Meet The Team

My name is Jo, My husband and I have a 16 year old daughter. I have been with JeMMa’s for the past 15 years and am still full of enthusiasm and passion for caring for children in my own home.

I first started as an Educarer as I wanted to be at home with my daughter. I have worked as a nanny and a house parent in children’s home on my OE and I knew back then that I wanted to continue working with younger children.

I offer a warm, safe, family environment where children can grow, thrive and learn on a one-to-one basis but also in a close knit group.

My name is Shelley (Xuepin). I am from China and I have been in New Zealand for 11 years. I live with my daughter, son-in-law and grand-daughter in Browns Bay on the North Shore, Auckland. My grand-daughter is named Cecilia and she is a lovely girl. All of my family members are Christians and at all times we respect Christian values. I have a harmonious and happy family.

When I lived in China, I worked as an Electronic Engineer and an Engineering Project Manager. I started to work as an Educarer for JeMMa’s three years ago. I have cared for 23 children over the past three years, most on a regular basis, but when space allows I help out with emergency care when required.

Hi! I’m Gemma and I have four boys all in their teens now. I’ve been looking after small kids for over 7 years now before joining Jemma’s recently.

Having small kids around the house is always an adventure. I take pride in seeing these little ones learn as they grow.

Hi my name is Lovely, I’m a mother of two children aged 11 & 8 years. I have 10years experience as a pre-school teacher and also did voluntary work as a caretaker at a church school (part time).

Through taking care of those children I got to understand the children’s needs and interests, this created a passion in me to join as an Educarer for JeMMa`s. Now, I am a full time Educarer which allows me to give my heart and soul to my passion.

Hi my name is Bev, I work for JeMMas Homebased Education and Childcare, I have children of my own and two of them are twins so I have had plenty of experience in childcare.

Previously I have also worked in before school and after school care and vpreschool. My passion is providing quality care and education for children.

My own two sons and one daughter have now grown up.

Two are living in Australia while my last-born still resides with me, my husband plus our 15 year old tortoise shell cat. Some interests I share with children include cats, birds and insects, especially the Monarch butterfly.

I am Heba and I live in Avondale. I was born in Egypt and I have been in Auckland for the last 11 years. I am married and I have two daughters, 14 years old and 8 years old. I have been with JeMMa’s for the last three years, I have opened my home to children since 2006.

I love my job as an Educarer looking after children under five years old.

Hi, my name is Janine Howie. I am a qualified early childhood teacher and mum of four beautiful children. One of whom has life threatening allergies, so comfortable and very aware around children with allergies.

I really enjoy the varied experiences home based care offers children, such as Mainly Music, Storytime, playgroups and regular everyday outings and events.

Hello my name is Subia and I live in the Flatbush area. I live with my husband and two daughters. I have completed my Masters in English Literature from India. I have worked as a Teacher Aid at the local school in New Zealand for three years.

I have also assisted and supported teachers in the classroom. It brings joy to work with children to develop their knowledge, familiarity with oral language, concepts of science through play and investigation

Hi families, My name is Kirsten and I am 27 years old. I have been working with children since I was 17, starting in preschools. I have my nanny certificate, level three ECE certificate, and a current first aid certificate.

I started as an Educarer with JeMMa’s in 2007 and I’m loving it!

Hi my name is Marie. I live in the lovely area of Ranui.I have been engaged within the homebased learning field with JeMMa's over fifteen years. I come with much experience and wisdom, providing children with quality learning and adventure.

We explore the outdoors,attend the JeMMa's playgroup weekly whole also attending a story time weekly at Ranui library. 

Hello my name Reshma, I live in Otahuhu with three children. I am originally from Fiji. I speak Hindi and English.

I enjoy working with children and watching them develop and grow within the Homebased learning  environment by providing experiences such as water play, painting, literacy, physical activity, quiet time with puzzles and books and so much more!

Hello my name is Nurun, I am an Educarer with JeMMa’s in the area of Mt Roskill. If you require quality care and education I am able to care for and educate your child.

