Alexandra, occasional childcare - TN34 Hastings

I'm Alex, I am 19 and a student at the University of Brighton. I am looking to provide part-time childminding and babysitting to parents or guardians who require short-notice or short-term childcare.

My qualifications include a C in GCSE Child Development and some training with youth groups for working with children and young adults, including the Christian group, The Girls Brigade. This experience qualified me to provide childcare supervision in the form of activities, games and also discussions about day to day life- this experience I draw from my time spent as a volunteer with Leeds city council's youth offer programmes. However, I respect boundaries and will not discuss sensitive matters with children, be it about myself or about them. Furthermore, though I primarily volunteered with the youth offer team (a branch of the social work team) and Girls' Brigade, I am open-minded and I am accepting of people from all walks of life.

Child Development taught me how to care for children, new-born to school starting age. I was taught food hygiene and sensitivity (how to prepare baby food or food for toddlers to make it easier to handle), as well as how to handle babies physically for their comfort and safety, and general safety with babies. One such example of this would be the importance of cleanliness with babies- if their clothes require changing, I am happy to do this, as I would with a nappy, be it Terry towel or generic 'pampers' style. I also understand and appreciate the necessity for children to have access to all forms of learning. One instance of this would be learning to read; while I would usually prefer children not to be watching films or television too often, when it is on, I would have the subtitles on so that they can read along to what is being said. The audible speech is clear in what is being said, but reinforcing that and relating it to text is also a very easy way to pick up reading.

I have had experience with childcare from around the age of thirteen; I often looked after my younger siblings and children of my parents' friends while they were still at work. This role included cooking meals, occupying the children's time with games or activities such as accessible sports, colouring or drawing. I also endeavor to allocate some time during my time working towards education; if children have homework I would prefer they worked at the table, and help them only when necessary. If help is required I try to prompt, not to be a crutch.

In terms of the activities I would play with children, they are often possible with the minimal of resources. Games such as hide and seek or simple card games (go fish, snap and other such games) have always proven popular when I have played them when I have been caring for children. I also try to ensure my activities are accessible to children of all ages and abilities. Inclusion and safety are my top priorities. When cooking, I sometimes try to have the children help as well. Teaching children about food hygiene, kitchen safety and nutrition is a good foundation for confidence in the kitchen, as well as building a repertoire between myself and my wards; they understand how I prepare the food and why I do it, and I learn what the children may or may not like.

Outdoor activities (when possible) are also important to me. When I was a child I was quite often outside, playing ball games or exploring. I would like to see more children do that where and when they can.