Childminder in Shropshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY316932 Inspection date 11 April 2006 Inspector Juliette Jennings

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Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Childminding

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This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been registered since 2005 and lives with her partner and their two children aged 6 years and 1 year in the town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire. She lives within the vicinity of various pre-school settings and schools. She prefers to walk to collect and deliver children to these facilities, although the car is available if necessary. The kitchen, the living room, the hall, the conservatory, the two smaller bedrooms and the bathroom are used for childminding. The main bedroom can also be used if necessary. The children have access to a rear garden and local parks for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and accesses local childminding groups. She regularly accesses local play and leisure facilities with the children in her care. She is registered to care for four children and is currently minding one child on a part-time basis.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Appropriate procedures are in place to help ensure that children's health and hygiene are promoted satisfactorily. The environment that children use is clean, tidy and well-maintained. Children are encouraged to be aware of their own personal hygiene, for example, through routines for keeping hands and faces clean before and after eating and discussion about why they need to keep clean. Articles and leaflets about child-related issues are being kept as an information resource, being readily available in a file for parents to use and for the childminder to refer to. There are appropriate procedures in place for ensuring that parents are informed about administration of medication and about any accidents. Children have satisfactory access to outdoor activities, fresh air and light. They can access the garden during the day and frequently take walks in the locality, particularly

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Helping children to be healthy

to and from the local school. They use a variety of equipment to help them to develop skills such as running, balancing and climbing, sometimes on more challenging equipment. Structured activities such as using playdough and colouring with pens encourage their manipulative skills. Children eat well and healthily from the choice provided by the childminder. Fruit, savoury biscuits, sandwiches and yoghurts, for example, are enjoyed by children and they are developing good table manners through consistent routines that are implemented on a daily basis. The childminder's sound awareness of likes and dislikes and her ability to accommodate dietary requirements, reflecting on personal experience, help children to eat healthily and in line with parental wishes. Children are able to take a drink whenever they wish, with their drinks containers always being close to hand, and through a regular drinks time within the daily routine.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children use a bright, interesting and organised space which remains homely and child-orientated. The rooms that children use are safe and arranged effectively in order to allow them to be independent in the environment. They use and enjoy a good range of resources and equipment which are all stored efficiently and are reasonably easy for children to access, with those that are out of reach rotated to ensure children have a varied supply. Children remain sufficiently safe and secure in this child-orientated environment. For example, the front and rear doors are secure and the rooms that children use are

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 largely safe. There were two safety issues highlighted at this inspection in relation to some carrier bags stored within children's reach in the kitchen and a dangerous substance at low-level in the bathroom. However, both of these safety issues were addressed quickly once highlighted to ensure that the children continued to remain safe. Children are supervised well whilst being given the independence they need to develop and learn. Children's welfare is promoted appropriately through access to first aid training and a developing awareness of child protection issues. The latter is an aspect that will continue to develop through access to training in the near future. This helps to ensure that the childminder would know what to do if she had a concern about any child. Child protection and accident policies are being developed and these will

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

enable parents to have a clear understanding about procedures within the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children happily use a good range of toys, activities and resources within an environment that supports and nurtures them to make choices about what they want to do. They enjoy construction play, playdough, colouring and looking at books. Children's overall development is promoted appropriately through some adult structured activities and through good opportunities for them to be busy with valuable child-initiated play, encouraged by and with positive interaction from the childminder. Children are comfortable, happy, confident and content, playing well for much of the time. To help improve the provision for children aged under 3 years, the childminder is currently looking at how she can use the 'Birth to three matters' framework effectively within her setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children's self-esteem is encouraged well through continued positive praise and encouragement of independence and choice in day-to-day activities. They know the simple rules of the setting and these are consistently re-enforced where appropriate by the childminder, in an age-appropriate manner. They enjoy an environment which nurtures respect and good manners. Kindness and sharing is consistently encouraged and this all helps to ensure that they are confident and content in the care of the childminder. However, there are limited resources available to children that reflect positive images of the diverse world around them. The childminder has some experience of accommodating specific needs. Behaviour management techniques are appropriate and are used well, in a way that children can easily understand. They benefit from re-enforcement of clear, consistent boundaries, and techniques such as discussion and distraction are used very

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Helping children make a positive contribution

effectively by the childminder to encourage positive behaviour. There is a clear policy which outlines the techniques used, this is available for parents to see. The

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 childminder is very aware of children's likes and dislikes and accommodates children's individual routines and specific needs well within the routine of the day. The partnership with parents is sound and allows effective care for the children in her care. Daily verbal feedback is currently used as a means of communicating how children have been during the day, sometimes with the added tool of a telephone call later if appropriate or required. This all encourages an easy, relaxed and friendly relationship to help ensure that children's needs are met.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Paperwork is well-organised, stored in good order and maintained in line with requirements. This means that children's individual details are readily available to enable consistency of care. Policies and procedures are being developed as the childminder develops her practice and knowledge of childcare. These will continue to help outline the care provided for the children in her care. Parents have access to these so that they can know about the care provided for their children. Access to training is developing and helps to ensure that the childminder keeps up-to-date with current childcare issues and good practice guidelines. She is developing her knowledge and understanding of childcare issues and is being proactive in developing her practice to improve the care for the children. This, in turn, allows children to be cared for in an environment which is interesting, stimulating and

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Organisation

child-orientated whilst remaining welcoming, homely and comfortable. Overall the childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable as this is the first inspection.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted. There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • make sure that hazardous items are inaccessible to children • continue to review how the 'Birth to three matters' framework can improve the provision for children aged under 3 years of age • support the development of children's understanding of diversity and the world around them by widening the availability of resources that reflect positive images.

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The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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