I am from Bangladesh and I speak Bengali and English. I have a Bachelor of Education from Bangladesh and also a Level 6 diploma in business.

I have had plenty of experience with teaching children in my country and now look forward to using my skills and talents in New Zealand.

Hello Parents if you are  looking for home based child care in Henderson area please come and visit my place for your dearest child. I am Nurzahan Akter and originally from Bangladesh. I am a mother of two gorgeous boys one is 4 years old and the other is 5 months old. I have completed a masters in Economics from overseas. I have been in New Zealand for the last 4.5 years. I love to pass my time with kids to support them to grow and develop that's why I chose this profession. For giving my best effort in my profession I have completed an ECE level - 4. I have a valid first aid certificate as well. I have 4 years overseas teaching experience under the Unicef project. My place is very quiet , tidy and safe for kids. Children can enjoy in my place with colour, paint, puzzle, water play, messy play, play dough, rhymes, music, story etc. For further information please contact with JeMMa's 0800 536627

I have been with Jemmas for the last five years and previous to that I was doing homebased care for Barnardos for 11 years and privately for four years.

We do many activities - water-play, arts and crafts, baking and many more and the children are always busy.

I've been with Jemma's for two years now. I have a fully fenced off back section for lots of outside play, painting, play-dough, swings, tramp, bikes etc and with Mum and Dad working we have lots to keep ourselves busy during the day.

We also go to playgroup.

I am twenty six years of age and I am the mother of one child. I am a fun loving Educator that enjoys children. I offer a home with a pet free, smoke free learning environment.

I offer educational activities including interactive toys for children to learn through play.

Hello, my name is Rozia. I live in McLeod Rd, Henderson. I live with my husband and my son. I speak English and Hindi. I have always loved children, being with them, providing them with opportunities for positive learning.

I enjoy doing activities such as painting, art, reading books, physical play and many more activities for them to learn and grow. I guarantee that children in my care will be very comfortable and secure.

Kia Ora, My name is Shalini Wati. My education is at high school and I have experience with looking after my two children, one who is now 17 years old, second one is 11 years old. Both of them are girls and when I came New Zealand I looked after a child who was 3 years old, New Zealand born.

My personal philosophy for early childhood is that children learn best through play.

Hi, I'm Ythel, from the Philippines, I have been in New Zealand for 4 years now. I finished my Bachelor degree in Psychology. Being a Psychology graduate I have mastered how to deal and approach different types of character especially for children. I am married for 21 years now, have 2 kids, my eldest is 20 years old and my youngest is 10 years old.

My family is very active in the music ministry in our church. for the past years, I look after for my friends kids.

My name is Adele and I come to you with over 15 years experience. I have raised three beautiful daughters and have cared for preschoolers, including twins.  I am a passionate Playcentre Mum and still attend, promoting learning through play and nurturing developmental challenges and social skills.  I provide safe and quality learning experiences while empowering children to lead their learning through play.

Ki Ora!
Ko Andrea tōku ingoa
Nō Tokoroa ahau

I have just returned to Jemmas after taking some time out to up skill. Prior to this I had three wonderful years with many children receiving education and care.

I believe in children directing their own learning. I support this with a variety of activities to learn, by working alongside and with good communication to enhance their educational, care needs, and interests.

Hi my name is Audrey and I live in Hamilton East. I live with my fiance and we have a one year old son Angus.

I have a quiet and calming manner providing children with a safe and trusting environment with plenty of opportunity to play and enjoy my company.

Angus and I would love some friends to join us in our home environment.

My name is Bianca and I am 23 years old. I do enjoy spending time with my family and taking my little dog for walks. I have a full licence. I have a current first aide certificate, level 2 and 3 early childhood certificate and I will start my level 4 soon.

My goal is to receive my bachelors in early childhood education. I also have gained some team teach and epilepsy certificates. I have worked in an early childhood centre, crèche and in a disability school for the last 7 years.

I have worked with newborns, young children and children with a variety of disabilities.

I am Diane Ross I live in Matamata. I have lived here for 30 years.
 
