"A family run childcare business offering a home away from home setting"
07368105553
ABOUT
Welcome to LittleCwtch Childminding
Welcome to LittleCwtch Childminding, a warm, nurturing and home-from-home childcare setting in Brecon, run by husband-and-wife team Rowan and Billy Kennedy-Brown.
Rowan Kennedy-Brown is a registered childminder with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), and together with her husband Billy, who is also a registered childminder, they run LittleCwtch Childminding together on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Their aim is to provide children with a safe, happy and welcoming environment where they feel secure, valued and supported to learn, play and develop at their own pace.
LittleCwtch is a family-orientated setting. Rowan and Billy have three children of their own: Arthur, aged 5, Hendrix, aged 9, and Nora, aged 12. All three children attend full-time education and are included within the appropriate CIW ratios for their respective ages.
Rowan & Billy
Rowan holds Level 3 and Level 4 Childcare qualifications and is currently completing her Level 5 Childcare qualification. She also holds a BA (Hons) in Dance, providing her with additional skills and experience in movement, physical development and creative expression.
Rowan has previous experience as a Pre-School Setting Leader, as well as skills and experience in sensory development and physical education. She brings this experience into LittleCwtch through a combination of free play, structured activities and child-led learning.
Billy is also a registered childminder, and together they bring a family-focused approach to the running of LittleCwtch Childminding. Their shared aim is to create an environment where children feel comfortable, confident and encouraged to explore their interests. Billy works for Powys County Council as a Flying Start Dads Worker covering South Powys. He completes this role 3 days a week Wednesday-Friday. Billy works alongside Rowan Childminding on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Our Approach
At LittleCwtch, the team recognises that every child is unique. Time is taken to understand each child's individual personality, interests, routines, development and needs, while working closely with parents and carers to provide consistent and supportive care.
Play is at the heart of the setting. Children have opportunities to take part in a wide range of experiences, including:
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Sensory and exploratory play
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Creative and messy activities
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Physical and movement activities
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Music and instruments
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Hand-eye coordination activities
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Educational and developmental play
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Imaginative and role play
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Indoor and outdoor learning
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Child-led free play
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Structured activities linked to children's interests and development
Activities are adapted to suit each child's age, stage of development and individual needs. Learning opportunities are naturally incorporated into everyday play and experiences, helping children to develop important skills in an enjoyable and meaningful way.
The activities and experiences provided will also link with the Foundation Phase Curriculum, supporting children's learning and development through play and exploration.
Above all, children's wellbeing, happiness, safety and individual needs remain at the heart of the LittleCwtch approach.
Our Home-from-Home Setting
LittleCwtch Childminding is designed to provide children with a comfortable and welcoming home-from-home environment.
The main childcare and play space is the combined lounge and dining area, providing children with a spacious and comfortable environment in which to play, learn and socialise.
The setting offers a wide range of resources for children to explore, including a play kitchen, toy house, themed toy boxes, sensory resources, educational toys and interactive play equipment.
The dining area is also used for mealtimes, providing an opportunity for children to come together, enjoy their meals and socialise in a relaxed family environment.
Arts, crafts and messy play activities will make use of the dining and kitchen areas, allowing children to explore different materials and express their creativity.
Outdoor Play
LittleCwtch has a dedicated outdoor area within the family garden for children to enjoy.
The upper section of the garden is a secure patioed area containing an outdoor playhouse, garden seating mats and a wide selection of toys and resources.
The garden is securely enclosed, with tall fencing separating the garden from neighbouring properties and a locked lower gate area. The lower patio area is also available for the children to use during the warmer summer months.
Outdoor play is an important part of the LittleCwtch experience, providing children with opportunities for physical activity, exploration, imaginative play, fresh air and developing confidence in the outdoors.
When weather and circumstances allow, children will also have opportunities to explore the local community. This includes visits to the local play park in Brecon, which is situated only a short distance from the setting.
Family Pets
As LittleCwtch is a family home, the household includes two dogs and two cats.
The two dogs are Kennel Club registered French Bulldogs and are much-loved members of the Kennedy-Brown family. They have a gentle nature and have been raised around Rowan and Billy's children from a young age.
The safety and wellbeing of the children attending LittleCwtch will always be the priority. During childcare hours, the animals will be kept away from the designated childcare areas. They have their own secure bedding area and access to an outdoor space while children are present.
A stairgate separates the main lounge area from the hallway and kitchen area where the dogs are kept, providing an additional level of separation.
All animals receive regular care, including monthly flea treatment and regular worming.
The presence of the family pets also provides opportunities for children to learn about kindness, gentleness, responsibility and respect towards animals, always with appropriate adult guidance and supervision.
Aims, Objectives & Children's Needs
The main aim of LittleCwtch Childminding is to provide high-quality care for children under the age of 12, within a safe, caring, stimulating and educational environment.
Rowan and Billy believe that children learn and develop best when they feel safe, happy, secure and valued.
The setting provides a wide variety of resources, including soft play, sensory equipment, musical instruments, themed toys, educational learning resources and interactive play equipment.
Children's individual needs will remain at the forefront of the activities provided and the day-to-day running of the setting.
Rowan and Billy will work closely with parents and carers to understand each child's individual routines, interests, development and needs. This partnership will help ensure that children's experiences at LittleCwtch are consistent, supportive and tailored to them.
