Coram PACEY is delighted to announce the winners of our Regional childminder awards as part of Childminding Week 2025
In April 2025 we launched our annual Regional childminder awards to recognise and celebrate the very best childminders. Those who make a difference to the lives of the children they care for, who set the bar high and are an inspiration to all in the profession.
We had so many fantastic entries, some truly incredible childminders who go above and beyond to support children, their families and local communities. We were blown away by the level of commitment, passion and knowledge shown.
All winners will be automatically entered into the Childminder of the Year awards being held at our conference in Autumn 25.
Here are your winners…
Nadine Hastings
Winner for the East Midlands (England)
“My home is a perfect blend of comfort, safety, and fun, designed with children in mind. Every corner is thoughtfully curated to ensure that the space is not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and safe for young ones. My whole house is diverse. I am German raised by an English army soldier travelling the world.
Danielle Gilkes
Winner for the South East (England)
“I became a childminder 13 years ago when my son was born. He was very poorly at birth and I became very interested in child development. During the first year of my new job I realised that this was definitely the role for me. I had no formal qualifications but since I started I have completed my level 3 childcare in the workforce, Foundation degree in Education and gained a first class honors degree in Education. I then went on to study for my masters and have so far achieved post graduate diploma status. I love seeing the impact quality childcare can have on the children and especially since the pandemic.”
“Safeguarding is the top priority for me and the children within my setting. I have a robust safeguarding policy that is updated regularly and shared with all parents. I complete the local council safeguarding course to ensure I am up to date with the current practices and issues that we may be facing. I also complete periodic online safeguarding courses and specific course such as FGM or prevent duty to ensure I always have the current guidance.”
“I am one of the founders of the Portsmouth Childminder Network and also support childminders through the Thames Valley Stronger Practice hub. Within this role I run localised storytime sessions in our local libraries for childminders to attend with their children. These sessions always have a focus for example we recently ran one about ‘supporting children with managing their feelings’. The childminders get ideas of books and resources to use to support the theme and also a craft activity or a tuff tray to allow the children to explore the topic further.”
Jean Orsbourn
Winner for the East (England)
“Ensuring equality, diversity, and inclusion is fundamental to my approach as a childminder, as I believe every child deserves to feel valued, respected, and supported.”
“We are passionate about fostering a supportive environment for both children and fellow childminders.
We actively participate in local initiatives, visiting care homes, being fund raisers, stall holders at fetes and events with community centres.
We also have volunteered our spare time as deputy Brownie Leader, Easter Bunny and Father Christmas to support families and the community.”
Melanie Louise Han
Winner for the North (England)
“I have been a childminder for 20 years this year. I share a lovely home with my partner. I am in a same sex relationship and we have been together for 18 Years. We have a child through IVF. I have dogs, a tortoise and a parrot that can sing and he learns the names of my children! I also have a few insects that the children are interested in.
At the beginning I wanted to help support families in my area and provide a safe, happy place for children to learn and i wanted to make a difference. This still is very important to me.”
“I was given a fantastic opportunity to be a mentor by the DFE to support childminders in Covid recovery. I met lots of wonderful childminders and helped support their settings. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience.
Warrington Borough Council made me a WELLCOMM champion and Childminders come to me to receive a pack when they are needed.”
“I have worked hard so far this year on physical development. I have had my garden made into an area where we can develop all areas of learning, however physical development is an area I feel I needed to improve. I have balance beams and stones to jump onto. I now have a climbing frame where children can gain confidence. I now also have a garden room where parents can talk privately or feed their baby. We also sit in there to read stories and have reflective learning time.”
Samantha Beech
Winner for London (England)
Alison Hanson
Winner for West Midlands (England)
“My pedagogy is grounded in several key principles that reflect my commitment to nurturing each child in a respectful and responsive way. Central to my approach is a strong belief in the power of child-led play. I view play not only as a vehicle for learning but as the learning itself.
Inspired by slow pedagogy, I take an unhurried approach to daily routines, valuing presence and connection. I see children as capable and competent, and I support them in being the directors of their own learning journey. My ‘wellbeing first’ philosophy (inspired by practitioners such as Magda Gerber’s respectful caregiving and Sandi Phoenix’s Phoenix Cups Framework) emphasises the importance of emotional security and mutual respect.”
“After being fortunate to take on the role of Childminder Mentor as part of the DfE’s Mentors and Experts Covid-19 Recovery Programme, I gained invaluable insight from the many childminders I supported. Two key themes emerged from these conversations: first, that practitioners are the most vital resource in our sector, yet their wellbeing (especially that of lone workers) is too often overlooked. Second, I heard loud and clear the frustration around the lack of positive childminder representation within the broader early years landscape.”
“Gaining my Ofsted Outstanding rating is certainly one of the standout moments of my career. A moment of recognition. But above all, the real highlights come with each graduation of a mindee. Every time we gather as a whole community of families to celebrate a child’s transition to pre-school, it becomes a truly special occasion.”
