My wife and I were your stereotypical nervous 1st time parents dreading the day my wife was going to return to work following her maternity leave. My day regularly means I am out of the house by 7:15 and not returning home until after 8pm so we needed someone who could offer flexibility but whom we also felt wanted to spend the time with Matilda rather than it being just a job. Our friends couldn't recommend Clare enough as she was looking after their own daughter and after having interviewed a few childminders what put our minds at rest with Clare was meeting her own happy children and the other children clearly feeling totally at ease in her company.

After the first couple of difficult days where Tilly would cry when Anoushka left her which broke my wife's heart I think my wife struggled more the following week when clearly Tilly was excited to leave her mummy's side and go and play with her friends and see Clare and Meena as opposed to hold on to her mummy's hand for protection. We felt totally at ease with Clare very quickly with her daily written progress reports on Matilda's day and also the confident and reassuring advice she gave first time parents always with a sense of humour and a smile. Matilda grew in confidence and was clearly loving her time with Clare regularly singing her songs on the walk home and asking " where clare?"

We now have a 3 month old son and my wife feels totally at ease going back to work knowing her boy will be looked after by Clare and after taking Matilda (3 years old in December & left Clare's care for primary school in December) for her first bike ride this Sunday when we went past Clare's house she recognised it immediately and asked if she could go and see Clare & Meena- probably the best testimonial I could offer!!

Clare's childcare comes thoroughly recommended, she is down to earth and full of love and we would thoroughly recommend her to any nervous 1st time parents who are texting every 5 minutes in the first couple of weeks asking if their child is ok and feeling totally at ease doing it, without feeling like a burden or a pain as Clare has the empathy we felt other childminders could sometimes lack. She clearly loved looking after Matilda and still texts to ask how Tilly is progressing at nursery which shows the genuine bonds she develops with the children in her care.