I live with my husband. We have 5 children between us 8 Grandchildren and 5 step grandchildren. So we are very busy with all the Grandchildren.

In my spare time I like to garden we have a large veggie garden. I like to go and watch the grandchildren play sports.

Tena koutou katoa

Ko Lara i toku ingoa, Ko Ngapuhi me Te Arawa oku Iwi, engari  e noho ana au ki Tokoroa. Nga mihi mahana ki a koutou. I am a mum of four grown kids and two beautiful mokopuna. I have taught in ECE centres for about 16 years teaching in mainstream, bilingual & kaupapa maori and also Punanga reo Kuki Airani.

I have a Diploma of Teaching ECE and I also have a full teacher's registration. I believe that it takes a whanau to nurture and raise a child so both children and adults feel supported.

Hi my name is Sue Sittauer and I live in Cambridge.  I have two sons who have both grown up to be well adjusted caring young men and are now both in the police force.  I am at the stage of my life where I am ready to take a more rewarding role.  I love spending time with children and love watching them learn and grow. 

I have a quiet and calm nature which is reflected in my home environment.  Children have the opportunity to grow and learn at their own pace, within an environment that is warm and nurturing.  I have a passion for arts and crafts, music, puzzles, books, outdoor activities and exploring nature.  We like to explore the wider community with regular walks to the park/playground and attend local music groups.  I have a love for animals and in my spare time I help out at Riding for Disables in Cambridge.

Hi there, my name is Grainne Dunnion (pronounced Gronya). I come from Ireland and have recently moved from Auckland to Tauranga, Welcome Bay with my partner and our ‘fur baby’ Charlie and we would love to open our home up to some little friends. I have worked in the field of maternal mental health and have a degree in Social Work. 

Hi I am Karen

I have four adult children that have given me eight beautiful grandchildren aging from 8 months to 10 years. I am a very grateful nana as they all live in Tauranga.

I really enjoy having the children around watching and helping them through their beginnings of life and just seeing their happy faces.

My name is Adele and I have been a JeMMa’s home-based Educarer for the past 9 years. I live with my husband, two daughters aged 12 and 10 and two cats Truffles and Rusty.

I have taught in early childhood centres, been a nursery class teacher within a primary school in the UK and had time as a nanny before having my own children.

Hi my name is Tracey and I am a mum of two teenage boys. I have been involved with children since having my own, including being part of and on our local toy library, plunket and playcentre committees.

I have always enjoyed working with children and started out doing some relief teaching at one of our local daycare centres while my boys were young. I joined the Jemma's team in 2009, when my boys started school and I have enjoyed the opportunity of being able to provide a home environment for young people in our community.

As an Educarer of mixed cultures, I strongly believe in the importance of knowing who you are and where you are from.

Language and culture make up a huge part of my day-to-day activities and I just love seeing the children in my care thoroughly enjoying their play and learning within the bi-lingual environment that I offer.

My name is Helen.  I have three grown children of my own as well as having cared for foster children in the past.

I have previously worked as a teacher aide for 15 years, working mainly with children with special needs including English as a second language.  I became an Educarer for JeMMa’s in April 2012.

I have always loved working with babies and young children. My speciality is helping to prepare four year olds for school life.

My name is Rachel. I have been an home-based educarer for 23 years now and I still love it! I have many interests which I include the children in each day. I collect things from the beach, shells, driftwood, etc., as well as different things from the nature walks that we go on. We then bring them home to see what we can make.

Children are a big part of our lives and that’s the way we like it. Helping them grow is a great pleasure

Hello! I'm Glandre but the children call me Gigi. I am 33 years old and a mother of two, Lilly-Anne who will be 8 this year, and Joshua, who will be turning 5 later this year. My husband and I made NZ our home 10 years ago. We are originally from South Africa.

We have 6 pets, because we just LOVE animals !! There are 2 dogs, 2 cats and 2 adorable rats.

Hi. My name is Carol. I live in Paeroa with my husband Pete. I have a Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) and I have worked with children for a number of years now. I was a registered childminder in England for 11 years while my three children were young.