Georgina Young
Winner for Yorkshire and Humber (England)
“Hello, my name is Georgina (or Nina, as my Young Ones like to call me) and I live in a welcoming home, that doubles as an engaging early years setting. Alongside me are ‘Mr Young Ones’ (my other half) and our two wonderful children and we’re also joined by our pet gecko, who adds a unique learning experience for the children. Our home is nestled in a lovely, supportive village, surrounded by stunning outdoor spaces – ideal for exploring nature and outdoor adventures!”
“One of my personal favourites moments every day, is when we sit down together for our ‘family style’ dinners and discuss our “favourite parts of the day” and the children have opportunities to take turns and share things they have enjoyed, learnt or would like to do more of. I also find this an incredibly useful tool for my reflections of our environment and for each child, what they are interested in and what I can support them with further.”
Parent praise ““Where to start, the setting. Wow! I have previously used a nursery setting for my eldest child, she attended 2 different nurseries for 4 years and although both were lovely neither compared to what my son receives at The Young Ones. The provisions in place daily are imaginative, creative, inspiring, and educational. How Georgina uses her space is beyond amazing! She has dedicated her life and home into being a wonderful, homely, caring and exciting environment for her young ones to be in each day. They have endless opportunities for interaction and play, space to be alone and quiet time, the care is second to none.”
Sam Goldsworthy
Winner for the South West (England)
“I am passionate that every child deserves the best start in life and providing a home from home childcare business allows parents to return to work knowing that their child is learning in a safe nurturing and loving setting. I feel honoured to be able to spend every day working with early years children having fun and learning together. I am forest school and beach school trained therefore my love of the outdoors is shared with the little people on a daily basis basis through forest school and beach school sessions.”
“My pedagogy style is through a child led hands on exploration using the outdoor environment and nature which embeds the learning as the children are using their whole body and senses using the EYFS statutory framework alongside. We provide many meaningful experiences and explorations which sparks awe, wonder and curiosity. Our curriculum is based on many theorists – Hygge through the Early years which is a Danish philosophy of slowing down, being more present and mindful, Montessori with real life experiences and learning opportunities with the freedom to explore, Waldorf/ Steiner again allowing their to learn real life skills such as baking, gardening, sewing etc.
I teach the importance of being ECO and caring for the planet recycling, reusing, litter picks, baking, gardening, caring for animals etc.”
“I mentor childminders in Cornwall employed through the Local Authority which I have done for the last 8-10 years. This involves helping new childminders set up their business, helping existing childminders when they need support and arranging regular meet ups.”
Terri Steele
Winner for the South (Wales)
“I trained as a play worker and working alongside professionals like music therapists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and reflexologists, I bought what they did in their sessions into the play space. The difference it made to the lives of those families was huge. It has driven me to continue developing my own skills and understanding, so I can offer children a space that nurtures their individuality and meets them where they are. Since then, I’ve studied a range of pedagogies, play theories, behaviour strategies, and child development approaches to build a “toolkit” that I can draw on daily in my setting.”
“Coming from a playwork background, I’ve seen first-hand the power of play and the learning (and joy!) that happens when children are trusted to follow their own ideas. I believe that, when given freedom and opportunity, children will instinctively seek out what they need from their environment. My role is to observe, reflect, and facilitate—creating a space that’s responsive to each child.”
“I have Group C safeguarding training and a robust understanding of safeguarding procedures, which I take incredibly seriously. I’ve also completed ACEs training to better understand how early experiences impact children, and how I can be a safe, steady adult for those who may need that most.
Safeguarding isn’t just about reacting to concerns—it’s about creating a culture of safety, trust, and respect every single day. This begins with building strong relationships and secure attachments. This starts with ensuring the children know they have choices and that all feelings are valid. They learn they have a voice so that they know if they come to me with something they will be heard.”
Sara Carter
Winner for the North (Wales)
“I take great satisfaction in being my own boss, as it allows me the autonomy to make decisions, establish my own working hours, and determine my holiday schedule. I am proud of the growth of my business; the fact that families actively choose my services because they trust me to care for their children serves as a significant endorsement and reinforces my belief that I am on the right path.”
“The four purposes of Curriculum for Wales recognise that a child’s well-being is at the very heart of their ability to live, learn, and truly thrive. I am passionate about nurturing the children in my care, so they grow into healthy, confident individuals—who build strong, trusting relationships rooted in mutual respect. My goal is to help them become fulfilled, resilient members of society, ready to embrace life’s endless possibilities.”
“As a childminder, I genuinely believe it is essential to support fellow childminders on their journey. I truly feel that unless you have firsthand experience as a childminder, it’s difficult to fully understand the deep complexities and responsibilities that our work entails every single day. I am often privileged to guide those interested in becoming childminders, helping them navigate the important steps to registration. I am passionate about being open and honest about the dedication required to run a nurturing, high-quality childcare setting—about the effort needed to maintain the highest standards of care.”
“I successfully completed a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies and received a degree with honours in the First Class. This was a significant achievement for me. After being diagnosed with ADHD and Autism the previous year, I had believed that completing a degree would be unattainable, especially whilst working full time and raising my family as a single parent.”
