Brentford Childcare's Reviews
Childminder
4.44 out of 5
Parent reviews
Below are the latest reviews for Brentford Childcare. Please note that reviews represent the subjective opinions of other Childcare.co.uk members and not of Childcare.co.uk. Parents must carry out their own checks and references on childcare providers to ensure that they are completely happy before enaging in the use of their services.
I was due to return to work when my daughter was only 10 months old, so it was important for me to find the right childcare arrangements for our family. As soon as I met Mary, I knew that I had found the right setting! Mary welcomed my daughter with her nurturing and warm manner. She provided a lot of settling in days prior to me returning to work, which helped my daughter settle quickly and without too many tears. The setting itself is organised, well resourced and feels like a family home. I particularly liked that each child had their own sleeping space and that there were different areas within the house for the children to do different activities (such as a reading area, art area, and an area for climbing). She also takes the children into the community for special trips, like visiting the library or the park. Mary also makes delicious, home cooked meals for the children. My daughter did not take to solids instantly, but Mary's perseverance definitely helped our daughter with this area of her development. Mary maintains excellent parent communication, and I always look forward to checking my phone to see the photos and videos that Mary has taken throughout the day. My daughter always smiles and laughs when she sees Mary and has formed a close relationship with her in a short amount of time. I would highly recommend Mary to any parent looking for childcare.
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AlishaMa
on 04/11/2023
Response by
Brentford Childcare
on 05/11/2023:
Lovely to have your precious girl with us she is amazingly sociable and full of joy . Enjoying and cherishing everyday she is here with us in our family setting 😊
Mary is a very special kind loving caring person with all her children in her care. She provides a safe and stimulating environment in her home for children of all ages. She does amazing trips and cooks healthy food. She's very helpful with mine and my daughters needs my daughter loves Mary so much' she's now called her her second mama I highly recommend Mary to any parent of any age child as Mary can provide the correct needs of the child
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Sarah
on 30/10/2023
Response by
Brentford Childcare
on 30/10/2023:
Thank you so much for your review , taking care of children is so precious trying to understand their individual needs , I aim to provide a high standard of care so the children are happy comfortable and feel safe which for sure boosts their confidence and helps them develop to become a role model for the society and the country we live in .
Mary is amazing! She is very loving ,calm and still a professional. She's made such ease leaving my little boy for the first time and then such a peace of mind whenever my boy is with her! Mary makes my son to feel "home from home", but still engaging him in variety of both educational and leisure activities like different art projects, drama, music, cooking, sports, games, also outside activities that she keeps updating me throughout the day,
She can also be very flexiable and adjust to child's routine, sleep, potty training etc .even help to learn how to zip a jacket.
Interaction with a few other kids made my son more open to sharing , also caring for others and I can clearly see that he is not that shy anymore and he has improved quicker at his speaking and communication skills. All play and learn acrivities,space and equipement are adjusted to the age.
Mtadros childcare  provide Montessori way of a care service that is based on respect, it is child-centred place with open-ended play and learn.
I cannot find any other words that would describe Mary but professional, fully commited, caring for all kids childminder. I am lucky and my son is so happy we have Mary after some bad previous experiences.
I would 100% recommend her .
Jo
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Joanna
on 14/07/2023
My daughter settled very well with Mary.
The setting was spacious and Mary was doing lots of different activities to stimulate the children artistic skills and talents using a variety of crafts, cooking and play, both inside the house and in the garden/outdoor area.
Mary provides a stimulating environment for the children and works around the individual child’s routine.
Mary makes lovely healthy food of different cuisines so the children can try and be familiar with different textures of food, my child loves her food and has tried new things with Mary as well. It is all home cooked and nutritious.
The communication was brilliant in terms of knowing what the children are doing, Mary sent regular WhatsApp picture updates and I was very happy with the care of my child. This definitely reassured me my daughter was well cared for as a parent.
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Claire
on 29/06/2023
In short, I would not recommend Mary Tadros as a childminder.
We employed Ms Tadros’ services from mid-March to the end of April 2022, which included our one-month notice period (we handed in our notice after two weeks). This review is based on our experiences during that time and includes the things we would have wanted to be aware of before signing a contract. The reason we waited to post a review is because we were waiting for the outcome of a court case we lodged against her, which we won on all counts.
For transparency, these are the things we claimed for, and won, in the court case:
• £10 for a trip which we had paid for in cash but was taken out of the deposit at the end of the contract.
• £70 (a day’s fee) that was taken out of the deposit for a day after the contract ended.
• £70 for a day Ms Tadros took off sick, although she hadn’t provided us with her sickness policy before the contract started so we weren’t aware we would have to pay for her sick days.