Every child attending LittleCwtch will be encouraged and supported to:
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Feel safe, happy and valued
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Develop confidence and independence
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Explore and learn through play
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Express their thoughts, feelings and ideas
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Build positive relationships
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Develop socially, emotionally and physically
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Have their individual needs recognised and supported
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Be treated fairly, equally and without discrimination
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Have their voice heard and their views respected
LittleCwtch is committed to promoting Children's Rights, ensuring that children are listened to, supported and given appropriate opportunities to make choices and participate in their own learning and development.
A Little Cwtch Away From Home
Rowan and Billy want every child who attends LittleCwtch to feel that they belong.
Through a balance of care, play, learning, exploration and fun, LittleCwtch provides a warm and nurturing family environment where children can be themselves.
The aim is for LittleCwtch to become more than simply a place for children to spend their day. It is intended to be a place where every child feels safe, cared for, listened to, encouraged and happy to learn and grow.
THE TEAM
Rowan Kennedy-Brown
Founder & Childminder
From the age of four, I have had a passion for dance, beginning ballet and tap classes at Ribbons/Mid Wales Dance Academy in Brecon. I went on to achieve an Intermediate level in Ballet with the Royal Academy of Dance before completing my BA (Hons) Dance Degree at Cardiff Metropolitan University, graduating in 2013.
It was during my time studying for my degree, in 2010, that I met my husband, Billy. We have been together ever since, and over the years we have built our family, our careers and, eventually, LittleCwtch together. Billy is now also a registered childminder and plays an important role within the LittleCwtch journey.
Throughout my time at university, I developed my love for teaching alongside my own dance training. I taught dance classes to both children and adults with Tiny Toes Ballet and Wonderland Studios, before returning to Ribbons Dance School in 2015 as a teacher and teaching assistant, working primarily with children aged 3–6 years.
It was through these experiences that I recognised a gap within the local community. I wanted to create opportunities where babies and children of all ages could explore movement, sensory development, music and learning, while having lots of fun.
This is where LittleCwtch began.
I developed and delivered baby sensory and dance classes across Brecon and the surrounding areas for children from just 6 weeks old through to 14 years. My classes were designed to support children's development through movement, music, sensory experiences and social interaction, while creating a fun and welcoming environment for families.
Alongside my professional experience, I am also a full-time mother to three children. Becoming a parent has given me an even deeper understanding of children's individual needs, development, emotions and the importance of creating environments where children feel safe, secure and valued. My experiences as both a mother and childcare professional have played a huge part in shaping the LittleCwtch approach.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, it became increasingly difficult to continue running classes across Brecon and the surrounding areas, particularly while balancing family life with three young children. This led me to explore a new direction for LittleCwtch.
In 2022, LittleCwtch Childminding was founded, when my youngest child was just one year old. Combining my passion for children's education, development and care with my experience as a mother and teacher felt like a natural progression.
Since opening LittleCwtch Childminding, I have had the pleasure of welcoming a number of wonderful families into our setting. During this time, I have continued to develop my professional knowledge and have completed my Level 3 and Level 4 Childcare qualifications, with my Level 5 Childcare qualification due to be completed in November 2026.
Growing LittleCwtch
In October 2022, Billy joined the childminding business as a second registered childminder. Having been together since meeting at university in 2010, working alongside each other has been another exciting chapter in our journey together.
Billy and I worked together within LittleCwtch for several years before I took a short break from childminding in 2025 to pursue another professional dream and become Setting Leader at Clyro Pre-School.
My time at Clyro Pre-School was an incredibly valuable experience. It allowed me to further develop my knowledge and understanding of early years education, safeguarding, children's development and the running of an early years setting. I valued the opportunity enormously and was able to bring many new skills and experiences back to LittleCwtch.
During this time, the childminding business continued with Billy as the main registered childminder.
I have since made the decision to leave the pre-school profession and return to LittleCwtch Childminding full time, bringing with me the additional knowledge and experience gained during my time as a Setting Leader.
Why LittleCwtch?
For me, childminding is about much more than providing childcare. It is about supporting children and families, building trusting relationships and creating a place where children feel genuinely happy, safe and cared for.
Childminding gives me the opportunity to provide high-quality care to young children within the Brecon community, while also supporting parents and carers in their everyday lives.
I pride myself on giving 100% every day and creating a genuine home-from-home environment where children can feel comfortable, supported, cared for and nurtured.
LittleCwtch brings together everything I love — children, education, movement, creativity, development, family and community — and I feel incredibly lucky to be able to continue doing something I am so passionate about.
Billy Kennedy-Brown
Childminder
I graduated from university in 2013 with a BA (Hons) in Dance and have since built up a varied background working with children and adults across care, education, sport and the outdoors.
Before childminding, I worked in outdoor education, delivering activities including climbing, walking and bushcraft, and also worked as a Complex Care Support Worker, supporting adults with complex needs. These experiences have helped shape my approach to childcare, particularly around inclusion, building confidence and encouraging children to learn through being active, creative and exploring the world around them.
Football is a huge part of my life. I enjoy playing, coaching and watching the game and currently work as Head Goalkeeping Coach at Aberystwyth Town Women, Girls Coach at Brecon FC Juniors, and Girls Development Officer for the South Powys Junior Football League.
I genuinely love childminding and having the opportunity to be part of each child's growth and journey. It is incredibly rewarding watching their personalities develop, seeing them learn new things and helping them grow in confidence. Being able to have a positive influence and be a good role model during such an important stage of their lives is one of the things I enjoy most about what I do.