Childminder in Bromley

Inspection report for early years provision

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504472 Unique Reference Number 22 August 2006 Inspection date Susan Linda Capon Inspector

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Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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 outstanding. 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 was registered in 1998. She lives with her husband and three children aged 6,11 and 14 years in a house situated in the London Borough of Bromley. The ground floor is used for childminding. There is a secure garden available for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for five children under eight years and is currently minding one child on a part-time basis. She works on the premises with her mother, who is also a registered childminder.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She regularly uses the local amenities including library, parks and childminding drop-in.

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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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is outstanding. The children enjoy physical exercise and outdoor play activities on a regular basis, contributing to their good health. They walk to and from the pre-school each day and regularly visit the local parks to play on the large apparatus, developing their climbing, jumping and sliding skills.

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Helping children to be healthy

In the childminder's garden the children enjoy using the large trampoline and riding the bike and scooter. The childminder ensures the children are safe, as she reminds them not to run too fast and to take care when they climb onto the trampoline.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder uses very good hygiene routines throughout her home preventing the spread of infection. For example, she cleans her work surfaces with anti-bacterial spray and bleaches the toilet daily.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children are encouraged to learn good hygiene routines for themselves as they brush their teeth after meals and wash their hands after using the bathroom, after playing in the garden or touching animals when visiting a farm. They always wash their hands before meals. Each child has their own colour coded hand-towel, toothbrush, toothpaste and mug stored in the bathroom. The children know which colour is theirs. The childminder washes the hand-towels daily and has two for each child, ensuring there is always a clean one available.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children use anti-bacterial wipes for cleaning their hands when they are out and about away from the childminder's home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children receive appropriate first aid treatment when they have an accident. The childminder has a fully stocked first aid kit in the home and takes a smaller version out on trips. Parents see the records.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder keeps the children safe through her good policies and procedures for administering medication. She ensure parents give her detailed information about medication required and written consent to administer this. Her co-childminder witnesses any medication administered and parents see the completed record. All medication is suitably stored out of the children's reach. The childminder requires parents to advise her of any medication they have given their child in the previous twelve hours. This ensures children do not receive another dose keeping them safe at all times.

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Helping children to be healthy

Parents do not send their children to the childminder if they are unwell with an infectious or contagious illness. The childminder provides good information about a wide range of health issues, which are available to the parents. These include information about incubation periods.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has a good policy relating to children's dental hygiene. Parents see this information. It specifies how she promotes good dental hygiene, helping children to keep their teeth and gums healthy. For example, children do not have any fizzy drinks. Sweets and fruit juices are limited. Children have access to fresh water throughout the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

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 children are developing an awareness of the importance of washing-up utensils after use to prevent cross-contamination. They enjoy washing-up their plates and cups.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children enjoy healthy, nutritious, balanced meals each day in accordance with the parents wishes. She prepares home-made meals, using minimal processed foods. The childminder incorporates some vegetables into the meal to encourage children to eat more of these.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder plans a weekly menu and shops regularly, to ensure all fruit and vegetables are fresh. These menus are readily available to parents on the notice board in the hallway and always take the individual dietary needs, likes and dislikes of each child into consideration.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy snacks of various fresh fruit. The children particularly enjoy the juicy oranges. All the children enjoy making patterns on their plates using the fruit and discuss the different names with the childminder.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children eat well and are developing appropriately. They sit together at the table when they eat, enjoying the social occasion and developing their table manners as they use "please" and "thank you". The children choose the colour plates and beakers they would like. This encourages them to eat and drink well.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder uses her sound knowledge and understanding of how to safely store, prepare cook and serve food to prevent cross-contamination.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is outstanding. The home is in excellent decorative order throughout. It is clean, warm, welcoming and child-orientated making it a very pleasant place for children to spend their day.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children have ample space to move around and can explore their environment freely. During the warmer weather they freely access the garden from the dining area, giving them the choice of indoor or outdoor play. They also have access to a large summerhouse at the top of the garden, affording some shade in the hot weather.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children access an extensive range of toys and equipment indoors and outdoors. These are suitably stored on shelving in the dedicated playroom, enabling children to make their own choice and selection. Some other toys are organised in large containers placed on the floor.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children under two years use suitable, safe equipment to meet their individual requirements. For example, a high chair and travel cot. The childminder maintains these to a high standard ensuring they are clean, safe and in good order.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has identified and minimised all the hazards within in her home and garden, making the premises safe for children. For example, her cleaning materials are in a locked cupboard and all low level glass is safe. She uses good risk assessment plans for new equipment. For example, the large trampoline is fully secure, insurer aware and parents have given written consent for their child to use the apparatus. Children only use the trampoline under the direct supervision of the childminder.

