwarming. Not only are they reliable and flexible, but their wealth of knowledge and experience provides us with invaluable advice on our daughter's health and development.
Debbie and Allan go above and beyond to make each day exciting and educational for the children. Their attentive observation of every little change in behavior reassures us that our child is in capable hands. The regular updates, including pictures and videos, offer a comforting glimpse into our child's day.
As a parent initially anxious about leaving my child with strangers, Debbie and Allan's warmth and professionalism quickly dispelled any worries. I can't imagine entrusting my child to anyone else. If we have another child, they will undoubtedly be part of their early years too. We are truly grateful for the positive impact they've had on our family.
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Alex
about
Kidswithdebby
on 23/02/2024
Our son has been with Debbie 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 Debbiewas 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). Debbie 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 Debbie and we never had a problem or a worry.
My son loves the adventures they go on and has learned so much from Debbie. He talks constantly about Debbie and the friends he has made. Every morning he asks to go to Debbie, 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 Debbie. My point being with all of this is that my son adores Debbie.
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 Debbie 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 Debbie!
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Cece415
about
Kidswithdebby
on 07/02/2023
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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Lauren
about
Kidswithdebby
on 06/02/2023
Our son has been with Debby and her partner Allan 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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Jenna
about
Kidswithdebby
on 04/02/2023
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 excatly 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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RoseA
about
Kidswithdebby
on 03/02/2023
My daughter has been with Debby & Allan since she was 10 months (she has just turned 2). It’s always worrying to leave your child with ‘strangers’ for the first time, but Debby & Allan felt like an extended part of the family very quickly. They are fantastic with communication, sending photos & videos throughout the day, so I’m never wondering what my daughter is up to or how she is. She loves the trips they take the children on daily and has had far more educational visits with Debby & Allan than I would ever have been able to provide myself - National Trust houses/parks, the Aquarium, the seafront, Paradise Park, local parks all over Brighton & Hove, Middle Farm, St Matthias PlayCafe and more. She always sleeps well after a busy day with them! It’s also been great for her social skills, helping her learn how to play, share and empathise with other children. Debby & Allan are incredibly flexible and I’ve been able to book my daughter in for extra days with very little notice. We don’t have family in Brighton to help with childcare but Debby & Allan fill that gap brilliantly. We are so grateful that we found them.
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HannahJW
about
Kidswithdebby
on 03/02/2023
My son has been with Debby and Allan for about 6 months now & he and I couldn’t be happier! They are always off on fun trips to the farm, paradise park, soft plays, different parks, the beach, national trusts etc. I love getting all the WhatsApp updates with lots of pictures and videos of what they’re up to! The communication is great.
They are so accommodating and kind and you can tell they really love the children and are passionate about what they do. My son’s confidence and speech has come on massively since he started, it so so lovely to see. My son beams when we talk about Debby and Allan and now excitedly strolls in when I drop him off. Highly highly recommend Debby & Allan :D
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Kirsty
about
Kidswithdebby
on 02/02/2023
My daughter has recently started with Debby and we are thrilled with the service. They take them off for adventures every morning, different places in the outdoors and give them loads of fun. We get to see photos & videos and always kept up to date. Debby has a lovely home & cute little garden with all the plastic fun you can imagine; slide, bubble car etc. But importantly she has years on invaluable experience and a genuine love for the little ones! Allan is great too.
Really happy with the care & love given & my daughter loves her too.
(She doesn’t do food so I left it blank)
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Gemma
about
Kidswithdebby
on 28/08/2020
Our son started going to Debby when he was nine months old and he settled immediately and was comfortable, happy, nurtured and stimulated by the activities, the other children and with Debby's wonderful engaging expertise. Cut to five months later and he has gone back following lock down as easily as he first went. The relationship and environment that Debby has put in place has meant that he has not found the transition difficult or stressful at all, which has meant that we, as his parents, haven't either. We have been reassured by Debby's commitment to social distancing, both with us at drop off and pick up and in the choices she has made for stimulating activities for the children, as well as the phasing back of taking children into her care and how that has all been communicated to us. We feel our son is getting what he needs developmentally by being away from us and we have peace of mind that all the steps required to keep him and the other children in Debby's care safe are being taken and vigilantly monitored day by day as things evolve in our new normal. It has been absolutely wonderful to see our son thrive in the company of other children again and to see his excitement when Debby opens the door in the morning means we leave knowing he is in the best possible care, when he isn't with us. Thank you so much Debby (and Allan) for all you do.
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KateLibb
about
Kidswithdebby
on 20/08/2020
Dylan really enjoys his time with Debby and Alan and gets a lot out of their outings. He is always happy to attend the setting and when his dad takes him in the morning Dylan tends to be really animated when they turn on to their road. Dylan often talks to us about Paradise Park when he gets home on the days they have been there.. he loves the dinosaurs and talks about walking around and always shows us his stamp on his hand really proudly! He loves museums and anywhere he can run around pressing buttons or looking at animals which is something he gets to do quite a lot with Debby and Alan. One of the reasons why we chose them as childminders is because they put a great deal of emphasis on treating each child as individuals and being really caring and loving towards the children. I think Dylan sees his time with them as a second home! Also, they spend a lot of their time outdoors visiting mosques, chapels, national trusts and just being out in nature or running along the beach. Dylan has been with Debby and Alan for almost two years this coming May and he has thrived. We have recently had another little boy who will be looked after by them in September and knowing how happy Dylan has been with them will make it a lot easier for us as parents when the time comes. There are children of all ages at the setting which I think has been really positive for Dylan to learn to be gentle and caring with younger children.
As childminders they work in partnership with us and always keep us up to date with what they and the children are doing as well us keeping us informed of any relevant training they have undertaken. The Sparks videos that Debby creates are excellent and it's really good to see what they get up to. Debby and Alan send us photos and messages throughout the day when Dylan is with them and this is really lovely to see how they are all getting on. Dylan was born premature and I remember when we first met Debby and Alan they were very understanding with his needs and development. They often carried Dylan in a carrier that we lent them because this is where he was most happy when he was very young.
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by
Shahira
about
Kidswithdebby
on 17/02/2020
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