This week is 'Neurodiversity Celebration Week' and we recently announced our exciting new collaboration with 'Three Sisters Consultancy' to explore neurodiversity and inclusion in the childminding workforce.
In this blog, "Amber's" mum provides powerful insight into the positive difference the support of her childminder has made - not just to Amber, but the whole family...
"Today was another challenging morning trying to get my four-year-old autistic daughter to her childminder’s. There had been very little sleep the night before. We were already 40 minutes later than usual, Amber’s hair wasn’t brushed, and she walked up the driveway barefoot, firmly refusing to wear socks.
By the time I arrived at Geri’s door, I was close to tears. My childminder greeted me with no judgement, gently took the hairbrush from my hand and reassured me that Amber was going to be okay.
And she was.
When I packed my daughter’s bag for her first visit to her childminder at seven months old, I had no idea about the journey we had ahead of us. At the time, I simply hoped she would be happy, safe and well cared for. I couldn’t have known then how important our relationship with Geri would become for our whole family.
Both my partner and I are neurodivergent, so we knew there was a higher likelihood that Amber might be neurodivergent too. But when she experienced a regression at 19 months old, we were suddenly faced with many questions, uncertainty and a steep learning curve.
Throughout it all, our childminder’s understanding of neurodiversity was a constant source of support and reassurance.
Early on, she shared her own lived experience of raising neurodivergent children. That openness immediately helped us feel less alone. There was no judgement, no awkwardness - just a sense that she understood that children develop in different ways and that families sometimes have to navigate things a little differently.
Her understanding created a safe and supportive space for Amber. She met her exactly where she was, without placing pressure on her to reach milestones on a particular timetable. Instead, she focused on who Amber is and what she can do. Every success - no matter how small it might seem to someone else - was celebrated.
That approach gave us confidence as parents. It reminded us that development isn’t a race, and that our daughter deserves to be recognised for her strengths, not measured against a checklist.
Waiting for an assessment can be an incredibly isolating experience for families. During that time, Geri was always open to honest conversations about Amber’s needs. She encouraged us to share strategies we used at home, which consistency created stability for our family and helped Amber feel secure and understood in both environments.
Our childminder simply sees Amber as a whole person - her curiosity, her sense of humour, her determination and the way she connects with the world around her.
Experiences like ours show why understanding neurodiversity within childminding matters so much. Childminders are often the professionals who walk alongside families during some of their most uncertain moments.
As we begin thinking about school placements and Amber moving on, it is hard to imagine a world without our childminder in it. She never saw our neurodivergent family as a burden. Instead, she met us with knowledge, empathy and compassion.
Having a childminder who understands our daughter’s neurodiversity hasn’t just helped Amber cope - it has helped her thrive".