Fun Days Childminding Services

Fun Days at Esme’s is a large child minding setting registered for 9 children working with 4 child minders for continued childcare during the holidays.

Fun Days at Esme’s is based at a childminding setting set in a rural location 1 mile from Llangorse and 4 miles from Brecon. The services we provide includes Childminding with the added bonus of a pick up and drop off service for all our clients with a child staying a Full day, an After School and School Holiday Club, a Babysitting, Chaperone, Nanny Service and Mobile Crèche for weddings and parties.
At our childminding setting, we aim to provide a homely, loving and nurturing environment where each child is encouraged to develop to his or her full potential. We pride ourselves on providing nutritious, freshly prepared meals and place a strong focus on outdoor activities in a well equipped, safe environment.
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The childminding setting is owned and run by me, Esther Koppenjan (also known as Esme). I have 19 years of experience in Psychiatry and only found my calling as a childminder when looking after numerous friends of my own children when they were younger. In 2005 I started on my own childminding business, caring for 3 children under 4 and 3 children over 4 years of age after school. Soon I had to take on an assistant to in 2007 and again a second assistant in 2009. I have two children myself; a boy (15-10-94), and a girl (27-04-97). We are now a team of 3 registered childminders /span>
We are registered with the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) to care for 9 children. We care for children from the age of four months up to starting school age. The setting is open all year, except weekends, the 25th and 26th of December and the 1st of January. We open at 7. 00 am and close at 6. 00 pm from Monday to Friday. For registered customers, we do and will consider providing childminding services outside of these core hours.
As mentioned previously, we can care for up to 9 children. The setting is divided into two separate rooms to allow us to meet the different needs of very young babies and those approaching toddlerhood.
The accommodation is flexible to allow the babies to have both quiet time and also to watch and enjoy the activities of the older children. There is a large open-plan play area, incorporating a reading area, home corner, craft, drawing, messy play area and space for general play.
We accept all children and respect them all as precious individuals, regardless of gender, race, religion, disability or culture. We believe it is important that the children have the chance to build warm and loving relationships with their carers and to be comfortable in the setting. Our curriculum is inspired by the Scandinavian Forest School approach and the Steiner Waldorf Schools curriculum combined with the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework so we can be sure that children are prepared for formal education when they leave us. The children able to initiate their own projects with guidance offered as appropriate, giving them ‘space’ to learn. The children are encouraged to develop at a pace that suits them and that they do not always have to pursue an idea to a finale but rather return to an activity should they wish to. We always aim to provide a ‘home from home’ environement in which to develop a love of learning and the skills and knowledge required for an ever-changing world.
Fun Days at Esme’s has as strong focus on outdoor activities. We have a secure large garden for the children to play in equipped with trampoline (secured with a net), slides, swings, climbing frames etc. The climbing frame and the trampoline will only be used with adult supervision, but I think it is important to not over protect them or to limit their expectations of their potential. I think it is important to provide challenging but achievable activities to develop their self esteem and self confidence. Playing outside releases surplus energy and is a licence to make more noise. It stimulates the appetite, aids digestion and circulation, promotes sleep and gives resistance to infection. It promotes healthy skin, as well as developing muscle tone, manipulative skills, balance and control. Children develop skills, such as stopping and starting, running, hopping, digging, planting, skipping, climbing, pedalling, swinging, steering and crawling through and under equipment.
Fun Days at Esme’s pride themselves on their freshly prepared home cooked meals. The children have a well-balanced and nutritious diet, with a strong focus on fresh fruit and vegetables. Eating together is encouraged as a social activity, which provides a strong focus for the day.
The primary language used in the setting is English with some intentional and conversational Welsh. We apply Language and Play and Numbers and Play in the setting which introduces the Welsh language from a young age in a playful way.
Language and Play (LAP) is a programme for parents and carers who have children age 0-3 years. LAP aims to share ideas and help parents realise how important they are to their children's education. It encourages parents to share experiences with their children and promotes parental involvement, so that children become more confident and develop better speaking and listening skills to support their start at school.
Number and Play (NAP) has been designed to complement LAP. It gives parents and carers ideas and information on the language of numeracy. This includes concepts associated with number, shape, size, order, position, measurement, weight, volume, time and money.
The aim is to develop the understanding and confidence of parents through reassuring them that maths can be fun. There is a great emphasis placed on having fun with songs and rhymes, books and stories, games and in everyday routines or when out and about.
We have set up a Fun Days Tots playgroup in Llangorse Community Centre every other Monday, see pictures in the Gallery, feel free to join us ;)
Many of our pre-school children attend the local primary school, Llangorse ChurchSchool and Ysgol-Y-Bannau and Llanfaes Primary School in Brecon for part-time sessions during term-time. They are transported safely in the ‘Fun Days’ people carrier and are accompanied at all times during the journey to and from their school.
We are keen to support local colleges and schools by offering placements to their students. All students will have a CRB check and are always carefully supervised. They will be supplementary to the required staff: child ratios.
Our partnership with parents is vital to the success of the setting. Parents are always welcome to spend time at the setting and to share in their child’s life at ‘Fun Days'.
Recent research shows that 38 % of five year olds in England had experienced tooth decay and as a CSSIW Registered Childminder I am very aware of the need to follow good oral hygiene practices and to avoid eating foods and drinks with high sugar content.
We would like to support you in training your child to clean their teeth regularly by helping him /her clean their teeth after meals whilst in my care. I would therefore request that you provide me with a suitable toothbrush, toothpaste and a small plastic beaker. These will all be stored in a small plastic container in my bathroom and I will help your child clean his /her teeth regularly. I will advise you when the toothpaste is running low or the brush needsreplacing.
I also ensure that the children in my care are not given food containing high levels of sugar. I do not permit fizzy drinks and will wean children from drinking from bottles with teats as continued sucking of juice can damage teeth. I will work with you to encourage your child to drink from a beaker or trainer cup.
Parents are encouraged to discuss any aspect of their children’s time with us, and we will always try to respond positively and constructively to any feedback.
We have a detailed procedure in place to allow parents and carers to raise any concerns or feedback and be confident that all matters raised will be taken seriously.
Annual review of the ‘Quality of Care’ is provided. I am required by CSSIW to monitor the ‘Quality of Care’ on an annual basis and to provide a written report for the parents and the CSSIW.