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Mrs Serena Somerville Cert EYP

Quality Assured

About Me

Accredited

Offering Government funded Early Education as well as Great Quality Personal Home from Home Childcare!

Not ‘just’ a Childminder Serena is a certified Early Years Practitioner delivering the Governments Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum to 0 - 5 year olds.

Serena is a qualified Early Years Practitioner who works closely with Dorset County Council and other Early Years providers.

Serena ’s Babies has been providing top quality child care since I first started Childminding in the year 2000. It is my mission to provide child care and early years education of the top most quality, so that parents are free from stress and worry while at work and also so that all children who attend my setting have the best possible care and opportunities in their earliest years. I believe the best way to achieve this goal is to work in close connection with all parents and carers to see what they hope their child/children will benefit from while in my care. I work on the theory of would I be happy with that if it was my child?. I pride myself in being flexible and approachable. I am well trained and experienced, but continue to expand my knowledge, qualifications and experience.  Every day is a new adventure!

Childminding is a Self Employed Business.

However all childminders must be registered, Insured and properly qualified.  Below are the details of how I meet the fore mentioned targets also referred to as Suitable Person.

I am Insured through and a member of what was the National Childminding Association (NCMA) and is now PACEY Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years. They provide my public liability and legal expense insurance. Membership gives me access to a wide range of tools and skills for childminders and the opportunity to be involved in PACEY organised events. I provide all parents of my setting with a copy of the PACEY parents page each quarter (providing there is one issued).

Please click the PACEY logo to visit their site

I am also a member of iChild.co.uk which is a resource site for NCMA members and also holds a vacancy list of NCMA Childminders of which I am also part of. There logo is linked to there web site below.

I can also be found on Childcare.co.uk by following this link. My post code is DT11 9FH

 

 

Why am I a Childminder?

 

When I left the armed forces (due to medical reasons) I sat down and explored my options, what was I interested in, where did my talents lie and what did I have experience in? Above all what was I good at? And what would I love doing? Being the oldest child of 4, then 7 when my mother remarried it didn’t take long to realise that childcare and education was where my talents were.

 

When my husband and I fell pregnant I started looking into childcare for my own child when he was born.  However I couldn’t find the kind of setting that provided all the things I wanted. I didn’t think my expectations of day care were, that much different to other parents. So I decided to give up my secretarial work and enter the field of childcare as a registered childminder providing all the things I felt parents would want from a childminder.

What I do:

 

You are your child’s first educator I am their second

 

I believe in working in partnership with parents to provide the best for each child in my care.

 

I operate an open door policy parents are always welcome to join in with activities and stay for as long as they wish. I respect the parents I work with  after all, you know your child better than anyone else. Your views, ideas, comments, etc, are valuable and I feel that it is very important for me to be able to work with you in partnership. We have a Learning Journey Book that we all fill in recording special events, mile stones, holidays, trips, art work and so much more!! This book stays with the child and is a great memory tool for when the child is older!

 An example of the front cover. An example of inside. (This is my daughters).

It can be any book of your choosing (you provide it when your child starts).

 

 

I am always available and like to spend as much time as possible with parents. It is very important for your child to be able to see that Mum/Dad and childminder can communicate will make time to talk, respect each other and can work as a team to provide continuity of care.  This builds your child’s confidence, sense of security and promotes a happy child.  After my years of experience of working with parents I fully understand your worries, anxieties and concerns that you may have when leaving your child with a childminder for the first time.  I experienced similar feelings when my own son started full time education.

 

I encourage equal opportunities, each child should have the opportunity to develop to his or her full potential regardless of race, origin, sex, disability, cultural or social background. Each child is an individual, and his or her needs, wishes and ideas should be met. We live in a multicultural, multiracial society and the children of today will be the adults of tomorrow.

 

Facts

I was one of the first young childminders to achieve a top grading in my inspection when grading was brought into force.

This made me one of the first Childminder’s in England under the age of 30 to receive this grading a high standard that I strive to achieve every day.

My goal

My goal is to complete my BA Degree, get my honours then open my own Serena’s Babies Nursery!! I want to improve the quality & standard of Nursery Child care

My qualifications:

  • 22 June 2000 to 20 July 2000 Preparation course for registered childminders run by Social Services.
  • 14 September 2001 to 15 September 2001 First aid course run by FACTS
  • 17 June 2002 Passed assessment and joined the Children Come First Childminding Network Early Years Education.
  • July 2002  Basic SEN training (with accreditation)
  • May 2003 Seasonal activities on a budget  run by DPCMA
  • 28 May 2003  29 May 2003 Child protection run by Wessex
  • 5th August 2003 - 6 August 2003  Behaviour management  run by Wessex
  • February 2004  October 2004 FHEQ* Level 3 (NVQ equivalent) Early Years Open University
  • 12th July 2004  Introduction to Childminding Practice (ICP)
  • 19th October 2004 Dyslexia Information Session
  • 2007 Paediatric First & Epi Pen Aid St Johns Ambulance
  • 2009 FHEQ* Level 5 (NVQ equivalent) Child Development  Open University
  • 2012 Paediatric First Aid St Johns Ambulance
  • Safeguarding Children Level 2 September 2012 Dorset County Council.
  • Safe Guarding Children Level 3 February 2013 Dorset County Council.
  • FHEQ* Level 4 (NVQ equivalent) The Early Years, Developing Practice. Open University
  • Ensuring Positive Behaviour Happens. May 2013. Dorset County Council.
  • Funded 2 year olds conference. 8th June 2013. Dorset County Council.
  • Practical Inclusion. July 2013. Dorset County Council.
  • Certificate in Early Years Practice, Level 4 Diploma July 2013. Open University.
  • Role of the SENCO October 2013.
  • CAF (Common assessment framework) November 2013.
  • Bright Ideas for the Early Years workshop, Making Maths Fun. November 2013

*FHEQ= The framework for higher education qualifications in England, Wales & Northern Ireland. August 2008.

My Experience:

  • 2000 - 2004 Registered Accredited Network Childminder with Ofsted
  • 2004 - 2005 Registered Childminder with the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales
  • February 06 - August 06 Senior Nursery Officer / Toddler Unit Team Leader @ Guardian Angels Nursery
  • July 2007 - May 2012 Registered Childminder with British Forces Early Years Service
  • May 2012 ongoing Registered Childminder with Ofsted.
  • August 2013 - Quality Assured and Accredited, inspected by LA, DCC.

Qualifications currently studying:

    BA Early Years (The Open University) Current course: E105 October 2013 - May 2014 (this is a full Bachelor of Arts degree that will give me in the duration of studying the Early Years Practitioner Certificate, Foundation Degree and at the end I hope to gain my honours.)
    ENCo.
    Self Evaluation.
    And More as I am continually updating my skills and qualifications to improve my quality of provision.

 

Partners/Alliances

Other local Childminders.

Blandford Children’s Centre.

 

Support, spiritual guidance & good friend Ms Elloise Bennet you can visit her website at www.seraphinacentre.com

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