Childminder in Hampshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY331514 Inspection date 01 August 2006 Inspector Nicola Hill

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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 good. 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 2006. She lives with her fiancé and her two children aged five years and 10 months. They live in a semi-detached house in Camberley. The property is close to local schools and amenities and there is a park nearby. The ground floor of the house is mainly used for childminding, with sleeping facilities available on the first floor. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and attends the local carer and toddler group. She holds a valid first aid qualification. She is

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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 registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time and is currently minding one child aged 14 months, who attends on a part-time basis. She is not registered to provide overnight care.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children have good opportunities to develop a healthy body through exercise. They benefit from good opportunities to be outside in the fresh air as they visit local parks and play in the garden, chasing bubbles and playing in the playhouse. Young children benefit from clear crawling space and develop their physical skills using a range of equipment, such as baby gyms and push-along toys to encourage vigorous play and help them learn to crawl, balance and walk unaided. Children are able to rest and be active according to their needs. Babies' physical needs are well met as the childminder follows their individual routines with regards to feeding, changing and sleeping. Children's dietary needs are met in consultation with parents. The childminder displays weekly menu's so that parents are informed of the meals provided, and regular feedback is given about the children's diet. The childminder provides

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Helping children to be healthy

two-course, nutritious and freshly prepared meals for children ensuring they receive a healthy balanced diet. Children are beginning to develop their understanding of healthy eating as they are introduced to a range of fruits and vegetables at meal times, and help to grow tomato plants in the garden. The childminder is effective in supporting younger children to develop their independence as she encourages them to feed themselves and have regular access to drinks throughout the day. Good social interaction is fostered as the children sit at the table with the childminder and eat together. Children rest and play within a clean home environment. They stay healthy as the childminder has good policies and procedures in place to protect them from illness and infection. The childminder acts as a good role model ensuring the children gain an understanding of good hygiene practices as she washes her own hands before

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Helping children to be healthy

preparing meals, follows appropriate procedures when changing nappies, and ensures children's hands are cleaned before eating. Hand washing signs displayed in the cloakroom, encourages older children to be aware of personal hygiene.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a home that is secure and in a good state of repair and decoration. The childminder provides children with a good balance of freedom to explore their surroundings within safe limits. She uses safety gates, as appropriate, and has minimized most hazards within the home, although she has self-identified some low-level glass as a potential hazard. Good security precautions contribute to

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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 child safety as children are only released to authorised known carers. The childminder acts as a good role model, ensuring children are learning about the importance of staying safe. She displays safety posters, discusses road safety when out on walks and has effective procedures in place for emergency evacuation. The childminder takes care to provide a warm and welcoming home for the children. Colourful posters and pictures created by the children are displayed, which creates a stimulating backdrop for play. Children have access to a range of good quality play materials to enable development in all areas. Toys are sufficient and appropriate to children's age and stage of development. They are checked regularly by the childminder to ensure they are in a safe and suitable condition.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected and safeguarded from harm because the childminder has a good understanding of her role with regards to protecting children in her care. She has all the documents and consents in place to ensure children's welfare and has written policies to support her safety practice, which are shared with parents. The childminder knows how to implement local child protection procedures should concerns be raised and has a good understanding of the records to be kept, although not all entries detailing children's existing injuries have been signed by parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident and happy and thrive in the childminder’s care. They have their individual needs met well because the childminder and the parents develop open relationships and discuss children's interests and home routines. The children are comfortable and settled within the home. The childminder develops warm relationships with the children by giving lots of cuddles and praise and reassures them when meeting visitors. Well planned routines ensure children have opportunities for play and rest and enjoy visits to places within the local community, such as the park, library and garden centres. Regular outings stimulates children's interest in the wider world and promotes their learning. Children also have opportunities to mix with other children through visits to toddler groups, which develops their ability to relate to a wider group of adults and peers. Children are provided with a varied range of opportunities such as music and singing,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

cooking, art and craft, outdoor play and a variety of planned activities, which are based around weekly themes such as 'the seaside' and 'going on holiday'. The childminder has resourced the Birth to three matters framework and has started to incorporate this into her practice to further support the young children in her care. Children have good opportunities to explore their senses using a range of tactile and natural materials, such as gloop, dried pasta and water. They enjoy opportunities to explore creativity as they paint simple pictures, make collages and decorate biscuits. Babies learn to link words with actions throughout play as the childminder continually interacts with them, explaining what she is doing. They giggle and squeal with anticipation as the childminder plays 'round and round the garden' on their hands. Children have fun playing with stacking rings and benefit because the childminder

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 sits on the floor and plays with them. Toys and resources are stimulating, interesting and suitable to the children's age and stage of development. Although the childminder rotates the resources regularly throughout the session to sustain the children's levels of interest, children's opportunities to self-select and develop independence are not fully promoted as boxes of toys are kept in the cupboard rather than on the floor in reach of the children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued as individuals and show a strong bond and sense of trust with the childminder. Their needs are being met as the childminder asks parents to complete 'All about me' booklets for their child, when they first start, which details children's normal routines and interests. The childminder completes a daily diary to inform parents of their child’s day and displays her planned activities, which enables parents to become involved in their child's learning. The childminder has developed well written policies and procedures for parents to ensure they are fully informed of all aspects of the business. However, the current complaints policy does not reflect the most recent changes to the National Standards, and the contact details for Ofsted have not been updated. Children's achievements are recognised and praised which builds their confidence and self-esteem. The childminder displays children's artwork in the home and buys

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Helping children make a positive contribution

children their own plant to grow in her garden, which increases their sense of value, security and belonging. The childminder has realistic expectations and acts as a good role model which encourages children to behave well. She introduces concepts such as sharing to babies and young children from an early age. The clear rules and boundaries in place ensure that children feel secure in their environment. The childminder demonstrates a good awareness of equal opportunities and special needs issues. Children are becoming more aware of the wider world and are learning to develop a positive attitude towards others through regular outings, mixing with children and adults from a variety of backgrounds. The childminder has a suitable range of resources in place to support positive images of other cultures and disabilities such as books and play figures.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children receive good quality care and develop positive and secure relationships during the time they spend with the childminder. They benefit because the childminder is well organised and plans her day accordingly to ensure she is fully able to meet the needs of every child in her care. Good adult interaction enables the children to be confident and self-assured and they benefit from the sharing of information between the childminder and parents. The childminder has a good knowledge of the requirements of the National

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Standards and ensures these are met. She maintains constant supervision both inside and outside the home and meets the required adult to child ratios at all times. The childminder maintains detailed documentation to support her practice and has all the required records and consents in place which enables her to meet the children's needs. Documentation is generally well organised and there are good procedures in place to ensure confidentiality. Overall, the childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. 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.

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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 good. 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • improve safety precautions by making sure that low-level glass panels are safe or inaccessible, and ensure records of existing injuries are signed by parents in order to safeguard children's welfare and care • improve the opportunities babies and young children have to freely select a range of play materials in order to further promote their independence and enjoyment • ensure the complaints policy made available to parents reflects the most recent changes to the National Standards and shows up-to-date contact details for Ofsted

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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 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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