Dawn's Reviews
Childminder
Below are the parent reviews for Dawn. Back to Dawn's profile
Average Rating:
(5 from 13 reviews)
Dawn is a wonderful childminder offering a clean and calm, home from home setting. Our son spent 18 months with her and he absolutely thrived!
When he started at 8 months, the settling in sessions were planned in a way to ease him in gently. She was so reassuring and sent regular communication and pictures to put us at ease. This carried on throughout his entire time and it was always lovely to see him having fun and what he was getting up to. Food, sleeps and nappy updates were always shared via WhatsApp so we could keep up to date.
She provides the most wonderful home cooked balanced meals, which smell and look so yummy! My son never came hungry and was always well fed. She helped encourage him to learn to use cutlery, as well as table manners!
We cannot thank her enough for her involvement in his development, from walking to talking, to eating, to counting. She provides a wonderful clean home, with all sorts of toys, games, outdoor toys and more to encourage him to progress. She really supported me as a mum (first baby) by reassuring me of any worries I had with his development.
Whilst my son was there, there were two other children which he loved playing with and it allowed him to learn to socialise, preparing him for nursery. It also meant he got plenty of attention and focus as it was a small group.
She never once let us down and always gave advanced notice of any holidays. We feel so lucky to have found her and lucky that our son got to spend a wonderful 18 months with her.
We see her and her husband as family friends now and will be staying in touch!
Thank you
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by
LPS
about
Dawn
on 12/01/2024
Response by
Dawn
on 13/01/2024:
Thank you so much for your kind words.
I was very sorry to see Laurence go, but understand the logistics made it necessary,
I miss his cheeky little face and lovely cuddles.
Look forward to seeing you soon 😊
Dawn is a fantastic childminder and is very attentive to the children's needs. You can rest assured that your child will be extremely well
looked after, including their emotional needs as Dawn is very caring. Dawns home is an impeccably clean, safe environment with lots of developmental toys and a lovely outdoor space. My son enjoyed nutritious home cooked meals, a warm and comfortable environment that was just like a second home for him. There is nothing more important when going back to work to have peace of mind that your child is in safe hands, with Dawn I knew instantly that she was the right choice. My son had a brilliant time with Dawn and would blow kisses and wave at her each day when I picked him up. I am extremely grateful to Dawn and all of the support she provided, she is a true find and anyone that is lucky enough to contact her at a time when she has availability will not be disappointed! Nothing is too much trouble, always reliable and the level of care is second to none. Thank you Dawn!
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We first used Dawn before I went back to work after having our first son. She took care of him while I went to job interviews. Right from the start I had complete confidence and peace of mind with Dawn. My boy had a milk allergy at the time which she managed with no problem and he always seemed happy in Dawn's home.
When our nursery closed at the start of started and I needed childcare as a key worker. I contacted Dawn to see if she could help us with my two boys! They are now 2.5 years and nearly 5.
Dawn was able to take the boys so that I could get to work. They both settled in really quickly. It's a home from home in many respects. Dawn has kept them entertained, well fed and in line! She has been preparing wonderful lunches for them including a roast! They love the different toys and the garden.
I think Dawn's experience really shows in the way she's managed their squabbles and misbehaving. She's firm but fair (even my 4 year old says so) and is not phased by any challenging behaviour.
Dawn lives in a quiet cul de sac which is ideal for drop-offs.
I'd highly recommend Dawn. She's been an absolute life-saver during lockdown!
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We have just celebrated our first year of Dawn being our 20 month old son's childminder and I can safely say it is one of the best decisions we have made. I was very anxious at going back to work and finding a suitable childminder to look after our then nearly 8 month old on a full time basis as he seemed so tiny but from the word go it has only been a success. I can honestly say I have never ever worried whether my son will 'be alright' and it is such a relief to head off to work without worrying about him in the slightest knowing he is in the safest of hands.