• £70 for a Bank Holiday that fell outside of our contracted days (she charged us for Good Friday, although we didn’t normally send our child to her on a Friday) – if you decide to employ Ms Tadros as a childminder, I would recommend you get in writing that you will only be charged for Bank Holidays that fall on your normal contracted days.
Ms Tadros provided a range of healthy, home-cooked meals for lunch. She involved the children in a variety of different activities, baking for example, and sent photo updates to parents via WhatsApp. The children wore overalls during messier activities to help protect their clothes.
Other things we would have liked to have known include:
• She took a certain number of holidays a year and charged parents for that time, which was in the contract. Again, I would suggest you clarify in writing that you will only be paying for her holiday if it falls on your normal contracted days.
• She does occasionally take the children out on trips, but doesn’t regularly take them to local playgrounds and playgroups, which other childminders in the area do.
• She has a very strict sickness policy for the children: if the child has a temperature of 37.5 or above, they will be excluded from the setting for 48 hours, even if it’s because of teething, the temperature disappears by the time the child gets home, and/or there are no other symptoms. You have to pay for days when your child is unable to attend because of sickness (having to pay is clear in the contract and common among childcare providers).
• She took the children to church around Easter time.
• She has rabbits and dogs (she did tell us about this before we employed her).
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Samantha
on 13/03/2023
Response by
Brentford Childcare
on 13/03/2023:
Response Updated June 2023
Update on the appeal to court to overturn the judgment
I made an appeal on the original judgment and the the judge overturned two of the charges because I submitted new evidence and hence cancelled two charges .
I admit that it was a mistake from me to charge the Easter bank holidays as both The Friday of the Cross and the Monday following are both Holy days and I do not wish to paid for these.
I have changed my policy hence after not to charge any parents for these days going forward in the future .
I did refund the charge for my sick leave although I did not think it was ethical to make me refund it as i was only following government guidance regarding covid .
I take pride to provide a safe clean nurturing environment to the little ones and will always provide the best possible service to the children and their parents .
Response in March 2023
I thank God that I am able and skilled to provide the best possible environment and resources of high standards to meet the needs of the children that are in my care to help them flourish and achieve their best potentials while growing up in a positive , safe healthy and very well established setting.
Regarding the financial points mentioned in the review I find these irrelevant on this platform and as they are not affecting the care I provide for the children and my level of competence in providing the best care, I see it is pointless and futile to reply to you. However I am applying to appeal the court judgment as there is new evidence to support my position.
I just want to start off by thanking Mary for all she does. She is by far the greatest Child minder who ever looked after my son. So thank you so so much you’ve been a massive help.
The facilities Mary has are amazing not only for learning but self development. My little one is picking up so many good habits from whenever he is with Mary.
It’s amazing that she provides the food for him but not only that she tries to figure out what my little one likes and cater to his needs. I always know what he has eaten and if he wasn’t specifically fond of something.
The most important thing for me was the communication between me and the child minder and I could not have been more happier. She updates me on all the little things my son does throughout the day. She is very flexible with my early drop offs and I am yet again so great full for her flexibility.
But the bottom line is I know that when my son is with her he’s not only looked after but being educated and is able to experience new thing every single day. That can be arts and crafts, trips to park or even to Museums which he absolutely adores.
I would recommend her to anyone who lives within Brentford area, as there’s no one better to care for the little angels.
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Anna Hun
on 23/10/2022
Mary has been taking care of my son since he was three years old, now he is almost six .
Mary is extremely understanding and flexible even now more and more as I am now pregnant and due in September .
My son used to attend a local nursery but because he was not happy there , I removed him and registered with Mary where he has settled in quickly and I could see he was happy again .
Mary had been an amazing support for me a single mum with her flexibility her understanding of my needs and that of my son . She has been so accommodating to the care I needed as at times specially after my son started school , our childcare needs changed but Mary is always there to support when ever we needed her, specially during school holidays .
Mary organises annual parents lunch get together so that the parents in the setting can get to know each other in a relaxed atmosphere , these events are joyful with lots of delicious food . I always attend these events and my son is happy to meet up with his Freinds .
Mary never took a day off sick not even during the time my son was with her full time . This shows how she pushed herself to the maximum even when she was unwell at times so as not to disturb my work routine .
I am extremely pleased and confident with her compassion and care towards the children in her care, she loves them all as her own and my son is always happy to go to Mary’s . Even after he started school he asks me when will he go back to Mary .
