Childminder in Essex

Inspection report for early years provision

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201792 Unique Reference Number 07 September 2006 Inspection date Lisa Paisley Inspector

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Integrated Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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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.

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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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory. the time of the inspection there were no children in receipt of nursery education. Ofsted judges that the provider remains suitable to provide nursery education.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The Childminder was registered in 1997. She lives with her partner, one child aged seven years and a baby aged nine months in Essex. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time and when working with an assistant she is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time. The childminder is currently minding three children under five part time and three children over five after school and during the school holidays. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder occasionally attends the local parent and toddler group.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

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. The childminder is a member of an approved childminding network and is currently not in receipt of funding for nursery education for three and four year olds. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a warm and welcoming environment where a suitable standard of hygiene is maintained. They are actively encouraged to wash their hands as part of daily routines, for example, after playing in the garden and before meals. Suitable procedurces are in place in the event of an emergency and children are supported well if they become ill. For example, the childminder will comfort and reassure the child and contact the parents to request that the child collected.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy daily opportunities to play or take walks outdoors in the fresh air. They frequently visit the local park and library and occasionally attend local toddler groups where they benefit from good opportunities to develop new physical skills when using large apparatus such as climbing frames. Children rest and sleep according to their needs which ensures they feel happy and refreshed throughout the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are currently provided with a suitable range of meals which are provided by the parent. The childminder ensures children have healthy snacks while in her care. They are able to help themselves to drinks, for example, fresh drinking water, milk and fruit juice, encouraging independence and choice. Children sit at a table where conversation is encouraged and children are appropriately supported. Consequently meal times are an enjoyable experience for all the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The home is warm and welcoming for children where they feel safe and secure. Space within the home is organised suitably, allowing children to move around safely, freely and independently. Informal risk assessments are carried out by the childminder and suitable action is taken to reduce any potential risks within the home, for example, the front door is secure, low level sockets are in place and cleaning materials and sharp knives are inaccessible.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are provided with a range of safe and suitable toys and equipment which offer both challenge and interest to all children attending. The childminder ensures all equipment in use meets with safety standards and is in good working order. Young children benefit from a large selection of sensory toys which promote use of their senses as they touch, feel and listen to the sounds they make. The selection made available encourages children to make independent choices about what to play with.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has an understanding of child protection issues and is clear about her responsibilities to protect children from harm. However, she is not sufficiently clear on

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

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. procedures to follow in the event of a child protection concern and she has not obtained information with regard to the and the Local Safeguarding Children's Board. This may result in inappropriate action being taken when dealing with child protection concerns.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy a broad range of planned and spontaneous activities in a welcoming, family environment. They develop confidence and self-esteem as the childminder shows interest in what they do and say by talking and listening to them, asking questions and offering suggestions. Children become independent as they make choices about their play and self-select toys. The childminder has received the 'Birth to three matters' framework, however, she has not yet implemented in her planning to provide young children with a wider variety of activities that are suitably challenging.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children develop confidence and self-esteem through the secure relationships they have with the childminder and other family members. Children look to the childminder for reassurance, help and assistance and she responds in a warm, caring and enthusiastic manner. Children are beginning to distinguish between right and wrong as the childminder uses a range of appropriate and sensitive strategies for managing children's behaviour. Children receive regular praise and encouragement developing their self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. The childminder has a sufficient knowledge of the Foundation Stage and she mainly uses this to provide a range of activities. The childminder plans activities in accordance with the six areas of learning, however, topic work is not themed, there are no clear learning outcomes and focused activities are not evaluated. Children's developmental progress is recorded through the stepping stones, however, children's achievements are not dated and therefore cannot be tracked effectively. Activities are planned and there is plenty of flexibility within the childminder's planning allowing for child-initiated play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children have opportunities for mark-making activities, for example, crayons, pencils and painting. Older children are able to write their own name. They engage in conversations and are confident speakers and listeners. Children use language effectively for many purposes such as initiating conversation, making their needs known and developing a storyline in their play. There are opportunities for children to experience early mathematical concepts through their play such as puzzles, games, books and playing with large and small construction items. Children count confidently to ten.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy regular trips out where there are opportunities to discuss the world around them, for example, visits to the local parks, pond and the sea life centre. There are regular opportunities for children to climb, ride a tri-cycle, balance and play with balls, bats and hoops. Threading, cutting and drawing opportunities help develop children's manipulative skills. Children participate in creative play such as sticking, painting, including hand and foot painting, play dough, water

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

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. play, jelly, corn flour and play soap. Children also enjoy building three dimensional structures from junk modelling.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are treated as individuals and with respect helping them feel good about themselves. They gain an awareness of diversity through resources and activities that are provided such as dressing up clothes, books and play people. Children are beginning to develop a sense of place of the world around through regular outings to the library, park and local shops.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder has a good practical awareness of how to include and appropriately care for children who require additional support. Children are very happy and confident within the home. They relate very well to each other, showing concern and consideration for each other's needs. They receive regular praise and consistent reinforcement, ensuring they feel confident and valued in the home. The provision fosters children's spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The partnership with parents and carers is satisfactory. The childminder works with parents to meets children's individual needs and ensure they are fully informed of the day-to-day care of their child. The childminder has an admission procedure to ensure children settle in smoothly and a combination of written and verbal feedback is given to the parents. However, there are no formal systems in place to ensure regular feedback with regard to children's developmental progress.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The children feel at home and at ease in the suitably organised environment. Daily routines are planned to incorporate school collections and individual time with younger children. The childminder has a suitable range of verbal policies and procedures in place that she uses to promote the care and welfare of children. However, the childminder's first aid certificate has expired, consequently she is not fully up to date with current first aid practices.

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Organisation

The childminder has a sufficient understanding of her role as an accredited childminder and she enjoys working with funded children. She organises daily routines to ensure funded children are effectively supported in the home and are given suitable and regular opportunities to learn through focussed activities and play. Records and documentation have been adequately organised, enabling the childminder to spend her working day with the children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder agreed to ensure that the minimum ratio requirements are met at all times, children had supervised access into the garden due to the building work and obtain written parental permission for seeking medical emergency advice or treatment.

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Improvements since the last inspection

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. The childminder ensures that the minimum ratio requirements are met at all times, children are supervised in the garden, all potential hazards have been minimised and written parental consent with regard to seeking emergency medical advice or treatment has been obtained. The improvements made have enhanced children's safety and welfare.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted 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.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

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 AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory. the time of the inspection there were no children in receipt of nursery education. Ofsted judges that the provider remains suitable to provide nursery education.

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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 knowledge and understanding of current child protection practices and obtain information of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board (LSCB) • improve the outcomes for young children in using an approach similar to the 'Birth to three matters' framework • update first aid training and ensure a current first aid certificate is maintained.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • review children's activity plans to show children's clear learning intentions and incorporate topic work • ensure children's developmental achievements are dated to able effective tracking of children's progress • develop a system to ensure regular formal feedback with parents to support children's learning in the home.

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The quality and standards of the 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. 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 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.

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