Dawn has made every effort to provide a caring, supportive and loving environment for the children. Our son has never been reluctant to go to Dawn's house in the mornings, I am so lucky that we have never had any tears when I say goodbye, he races up to her front door and in fact now he is starting to talk even asks about Dawn at the weekends. It eases the 'mum guilt' of needing to work full time as he clearly has a whale of a time with Dawn and is extremely fond of her, yet is still happy to come home - truly the best of both worlds.
Our little boy has a Cow's Milk Protein Allergy and Dawn and I have worked very closely together on this. We are currently attempting the milk ladder challenge and Dawn has been extremely understanding and supportive of these tricky circumstances, working in tandem with us at home. Our son is always catered for with the most delicious sounding meals and Dawn has always been willing to accommodate his allergy with no fuss or bother.
Our son is an energetic toddler and enjoys his time outside but Dawn takes the children for a walk just about every day and has the perfect safe enclosed garden for the little ones to play in with lots to keep them busy so he has a chance to let off some steam. There are plenty of different toys and books to keep little hands and minds occupied. Dawn keeps her house in lovely order and it is a wonderfully clean space for the children to play in.
One of the best things personally is the chance to have a quick chat every morning - we have worked through the first hints of toddler 'tantrums' together, teething, crawling and learning to walk, the aforementioned allergy and many other stages and challenges of being a first time parent. Dawn offers fantastic support to us as parents and I truly feel we work together to bring our son up with a fair and consistent yet loving approach. With all her experience Dawn has plenty of hints and tips, all of which seem to magically work and I would have never have thought of! With no grandparents or close family nearby Dawn provides this type of friendly and caring support yet backed up with her professional experience which is invaluable to us.
I would not hesitate to recommend Dawn to anyone who is looking for a childminder or babysitter, you really can't go wrong!
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We have used Dawn a few times to babysit our 3 years old and our 1 year old. She's very responsive, communication is always straightforward. And the children very quickly warmed up to her. We could tell right away that she has a lot of experience and is very comfortable around little ones.
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I first met Dawn when she babysat for us just over a year ago, and she came armed with a folder brimming with her qualifications, [outstanding] Ofsted report, and references galore, but very quickly I think I said to her ‘I don’t need to see all that!’. I could just tell that my little angels had shone down on me that day, and we’d very fortunately met someone who’d become a big part of our lives - particularly my 18 month daughter (who was 6-7 months at the time).
I am self-employed, so whilst my hours are somewhat flexible, I do end up working (ad-hoc) very different hours each week, and Dawn has been a true blessing in providing us with flexible childcare and babysitting, and in supporting myself and my husband in the day-to-day ups and downs of first-time parenthood!
First and foremost I guess (in my head anyway!), is that we don’t have any family nearby, and whilst I grew up spending lots of time with family/grandparents, Beatrice doesn’t have that luxury, so I was keen to find a childcare solution that’d give us as close to that kind of nurturing, loving environment as possible, especially as Bea was so young. Dawn provides SUCH a lovely environment, and more importantly, she’s such a lovely lady through and through - and a caring, loving, patient, good humoured and consistent ‘rock’ in Bea’s life.
Beatrice loves her time with Dawn and the other children that Dawn cares for. It’s such a calm environment there, with lots of encouragement to learn through constructive play, but also upon learning/developing important social skills which I am extremely keen that Bea has firmly instilled in her, not just at home, but by anyone who looks after her now/in the future....good manners/politeness, sharing, kindness and consideration, calmness, good humour, and good behaviour in a nutshell (excusing the odd tantrum of course!). Dawn is firm when she needs to be (which I appreciate and wholeheartedly support) but always fair and consistent. That in itself is important to me - that we are both singing from the same hymn sheet as it were.
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise when I say that Dawn (and her husband Michael) have become very good friends/surrogate members of our family - which I never imagined, but feel so blessed to have that relationship. I honestly never worry whether Bea will ‘be alright’ with Dawn, as she treats each child that she has under her wing as if he/she was her own family member. She’s a true asset and our own real-life angel.
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Dawn provided truly wonderful care for my daughter Holly (now nearly 6 years old) from her baby days, through toddlerhood & preschool and I count my blessings that Dawn has been able to continue taking care of Holly during the school holidays and as a much valued and reliable babysitter.