Mary always provide a balanced appetising home cooked meals to the children . She has shown and demonstrated a high level of dedication and integrity in her care for the children . She takes the children out on regular day trips to Kew Gardens , odds farm , local parks etc…. Which my son enjoys immensely .
She encourages the children to celebrate family events like mothers days and fathers days and birthdays and make birthday cards for each other (children in the setting ) so as to encourage their social and caring developments
Mary has an amazing setting with lots of high quality resources to help with the children‘s development in all areas . The setting is extremely calm with positive energy which influences the children confidence and security .
I highly recommend Mary as a childminder someone you can actually trust with your own child .
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Marlena
on 13/06/2022
Mary looked after our 3 Yr old daughter very well, and with much kindness for 5 days on a temporary basis when we were back visiting the UK. Our daughter often came home excited about her fun day, and Mary gave us regular updates through the day which we appreciated.
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Camsilla
on 04/05/2022
Mary approached me on this website offering childcare for our 12month daughter, which we needed only for a few hours on Mondays. She said she could help, and we met her at her home. Everything seemed lovely so we agreed to work together. Mary explained that, because we were only doing one day, we'd have to pay the higher £12 hourly rate. Even if it was more expensive, we agreed so at least we could have some flexibility on the hours. We paid her the £350 deposit she requested, as well as paying for settling sessions.
Mary took good care of our daughter in March, she seemed to be sweet to her and kept us posted during the day. She also helped us the days when our nursery closed due to Covid and we had to do extra hours with her, she was very flexible then.
Mary was sick on the last Monday of the March, which we had to still pay for, but we didn't question this and wished her well. However, before starting the second month working with her, she sent us her invoice which requested 5 days payment for April. We were confused as we only use Mondays. Mary told us we had to pay for "all bank holidays", including Good Friday. And that she was also taking a week off before Easter, and we had to pay for that Monday too, despite the service being closed. There was no prior notice of this holiday and, with less than 2 weeks notice, we therefore also needed to arrange childcare elsewhere. When we questioned the Friday BH and the unannounced annual leave, we were told if we didn't agree, we could terminate the contact.
Having to pay Mary for sickness, annual leave, and bank holidays we didn't use, as well as fund additional childcare to cover these days, this was over budget. As a one off, Mary accepted to cancel the Friday BH charge as "good will", and we agreed to pay for 4 days in April (despite using 2), but reducing the hours slightly. Apparently that was not possible either, as she said she had booked her assistant and it couldn't be changed - despite Mary advising us (when we first met) that only a couple of days’ notice were necessary for her assistant if we ever needed to adjust the hours.
Mary's contract mentions that BH are to be paid, but we expected only to pay if it falls on the day we used, not every BH of the year, especially as our arrangement was on a more expensive hourly basis, one day a week. The contract terms were unclear, and seemed very unfair. And although it mentioned 2 weeks paid holidays in summer with notice given, it wasn't in our case.
After just one month working together, due to this inflexibility and unwillingness to find a fair solution, we didn't find an agreement for April days and worse, she kept our £350 deposit. All in all, a disappointing experience which has cost us a lot of money, but most of all, it was Mary's nonconciliatory approach which disappointed us.
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Eva
on 07/04/2022
Response by
Brentford Childcare
on 08/04/2022:
Thank you so much for your positive feed back and review regarding my childcare services they are priceless 🌹as I am always aiming to provide the best possible nourishing and stimulating environment to children, at these tender and crucial stages of their lives . So I did appreciate your comments and thank you again for using me to care for your adorable lovely and beautiful and extremely enjoyable and bubbly little one . It was such a pleasure to care for her and I have to say to care for all the children it is always a joy and I find it a blessing too to be able to provide the best possible care and love .
I have taken into account that you have overlooked my terms and conditions when you first signed with me . So I am taking measures to make sure now that I discuss the terms and conditions fully whenever I get a new contract . Thank you again for your positive feedback
I cannot express how happy I am with Mary!
The setting is great for my younger child 3 and also my older child 6 they are both stimulated with arts and crafts or just learning through play. My son had been in a private Nursery setting since 7months old and was extremely comfortable so I worried about him moving and with so much change with school and leaving old nursery I thought he would be very shy and reserved but no within minutes of being in the setting Mary sent me pictures of him calm relaxed happy and laughing they have built such a great bond in a short amount of time. My older daughter is very happy and comfortable with Mary so much so she wants to go every day after school. The setting is the best I have ever seen in a childminder perfect for different age groups and different areas to play. I would rather go there than to work :). The food is presented in a way it is exciting for the children and Mary had tried different foods they would not eat with me but they have with her. She has a way of helping the child become more comfortable and open up to new things. Mary has such a good kind manner which is calming not only for the children making us all at ease. The communication is great between Mary and myself constantly letting me know how children are and what they are up to as any parent at work you clock watch knowing they are being picked up seeing the message makes me smile while at the desk feeling completely at ease. I cannot recommend Mary enough to other parents. I am one happy mummy knowing my babies are well and truly looked after. :)
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Robinson
on 28/09/2021
My child is now 14 months old and has settled very well with Mary. Mary provides a stimulating environment for the children but also works around the individual child’s routine as well which has helped her napping and settling in well.
