Hi parents! I’m Silvana, born and raised in Mexico, living and happily married in London, I am extremely enthusiastic about my childcare work over many years, proud of my high-quality and safety-focused childminding experience, in garden settings, and thriving on bringing my international experience.

This is me, but this picture is not taken at my setting:

Safety is the top priority of everything I do, and I’m a loving childminder who strongly focuses on the personal growth, play and development of children.

I’m loving, energetic (I enjoy doing sports), and love to play and foster the learning and development of the children (but I can also be firm, because there are rules, however I always and without exception communicate this in a considerate, mindful, and solution-oriented way).

Over the years in London I’ve been working in Kew/Richmond, in my last role there as head childminder: at two 5-star-rated childminding settings, full-time, from Monday to Friday, and for some time so far in my own SW11 setting, off Clapham Common North Side. Prior to that I worked in Mexico, where I’m from originally, before I moved to London six years ago.

I am a mother of 1 (my daughter is 20 years old already). I’m a non-smoker, am teetotal, and engage in sports regularly so hardly ever get ill.

I believe in children’s growth by being outdoors (of course, I wrap the children in warm clothes, in winter) and educational play, etc. Studies have shown that outdoor activity has a significant positive impact on children’s cognitive development. The garden cannot be accessed by any unauthorised people, as it is behind the house.

Clapham Common (local park) starts at the end of the street I’m on, and can be reached via the traffic lights (traffic lights are in front of Gilmore House) – allowing for safe crossing for the children with me, to reach the park.

Daily online journal/diary entries are completed and sent to the parents very frequently (via the Baby’sDays app), with everything recorded, and photos, to keep parents up to date about the day’s events.

I know of the importance of keeping parents in the loop, with pictures and information on activities and what has happened during the day, on a constant basis, so this is one of the main pillars of Tiny Steps, too.

I serve a nutritious and diverse menu, as I enjoy cooking very much, and keep the kitchen safe, to ensure the children don’t get injured. I use lots of fresh and green ingredients.

I adhere to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) rules, aiming to support each child’s growth by catering to their specific needs.

I take great pride in my childminding work and strongly believe that I offer an excellent service.

^{The two garden-facing rooms, plus the kitchen and also the space under the three skylight-windows, are entirely used for my childminding setting (and the entire closed-off garden, too).}

^{(Overal sq metres of my home is 80. The internal area used for childminding is ca. 50 square metres, i.e. 540 square feet).}

^{(In the kitchen, I only use the two hobs/stoves at the back, and never the two near the front edge; in addition, I turn the handles backwards, too).}

I’d be happy to discuss your child’s specific childcare requirements.

I use the Baby’sDays app to make everything easier for the parents and achieve that parents are constantly up to date on their child’s activities and care, whilst at my setting or whilst at the park, etc. (diary, pictures, “what I’ve learned” entries, Early Years ‘Development Matters’ curriculum adherence, etc.). Also, e.g. if the child falls in your home and has a injury or bruise for example, parents enter this information into BabyDays so that I know, etc.

I use a dishwasher to make sure that everything is cleaned at the hottest temperature, have different coloured chopping boards (red for meat, green for vegetables, etc.), and a food-thermometer to make sure everything is cooked above 75 degrees celsius.

I steam-clean my carpets regularly.

I commit to creating a maximally safe, nurturing, respectful, and affectionate atmosphere where your child can grow and thrive, and experience joy, and have confidence. I’m passionate about working with children, so joy is an inevitable side-product of the atmosphere in my setting. It contributes to confidence-building, too.

I thrive on continuous learning and development, not only in the children but also myself, so I take classes online every week to continuously build on my knowledge and skills, even though I have many years of hands-on experience already.

Research has shown that spending time outdoors has a strong impact on mental health by reducing stress and anxiety, and improving mood, allowing the little ones to focus on their growth. This makes the garden and closeness to the park invaluable.

