My name is Kathleen Bell, I am 43 years old and have been registered as a childminder with the Care Inspectorate since 2007.
Home and Family
I live with my husband and three kids. I have lived in Ladywell, Livingston since 2015 and know the area well. I love where I stay and feel lucky to be able to bring up my own children in such a lovely area. The street is a quiet cul-de-sac surrounded by woodland with a good selection of parks and playparks within walking distance. It is also well served by public transport. The nursery and school provision in Ladywell is excellent, our youngest children attend Harrysmuir primary and Ladywell nursery.
Career History
Since leaving school I have successfully achieved a degree in psychology and a postgraduate diploma in Education. After completing my education I worked with adults with special needs and as a playgroup assistant before embarking on my career as a childminder.
Experience, Qualifications and Skills for Childminding
As a busy mother of three, I am well aware of the demands and responsibilities involved in caring for children. I have no doubt that the experiences that I have had already with bringing up my own children help me in my role as a childminder. There is a large age difference between my eldest and youngest children and I understand how challenging it can be to care for children with varying abilities, needs and interests.
As part of my pre-registration training I successfully completed a six week induction course in childminding run by the Scottish Childminding Association and approved by the Care Inspectorate. The course covered a wide range of subjects including child protection, health and safety, child development and behaviour management. Over the last year I have refreshed my child protection training and obtained my First Aid Certificate for babies and young children. I also make full use of the training workshops provided by the SCMA and by other providers as they become available. In the last 18 months I have also successfully completed an SVQ in Children and Young People, and Forest Kindergarten training.
I believe it is vitally important to continue to further my training and refresh my skills in order for me to provide a good quality childcare service.