Charlotte Jones-Registered Childminder

17/03/2026

I have received the following advise from the local authority.

Update for Childminders in Kent - Meningococcal Disease

You may have seen recent media reports regarding cases of invasive meningococcal disease in Kent. While these reports are understandably concerning, it is important to note that this infection does not spread easily and the overall risk to the wider community remains low unless individuals have had close contact with a confirmed case.

UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is closely monitoring the situation and working with local partners. At present there are no specific actions required for early years providers beyond remaining aware and following usual health guidance.

At present, no specific action is required for early years providers and children can continue to attend settings as normal unless advised otherwise by public health teams.

follow the latest official updates here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cases-of-invasive-meningococcal-disease-confirmed-in-kent

For general information about meningitis, including symptoms and when to seek medical advice, please see the NHS guidance:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/

Read about meningitis, an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. Find out about the symptoms, vaccines and treatments.

17/12/2025

Exactly this! Another blow for Childminders https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BahQHXoWW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Those who know me — or who’ve followed me for a while — will know that my heart will always belong to children. Their wellbeing, their development, their right to be seen, heard, and supported gently and respectfully.

But something else matters deeply to me: the people who care for them. 💗

This week has brought yet another hard hit for childminders.
HMRC have announced the removal of the ability for childminders to use a percentage allowance for wear and tear. And while that might sound like a small technical change on paper, the reality is anything but small.

We work from our homes.
Our homes are our settings.
They hold muddy boots, paint-stained tables, climbing frames, constant movement, noise, learning, care, and beautifully chaotic days that go far beyond “normal” family wear and tear.

Many childminders are already carrying everything alone — the educator, the carer, the administrator, the cleaner, the planner, the emotional anchor. Margins are tight. Pressure is high. And this decision lands on a sector that is already struggling to stay afloat.

HMRC have even compared childminders to plumbers — suggesting they don’t receive allowances for wear and tear either. But plumbers don’t run their business from their living rooms. They don’t open their homes daily to children’s learning, care, mess, and magic. The comparison shows just how little our role is understood. 😔

This decision doesn’t just affect numbers on a spreadsheet.
It affects sustainability.
It affects morale.
It affects whether childminders can continue at all.

Childminders are not a “nice extra” — we are a vital part of the childcare and early years infrastructure. When we are squeezed, families feel it. Communities feel it. Children feel it.

I truly hope HMRC listen.
I hope they reconsider the impact of this decision and engage with those living this reality every day.
Because this sector cannot keep absorbing blow after blow and still be expected to survive. 😳

We care deeply.
We give endlessly.
And we deserve to be understood — and supported — not pushed further to the edge. 🥺🫶🏻❤️

08/12/2025

23/09/2025

https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/weaning/safe-weaning/preparing-food-safely/

Find out how to prepare and serve food safely for babies and young children, including fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, cheese, nuts and other snacks, to reduce the chances of choking.

28/08/2025

Tell me you’re a childminder without telling me 🤣 👏🏻👏🏻

01/07/2025

A quick snack of home grown peas in the pod and then C spotted a frog in the pond, I’m not sure who was more excited!! Them or me 🤣🥰 Perfect summer afternoon ☀️🐸🫛 we’re going to call him Derek 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

01/07/2025

It’s a hot one ☀️☀️☀️🕶️🕶️🧴🧴
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/looking-after-children-and-those-in-early-years-settings-before-and-during-hot-weather-teachers-and-other-educational-professionals?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwLQcpZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHnJVnlimu9qieVKSc4K8vMxrq947oySjAW2HZ8Nwi726I2hbmYUxHyb7MVRz_aem_XZwIWRhunH99vJVIg8-3nw

This page advises those working with children on how to reduce the risks of hot weather to the health of people they provide care for. This is part of the guidance for the hazard: heat.

03/06/2025

I’m currently receiving lots of enquiries, but unfortunately, I don’t have any availability until next September — and even that is looking unlikely.

If you’re looking for childcare this year, I recommend posting on our local page, ‘Childminders in Deal and Sandwich’, or checking out Kent Children and Families Information Services for a list of registered providers. xx

16/04/2025

Sharing this again today. Fingers crossed you all get the schools you are hoping for xx

I hope everyone got the schools they were hoping for today ☀️ please don’t panic about teaching them phonics and writing too much, there’s plenty of time for that! Here are some ideas to help your little one get school ready xx most of all try to enjoy this time with them 😍😍

03/04/2025

We’ve had another busy day in the garden clearing and preparing for our new wildlife pond 🐸🦋🐝🐛🐌 the children also started preparing their raised beds ready for all the planting they are planning to do this spring, scooping all the “perfect” (not my word for it 😳🤣) compost out of our composter ☀️🌱finished off with our usual jobs like feeding the chickens and collecting the eggs . Thanks to Stacey Mead - Registered Childminder and her little explorers for all your help 👏🏻👏🏻

01/04/2025

Z found a pip in his Apple at lunchtime. “Charlotte can we plant my Apple seed” Cue everyone trying to remove seeds from their fruit (not so easy with the strawberries 🤣) followed by an afternoon in the greenhouse and garden 🪴🌱🍏🍓🍊🥝🫐 checked back about 5 minutes after planting, the children were disappointed that their fruit was “taking long” to grow 🥰🤣