Two-year-old Lauren Everett loves every minute of nursery school.

Since she started at Little Learners pre-school nursery in Kendra Hall Road, South Croydon, last June she has grown in confidence and her mum, Nicky, says she often doesn't want to leave.

Lauren was diagnosed with an auto-immune condition shortly after her first birthday, a side effect of catching chicken pox. The condition means Lauren has a very low immune system and has to be admitted to hospital immediately if she has a temperature.

Nicky said: "If you looked at Lauren then you would think she was completely healthy but we have to be so careful if she has a cut or a graze or anything. If she has an infection then it just explodes, she just has no resistance."

Nicky says at first she and husband Rob were very protective of Lauren but after receiving support from a consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital they enrolled her at nursery so she could socialise with children her own age and develop her communication skills.

Lauren attends Little Learners two days a week and Nicky says staff at the nursery have been fantastic, supporting her daughter when she has health problems.

She added: "They have done far more than I ever expected them to do. They will ring us before we bring Lauren in if they know that something is going around the nursery, which is something I believe to be completely above and beyond the call of duty."

Lauren has been admitted to hospital three times this year with complications from her condition but has been in good health since her last admission in February.

Nicky admits it was a difficult decision to send Lauren to nursery but she now firmly believes it has been the best thing for her daughter.

"I don't need childcare," she said, "I have a mother-in-law who helps and I only work three days a week.

"But Rob and I thought it was really important as we wanted to make sure that Lauren was able to socialise with children her own age and she is so comfortable there now and has so much more confidence."