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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 Children are unable to leave the premises unnoticed as the front and back doors are fully secure. The co-childminder is able to continue to supervise the children in the garden when the other childminder escorts another child to the toilet.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children are developing their understanding of keeping themselves safe and know they must not leave the premises without an appropriate adult.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has excellent emergency evacuation plans in place. The children and childminder practise these regularly and make a written record. The childminder is fully aware of her individual responsibility to check the premises for children sleeping or using the bathroom. The children are fully aware of where the exits are and the importance of listening carefully to instructions in an emergency.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder protects the children as she implements her excellent outings policy and procedures. She always visits any new venue to check it is suitable for the children attending. She takes her mobile, emergency contact numbers, first aid kit and snacks and drinks for the children on any excursion. Parents give written consent, allowing their child to participate and the childminder gives the parent’s detailed information of the outing. This ensures the safety of the children at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are developing their awareness of how to keep themselves safe when walking close to a busy road on the way to the pre-school. They use the Green Cross Code to cross the road, holding the childminder's hand and waiting for her instructions to cross when the green man is showing. In the park they keep within sight and sound of the childminder.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

All the home furnishings are very suitable and safe for the children to use.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children are very safe and secure through the childminder's sound awareness of how to manage child protection issues appropriately. Parents see her policy and procedures relating to this area.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The children are fully stimulated throughout the provision, through the excellent range of toys, equipment and interesting activities readily available to them. They enthusiastically select activities from the range available throughout the day.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder enthusiastically interacts with the children when they invite her to play with the shop. She sits with them on the floor, encouraging their mathematical development as they play. For example, she asked the children how much they had spent and how many items they had purchased. One child confidently counted her eleven purchases.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder encouraged the children to think about why some of the toy money had rolled better than others. One child identified one coin had more corners as it was a fifty pence piece. She knew a round coin will roll better.

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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 The children enjoyed the Hawaiian theme, making grass skirts and flower necklaces, using coloured tissue paper. They used the scissors well to cut the flowers and threaded them to make a large necklace. Children added straws as stalks to flowers and placed these in their hair. The children enjoyed dressing-up and having their photograph taken.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children enjoy looking at books. They know how to hold them correctly, turn the pages carefully and look after the books well. They enjoy visiting the local library with the childminder on a regular basis.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder regularly takes the children to the local parents and toddler group and the Beckenham childminding drop-in. The children develop their social skills as they meet and play with other children of a similar age. They also enjoy the visits to the Churchill Theatre. For example, to see a Postman Pat production.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Younger children benefit from the planning and activities the childminder uses to implement Birth to three matters into her setting. She has a good knowledge and understanding of child development and uses regular observations to identify individual children's abilities. The childminder uses this information to plan for the children's progression.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are very confident in their surroundings. They have a good relationship with the childminder and her family. This makes the children feel at home and very safe and secure in the setting.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children are able to express their feelings, as they tell the childminder when they have had enough of an activity. For example, the children told the childminder they did not want to make anymore flowers.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder listens to the children, encouraging their constant questions and helping them to think about things for themselves. For example, the children were sewing and discussed if knitting was the same as sewing.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are developing their awareness of right and wrong. They are encouraged to play well together, share the equipment and respect one another and the childminder.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is outstanding. The childminder is very pro-active in providing equal opportunities in her environment. She displays posters and pictures reflecting positive images for race, culture and disability, in the play area at the children's level. This raises their awareness of other people they might meet.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children access an excellent range of resources promoting positive images including books like "Children Just Like Me". They play with dolls, figures, puzzles, books and dressing-up items reflecting positive images for all areas of equal opportunities. The childminder incorporates additional activities into the setting to encourage the children to develop their awareness of the world about them.