My husband is German-British and works as a macro-strategy consultant. In addition to me, he double-checks everything every weekend: fire and smoke alams, installations, etc. He has also done the first aid, Early Years safeguarding and all other courses, and food hygiene Level 2, so he supports me 100% with double-checking, backup, admin, etc.

All pictures here, apart from the first one (where I’m reading to the children), are from my SW11 setting.

Experience & certificates:

Full-time experience from Kew / Richmond, until Q3 2024: I have been working as Head Childminder in two childminding and daycare facilities (highly experienced Montessori-focused 5-star settings that have operated over decades). Children aged 0-4. Since 2024 I’m in my own SW11-setting, but 1 day a week I’ve still continued my role as Head Childminder in Kew/Richmond (until November 2024).

OFSTED certificates

Wandsworth Home Base Early Years Childminding certificate (2024)

Paediatric first aid (renewed this certificate again in October 2024)

Food hygiene L2 certificates

Weekly further studies (childcare courses and seminars every week)

Prior to coming to London, in Mexico: 10 years of podiatry, 18 years of raising my own daughter (prior to moving to London), from birth

(Additionally, since 2019 in London, after work hours: weekly babysittings of children who are under my care at the two childminding and daycare facilities I have been the Head Childminder at, where the children know me well and I know them well, with their individual needs, so the parents prefer that I’m their children’s babysitter).

Additional information: I was alternating between the two settings in Kew / Richmond, which both have 5-star reviews (my role: Head Childminder for both settings).

Additional information continued: The two settings in Kew / Richmond where I have been working have over a dozen children, and the fact that both were garden-home settings gave me strong experience with plenty of oudoor play activities and important aspects that need to be observed whilst being outside with children. I sweep the floor of the garden all the time, starting before children arrive.

My husband and I are friends with the owner of Letterland (phonetics language company), also a small family business, so I work with their resources, too, of which I have plently and am adding to continuously.

FAQs:

Could you explain the difference between a nursery and your setting?

I manage the setting similarly to that of a nursery but like to think I have a more homely environment, a closer relationship with the parents, more frequent updates, avoidance of using agency staff, and fresh home-cooked food.

In winter, larger nurseries sometimes struggle to provide consistent am-to-pm heating, which isn’t the case in my setting as it’s also our home (therefore it needs heating anyway, also in the early mornings, etc.).

What safety assurance do you have for when you walk to the park with the children?

There are traffic lights outside Gilmore House, which is where we cross the street (to reach the park), next to ‘Grove Mansions’ (before St Barnabas Church). The traffic lights allow us to cross safely. All children wear high-visibility jackets and hold on tightly to the stroller. Children go in groups: two children sit in the double stroller, and the third child (the oldest) holds the bar of the stroller and walks between the stroller and the wall side of the pavement.

Do you keep me, the parent, informed of my child’s activities and how the day is going?

I constantly update parents via the app, so that they can rest assured that their child is doing well. Not only parents in the settings I have been a Head Childminder at, but also from friends who have children that I speak to regularly, and from my own experience as a parent, I know how crucial it is to keep parents in the loop, constantly.

Can I contact another parent for a reference?

Yes absolutely, parents of the children that have been under my care are often praising my work and would happily give references for me. Just ask and I will try to speak to them to get a reference.

It is likely to take several days or even weeks, because everyone is always so busy.

Where do the children nap and how are they monitored?

Each of the children have their own separate place to sleep; the sheets are changed for each child and washed regularly. They are monitored throughout (via a baby-monitor, and in person).

Do you keep track of my child’s development?

I do an assessment of the development of each child every 6 months (in the BabyDays app), to make sure that the areas of development are in order, according to the stages, and so that we could work together to improve areas that the child is potentially struggling with.

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My setting has many more square metres in space than the minimum required by OFSTED.

Fees: £103 for 8am-6pm; £83 for 8am-3pm. Other sessions may be possible, depending on start-date, etc.

I also offer school pick-ups (after 3pm).

(A 7am start is possible, but at an elevated fee).

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To get in contact, email: tinystepschildminding@gmail.com