Willow House Baby & Toddler Unit (0-24 months)
We pride ourselves in having a wonderful, separate dedicated unit for the care of the under 24month old children, who are cared for by a skilled and experienced team of professionals. This house is a home, and each room offers differing resources and facilities for the experiences awaiting the very young children. It is beautifully furnished, and decorated to a very high standard, offering dining room and messy play rooms, cuddle room for relaxing and stories, large play room, outdoor area and sensory garden, story area, sensory theatre indoors. Bathrooms which offer wet play and bathing facilities, and changing with wet areas.
The timetable is one of care, seeing to all babies needs in a warm, cosy and loving environment, whilst stimulating them with chat, music and appropriate toys and equipment. We have plenty of equipment and opportunity to go outdoors with prams, buggies, play pens for safe enjoyment of the garden.
When it is time to wean baby, we are led by your wishes, but would be only too pleased to support new parents in this process by offering advice if required. We support Baby Led Weaning which involves allowing babies and young children the opportunity to try all foods in their natural state, without the blending of all foods down. We also promote the use of cups very early on, and allow children to commence feeding themselves as early as four months. We are able to offer all appropriate baby foods from our kitchen once weaning has commenced.
Our baby rooms offer babies much in the way of stimulation to support their natural need to explore their surroundings. The rooms are bright and airy, giving rise to a feeling of space. Children have much opportunity to explore sights and sounds plus activities at baby’s level. Mealtimes and sleep times are within this area, making good use of our dining room, and the dedicated sleep room for when children need to rest quietly.
Staff are chosen for their experience, qualifications, and excellent interpersonal skills. Parents naturally need to feel confidence in their baby carers, so Senior Nursery Nurses who have been mums, or had much experience are chosen whenever possible, and supervise other carers in these groups.