The facilities are spacious and Mary is always doing a variety of crafts, cooking and play, both inside the house and in the garden/outdoor area
Mary caters very well, my child loves her food and has tried new things with Mary as well. It is all home cooked and nutritious.
The communication is brilliant in terms of knowing what the children are doing, with regular picture updates throughout the day. Which has definitely helped me as a parent.
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Lotte
on 10/05/2021
I highly recommend Mary. The environment at her place is very well set up, safe, fun and stimulating. My son has been going to her for almost two years now and he loves her. He's having great fun with other children, doing lots of crafts projects which he loves, having physical activities and also doing educational exercises. He's much better in English language since he started going to Mary as at home we speak mainly Polish so I am really glad about that. Mary keeps in contact when he's at her place sending pictures of the kids playing or learning and explaining what they're doing. I would highly recommend Mary to anyone who's looking for a reliable and caring childminder.
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Marlena
on 09/05/2021
I do believe Mary genuinely cares for children in her care, but I was disappointed in how she treated us.
We are both NHS workers and thus felt peace of mind sorting it early (more than 6 months in advance) and felt reassured with leaving our baby in her care. We were pleased with the rich and stimulating environment she provides in her home but more importantly an opportunity for our baby son to socialise with other children after 11 months of being isolated at home due to the pandemic. She communicates well via Whatsapp throughout the day with parents and appears committed to her job, and we formed what I thought was a great trusting relationship with Mary and under her guidance commenced paid settling in sessions since Dec 2020.
There were some minor things which I felt I could overlook; unwanted advice on changing my breastfeeding routine, and her not wiping my son's face after eating.
However, we were told this week (with <6 weeks notice) that she cannot accommodate our hours suddenly and that I could not drop off before 9 and had to pick up before 5, due to pandemic, availability of assistant, and increased cleaning needs. There has been no change in lock-down rules recently and paid a deposit and signed a contract Aug 2020 for March 2021 for 8-6pm part time. We feel there was ample time for either informing us earlier or making arrangements for additional help.
We tried to be flexible to make it work, including altering some of the hours and/or changing the days, but it felt like there was no room for negotiations. In retrospect, we feel fortunate that at least we found out now. A surprise changes to hours when he has started going there would be much more difficult, and the lack of flexibility does not suit key workers.
These website reviews are often biased as people only post good experiences as the childminder relationship has obviously never been greatly tested. However, we have been left with no childcare at short notice, and do not feel the issue has been dealt with in a professional way or with a willingness to make things work.
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Aggie
on 06/02/2021
Response by
Brentford Childcare
on 06/02/2021:
Thank you so much for your review and for the lovely comments regarding how I communicate well with the parents during the period the children are in my care , however I can see that you gave this 3 stars although it is as you mentioned one of my strengthens .
I can understand your frustration however I have to follow the EYFS guidelines in terms of ratios and though there was only 15 min to 30 min to pick up where I would be left without my assistant still I was not willing to compromise my professional standards in adhering to the government regulations . With regard to my changed opening hours these again following the department of health guidelines in trying to minimise the spread of the virus by maintaining a hygiene environment before the children arrive and after they are picked up which hence is reflecting my professional integrity And safeguarding the children in my care and their families within my bubbles at all time specially as we are still in total lockdown now .
I really sympathise with you regarding having to abort this contract for the reasons mentioned that my assistant attendance schedule Was not working with your schedule , and of course on a professional level I can not agree to a compromise because I need to think God forbids If there is an emergency . Hope you find a suitable childcare and of course if I do have any availability in the future I will let you know .
Our son started to go to Mary when he just turned seven months old.
Mary organised a very useful and smooth settling in period for our son, and he very quickly felt at home. Our boy loves Mary, and he very much enjoys his time filled with fun, interesting developmental and educational activities.
Mary’s setting is just incredible! She has plenty of space for the children to move around and offers a wide range of toys paired by age and always educational that she updates very frequently.
Mary sends us daily updates and feedback regarding daily activities, behavior, development, and photos.