When I returned to N.Z. I became a qualified teacher and have worked in centres since 2008. I have recently joined JeMMa's. I love the close relationships and relaxed environment of a home-based setting. 

Hello, my name is Sally.I live in Thames with my husband and two boys aged 14 and 10. I have five years experience as a home-based educator, and 4 years experience teaching in a Montessori preschool.

I am ECE qualified and fully registered and also hold a Montessori teaching diploma. In my home I offer a calm environment with many opportunities for rich learning experiences and individualised attention.

Hi my name is Katania Kamouneh, I  have been working as an home based educarer since 2008. I have five children of my own,  oldest being 19 and youngest being 9 month's. I am very passionate about home based childcare, I think it is one of the best forms of child care for children in care and has so many benefits for our young people.

I offer a caring nurturing positive  environment for children to grow and learn in. I value free play for children's learning but also offer some structure in their learning.

My name is Val. My husband and I have lived at Waihi beach for 18 years and we have two adult children who are now leading their own lives.

I have worked as a teacher aide with special needs children at the local primary school for six years. I have also assisted teachers with other children in the classroom.

Hi my name is Anastasia Bruyns. I have two amazing girls ages 14 and turning 6. I'm very passionate about children and I enjoy working with them. I will be able to provide a safe environment for your children.

I chose to be an Educarer to give parents a helping hand towards their children's learning development. I'm energetic and love challenges or trying new things. 

Hi. My name is Kerryn and I am a mum to a beautiful 7 year old girl. We relocated to Katikati from Auckland in early July 2016 because we fell in love with the town and relaxed atmosphere.

Caring for children is natural to me as I grew up around children with my mum being a homebased educator, babysitting through my teen years and then becoming a homebased educator myself when my daughter was young. We live within walking distance to parks/reserves, the library, nature walks, playcentre and many other fun spots. I also volunteer with the local St John service as an ambulance officer. I am fully qualified in first aid.

Hi there, my name is Amber and I am located in the sunny area of Papamoa Beach.

I have decided to become a home-based Educarer as I have a 5 month old baby girl who I would love to spend more time with and we would like some more little friends to spend our day with to explore and learn together. A huge benefit of in-home childcare is with only a few children to care for your child will experience plenty of one-on-one time with me to learn and grow.

I am a trained primary school teacher with an abundance of nannying and babysitting experience. I have cared for children from the ages of newborn through to 13 years old so I am well experienced in all age areas.

My name is Susan and I live in Otumoetai Rd, Tauranga. I live with my husband and three boys aged 5, 7 and 12 years of age. 
I am originally from Fiji and have been in New Zealand for the past four years. Since my youngest son started school this year, I have plenty of time on my hands for little friends and would love to enjoy their company in my home environment. 
My home is very quiet, tidy, and safe for children. I have a fully fenced backyard where we can enjoy games, and activities like physical challenges, water / messy play and painting without any barriers. 

Hi, I am Anita, 
Mother of a 2 yrs 9 months old daughter Asvi Prerna, and wife to Amit. 
Together we enjoy spending more time with our little one with adventures at home and outside our home. We are a small family of three. 
We welcome you to our home with your children to have fun with us. We will provide the best needs for your child as we do so for our child. We are a DIY and crafty type of a family and we encourage children to take part with us while they are exploring their eagerness to know things. We allow kids to try things and we support them with SAFETY FIRST in mind.

Hi, I’m Charmaine. I’m married to a lovely man, have 4 adult children and 5  grandchildren.  I’ve been a registered early childhood teacher  for the past 10 years, and have also been a midwife and a hairdresser.

I believe that children learn best when they experience loving and respectful relationships, where they feel they belong and that their individual needs are met. I love the enquiry approach to learning, where children are encouraged to pursue their particular interests, in an environment that is rich with interesting and relevant resources, where they have the time and space to wonder and be amazed. I believe that homebased education and care gives young children a unique opportunity to be involved in a small family type group, where their own special personalities can blossom and grow.