During our time with Dawn, our family circumstances have changed and she has been a wonderfully supportive constant for both Holly and myself during these difficult times. We have felt welcomed into her family and feel she is part of ours. I trust her implicitly.
Dawn is warm, open, approachable and incredibly knowledgeable. Her home is beautiful, clean and welcoming. Resources for the children are plentiful and constantly updated. She is a wonderful cook and Holly really enjoys having her meals there. Holly loves spending time with Dawn, is always excited to see her and is sad to leave at the end of the day.
I would urge any family to place their children with Dawn - you will not be disappointed!
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I would highly recommend Dawn Spearing as a child-minder. Dawn has been looking after my two daughters, aged 4 years and 19 months, since they were both nine months old. Over the past three years Dawn has taken exceptional care of my children and been a pleasure to deal with on a daily basis due to her friendly-manner and professionalism.
Dawn is a very caring and loving person and always puts the needs of the children above everything else. Her home is a lovely, clean, caring and stimulating environment where my daughters have always settled quickly and been very happy. Dawn provides a great variety of toys and activities to ensure the girls are engaged and feel challenged to learn and develop. Dawn has gone out of her way on several occasions to provide games and activities that my daughters have shown a particular interest in, often buying new resources to add to her already impressive collection.
The girls have enjoyed walks around the lake which is close to Dawn’s house along with their regular visits to the playground. Dawn provides very healthy and varied home-cooked meals for my daughters and my eldest daughter already knows the importance of getting fresh air and a balanced diet due to the great example set by Dawn.
Along with her excellent care of my children, Dawn has been a great source of advice and knowledge to me and my husband when facing different challenges with the girls. Whether it is difficulty sleeping, fussy eating habits or just pushing the boundaries behaviorally, Dawn has given us very practical and effective tips drawn from her extensive experience in childcare.
I am very sorry to be losing the services of Dawn due only to a change in my work circumstances and the girls will miss her as well.
I know Dawn will be a very welcome addition of her new family.
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Dawn has been looking after our daughter Maria four days a week since last July. Maria was nine months old when I returned to work and I felt very reassured leaving her in Dawn's excellent care. Dawn is an exceptional child-minder. She is professional and takes great pride in her work. Her home provides a lovely environment for the children. Maria is extremely well looked after and I know Dawn provides Maria with the same love and care as if she were her own child.
Dawn also babysat Maria when she was only a few weeks old. Dawn knew immediately how to comfort and soothe Maria and I knew I had met a wonderful, kind person. I am delighted Dawn is looking after our daughter and I highly recommend her.
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by
edlady
about
Dawn
on 10/11/2014
Response by
Dawn
on 11/11/2014:
Thank you Elaine for such a lovely review, I am enjoying Maria's company so much. She is such a bright, contented, little lady and is very entertaining I look forward to a long and happy relationship with you all. I am so pleased you are happy with the care I provide for Maria, this is very important to me.
Dawn has baby-sat for our daughter for the past 12 months. She has always been so helpful and courteous and prompt. Recently, due to my husband working overseas, she has been babysitting 3 evenings a fortnight so I can continue my studies. With the change our daughter has been a bit unsettled being left and Dawn has been very caring and considerate with us both. She has taken time to help her settle and always lets me know she has settled down after I have left and lets me know how the evening has gone when I get home.
I have also been to Dawn's house recently, it is so well equipped and always spotless.
I think Dawn has the right balance of being warm and caring whilst providing discipline and structure and would highly recommend her to anyone.
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by
Parent
about
Dawn
on 05/11/2014
Response by
Dawn
on 11/11/2014:
Thank you Jennifer for such a lovely review, I strive to conquer the challenges that Scarlett presents for me and feel we are finally becoming friends. She really is a lovely little girl when she allows me in and I am sure we will continue to build our relationship , hopefully she will soon feel more secure and less anxious when separated from you. I think regular contact is helping us to achieve this. Thanks again.
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