Mary prepares fresh, nutritious, tasty, varied and healthy food that our son very much enjoys.
Mary offers a warm & caring home environment with a focus on development. We are fortunate to have found Mary.
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Marinha
on 18/03/2019
I cannot recommend Mary enough. From the moment I walked in on my first visit I felt very positive and at ease with the lovely environment she created for the babies and children at her home. She has a warm personality and a very calming, can do approach. She's been very sensitive to the personality and needs of my baby daughter and all of her suggestions and approach showed that she was thinking about my concerns and my baby's needs. She's thoughtful and caring which makes a lovely environment for babies to grow and flourish.
During settling in her approach was so reassuring to me and I believe that because of it, things went really well! My baby settled in really well and seems happy and relaxed when I leave her with Mary in the morning. I also noticed that Mary enjoys spending time with her too which is absolutely lovely . My fiance and I get regular updates during the day which are priceless! So overall communication is great and I feel I can talk to Mary about anything as she's quite receptive and open.
Mary has an array of age appropriate toys, all in good condition. She has lots of space so the children are not stuck in one room, they move around for a change of scenery during the day. It's a homely and clean setting and healthy meals with fresh ingredients are cooked everyday. My baby loves her food. To me diet is very important and the fact that Mary cooks everyday is very well received and shows that she cares about the children.
All of this makes me confident that my baby is getting the best start in life and I truly trust Mary's capable hands to care for my baby in her very important first years.
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Simone
on 28/12/2018
My toddler has been with Mary for a few months now and he absolutely adores her. Her home is welcoming & full of fun.
Mary is a very kind, warm and caring person who gives each child the attention they need. She’s also very accommodating. We always love receiving pictures and updates throughout the day feel very lucky to have found Mary!
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Fran
on 02/10/2018
This reference is to confirm that I have known Mary Tadros in a professional capacity as my daughter's childminder. Mary has cared for my daughter for a period of 4 years and I have been very happy with the service she has provided and work ethic. I can confirm Mary has provided excellent care and my daughter has developed really well. Mary supports the children in her care with their learning needs whilst developing the child’s own interests.
My daughter really enjoys arts and crafts activities and Mary has focused on this interest and encouraged my daughter to develop her skills. Not only developing my child’s own preferred interests but also providing new experiences such as horse riding as well.
Mary would regularly take my daughter on activities which she enjoyed providing the detailed attention to ensure my daughter thrived in her care. She was also up to date with childcare developments and kept diligent records of my daughter’s progress. Mary was also happy to work longer hours and put in the extra effort if needed.
The space for the children to play and relax is very well set out and my child has felt comfortable and at home. Mary has taken the time to develop a very good bond with my daughter. My daughter loves and trusts Mary and really enjoys spending time under her care. In the earlier years Mary focused on the EYFS to develop my chid, but as my child has grown she has provided appropriate activities and help relevant to her age. I do feel Mary is very conscientious and pays attention to each child’s own personal needs.
Mary has numerous year’s experience in working independently and has always produced fantastic results. Mary also has a passion for health and safety. Whilst Alina was under Mary's care all the relevant protocols were followed and I was assured my child was always safe and secure. Mary would cook delicious and nutritious meals for my child, using a number of ingredients with a focus on traditional English and Egyptian cuisine. There was always fresh fruit and vegetables and my daughter has now developed very good healthy eating habits I am sure which will have lifelong benefits to her health. Regular exercise was also planned, including trips to the park which all helped my daughter’s development. My child’s medical needs (allergies) were always catered for and I really can say my daughter has thrived in Mary’s care.
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Claire
on 14/11/2017
I honestly can't recommend Mary enough. If you are looking for childcare in her area - I really recommend going and visiting her & her setting. Mary has a lovely calm, warm & nurturing nature. This is really clear to me as I see my son so relaxed and playful when he is there.
The setting is spotless, colourful, fun and highly engaging for little ones. Mary has numerous age-related activities, a sensory area, art & crafts and toys. My older (school age) son accompanies me when I drop off my baby and is always asking if he can stay to play too :-)
It's clear that Mary has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to caring for children but she is also very attuned to and dedicated to their development. The setting is a true indication of this.
Mary is kind enough to provide delicious, varying and importantly really healthy & nutritious food as well. My son consistently enjoys what she offers.
Communicating with Mary is always a pleasure - she is highly professional and so warm at the same time. I don't feel that anything is too much trouble. She is very open & transparent in her communications and I thoroughly enjoy receiving updates about my son throughout the day. It really puts my mind at ease about being away from him.
Again, can't recommend highly enough.
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Annalise
on 14/11/2017
