We have known Dida for six years; she has cared for my now six-and-a-half year old daughter since she was a baby -- first as a 20+ hours a week nanny, then doing afterschool pickups, now as an occasional babysitter, as our needs have changed. She has always made a tremendous effort to be a warm and loving presence in my daughter's life, and Anna feels as close and comfortable with her as with any member of our family.

Dida is extremely reliable, trustworthy and hard-working, but she is also much more than that. She knows how to form strong, loving connections with the children she cares for, and she truly enjoys being with them. I have seen it many times – in her relationship with my daughter and also with many of our friends’ children, whom Dida has also looked after and gotten to know. Over the years, we had nanny shares with two other families who I know had the same warm relationships with Dida as we do, and who only stopped employing her when they moved away from London. She is very capable of looking after children of all ages and stages, from babies and toddlers to older schoolchildren.

I truly could not recommend Dida more highly. She is kind, creative, patient and knows how to play with and have fun with children. She sees them very much as individuals and puts in the attention and effort to get to know them and their interests. She has indulged my daughter’s interest in art with innumerable hours painting, drawing, sewing and much more, and is always willing to get involved in every imaginative game, story or whatever else Anna and her friends come up with.

Dida is a true friend to us, and she brings a sense of calm and a smile to our home whenever she enters. I know she’ll be part of our family’s lives for a long time to come. Anyone else who employs her would also be very lucky to have her as a nanny!