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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 The children are developing their independence skills throughout the day. They use the toilet independently, make their own choices of activities and enjoy helping to take the washing off the line.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder incorporates the individual needs of each child attending into her setting. She maintains individual sleep and rest routines for younger children, providing good continuity of care, making children feel safe and secure.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children benefit from the childminder's previous experience of caring for children with special needs. She has a number of useful leaflets available relevant to specific special needs. These are readily accessible to parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children enjoy their time at the childminder's. They are very settled and secure in their surroundings. They know the house rules and behave well. The childminder has strong values and uses consistent positive behaviour management in the setting. The children respond well to her regular praise and encouragement and minimal behaviour management is required. They play well together, co-operating with one another and the childminder at all times.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from the excellent relationships the childminder has built with the parents. Previous parents state they are happy with the care their children received. They find the childminder "proficient at her job, warm and welcoming, providing good care for their children in a relaxed atmosphere".

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder provides good quality care, following the detailed information provided by the parents. Daily verbal discussion and feedback keep the parents fully informed about their child's day. Parents with younger children receive written information about their child’s day.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder keeps parents fully informed about her setting through her organised portfolio of policies and procedures. She updates these regularly to ensure they meet any changes to the National Standards. For example, she has updated her policy and procedures relating to complaints made by parents.

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Organisation

The organisation is outstanding. The children are cared for in a very well-organised provision. They have access to suitable areas for resting, sleeping, eating, playing, "messy" activities and time outdoors on a regular basis. All the toys and equipment are of an excellent quality and well-organised throughout the home.

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Organisation

The children benefit from the childminder's professional approach to her work. She is fully committed to providing good care for children, taking her role and responsibilities seriously. The childminder continues to update her qualification and attend training to improve her practice. For example, she has attended Birth to three matters training. She addresses all recommendations made at the previous inspection quickly. The childminder is interested in the children, motivated and enjoys her work.

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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 The childminder has developed excellent arrival and departure routines, ensuring the children are unable to leave the premises unnoticed. She keeps her daily register up to date and is fully aware of which children are attending on any day. This keeps the children safe and secure.

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Organisation

The childminder keeps her numbers low at any time, providing some one to one care during school hours. This enables children to develop a good relationship with the childminder promoting their progress and development.

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Organisation

The childminder uses her computer skills to present the well-organised portfolio including well-written policies and procedures. She includes the up-to-date information relating to childcare obtained from her co-childminder. Her detailed records and portfolio demonstrate how she organises her business professionally, offering good quality care for children. All her records are suitably stored to maintain confidentiality at all times.

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Organisation

The childminder keeps fully abreast of changes to the National Standards implementing these immediately. For example, she displays her certificate and makes the inspection report available to parents.

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Organisation

The setting meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider was required to ensure that parents are aware of the procedure to be followed should they have a complaint. This should include contact details for Ofsted. The childminder has developed a new complaints policy and procedure and has a complaints record book readily available if required which is available to parents. The new procedures are available on the parent notice board. This keeps children safe and secure.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The provider was required to ensure that written parental permission for the administration of medication gives specific details of medication to be administered, dosages and times to be given. The childminder maintains detailed records of any medication she has administered, with full information provided in writing by parents as required. This ensures the children's safety at all times.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last 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 then those made to Ofsted.

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Complaints since the last inspection

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

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 outstanding. 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

No recommendations for improvement are made because the quality and standards of care are outstanding.

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The quality and standards of the care

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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