Childminder in Dudley

Inspection report for early years provision

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255717 Unique Reference Number 06 July 2006 Inspection date Patricia Dawes 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 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 was registered in 1990. She lives with her husband and adult son in the Brierley Hill area of Dudley. The whole 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 six children at any one time and is currently minding six children over five before and after school and during school holidays. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children.

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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. Children gain an excellent understanding of good hygiene practices and personal care through consistent, well-informed daily routines. Children understand from a very early age, why they must wash their hands after using the toilet, messy play activities and before eating meals.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from very healthy and nutritional snacks which are imaginatively prepared and presented to encourage children to eat a variety of different foods. They are able to help themselves to drinks throughout the day and enjoy a range of fresh fruit, and finger foods. Children delight in mealtimes because time is given for them to savour their food and further enhance their developing skills and social interaction.

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Helping children to be healthy

Focused activities and exceptional communication between the childminder and children promotes their understanding of staying healthy. Children benefit from the daily outdoor exercise to promote their physical development such as walking to and from school, and playing outdoors. They have a good awareness of how their bodies work, and know when they need a drink or a rest.

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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 clean, welcoming and secure environment. The childminder has a good understanding of health and safety; she is vigilant and supervises children well. Children benefit from a range of safety measures already in place to minimise hazards indoors, however outdoor areas need attention to ensure children’s safety is not compromised. The childminder gives good priority to helping children understand how to keep themselves safe, for example, they understand about the rules of road safety and she talks to the children about emergency evacuation procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are able to move around safely, freely and independently. They select activities from a wide range of good quality toys and resources which offer challenge and are appropriate to their stage of development. The childminder carefully monitors and supervises the use of toys to make sure they are safe and used appropriately by the children. Space is well used and resources organised effectively to meet children's individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected from possible harm or neglect because the childminder is very knowledgeable about child protection. She has attended child protection training and is fully aware of her role and responsibility in protecting children in her care, and knows whom to contact if she has any concerns.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are settled and happy. They develop their play and learning because they are cared for in a child-centred environment. The childminder provides a wide range of activities and resources that meet the needs of the children in all areas of development. Children attending after school are able to make decisions about their play, select activities and develop their interests. They are given time to play and learn independently and benefit from being able to take part in a wide range of worthwhile and interesting activities. They enjoy activities which contribute to their creativity and imagination, for example, making flags and banners, and painting hands and feet.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children's self-esteem and confidence are effectively promoted because the childminder encourages children to take part in activities in a safe and supportive environment. Children are well supported because the childminder’s interaction with them is very good; she has a warm rapport with them and a calm, gentle approach. She is very reassuring to children, listens carefully to what they are saying and shows interest in what they are doing. The childminder helps children distinguish between right and wrong by encouraging them to share and take turns. This helps children make positive relationships. Children’s activities and achievements are shared with parents.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs are well supported because the childminder makes sure children are welcomed into her home and feel a sense of belonging. Routines and preferences are followed helping children to settle in quickly and feel comfortable. Children are treated with equal concern and their emotional well-being is effectively fostered because the childminder is aware of children's developmental stages. Consequently, she feels able to approach parents if she is concerned about children's progress and knows how to obtain appropriate support to ensure that they can make progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have a wide range of opportunities to learn about themselves and others in the wider community. Imaginatively planned activities and visits to local places of interest help children gain a very good understanding of their environment. Children are valued and included in every aspect of the daily routine and activities are meaningful, stimulating and fun. They learn about diversity through discussions and the use of resources reflecting positive images such as role-play, dressing up and food tasting. These promote children’s understanding of the wider world.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children develop an understanding of responsible behaviour as they are encouraged to take turns and share. The childminder uses simple rules, gentle reminders and discussions to help children know what is expected from them and ensuring they learn right from wrong. She has a warm rapport with children and they all benefit from ample attention and caring interaction. Their conversations are listened to and valued, and each child is praised for their achievements. Children are developing an understanding of the need to be polite, courteous and well-behaved.

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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 Child's individual needs are well met because the childminder has very good systems in place for sharing information with parents, and she actively encourages a positive, professional and friendly relationship with parents. Daily verbal feedback ensures the needs of children cared for are appropriately addressed. A full and informative complaints policy is shared with parents, however the format to log complaints does not relate to the national standards, resulting in parents not receiving up to date information.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is proficient in her understanding of the National Standards and ensures all household members are vetted and the regulator is informed of any changes in the household. The childminder continues to develop and complete training which enhances her existing knowledge and skills as a childminder. This means children are well-protected in her home

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Organisation

Children's care is enhanced through the effective organisation of space and resources. The childminder makes good use of space to ensure all children have the opportunity to complete activities, relax, play or talk about their day. Children are confident in moving around the premises and are able to initiate and develop their own play and learning. This is because they feel at home and at ease with the well-organised family environment.

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Organisation

Most documentation which contributes to children’s health and safety is maintained appropriately and is up to date, and reviewed regularly, however the children’s attendance register is not accurately maintained. Children’s records and parental contracts are stored confidentially and updated on a regular basis. This helps to form a positive relationship with parents to promote children’s care learning and play.

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Organisation

Overall, the childminder meets the needs of the range of children in her care.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last Inspection the childminder agreed to ensure that she developed her knowledge of current legislation regarding special needs and how this impacted on the childminding service. She has completed a relevant short course regarding disability awareness and also researched information on the internet. This information is available to parents. The recommendation has been addressed sufficiently well to ensure all the children's needs and parents' expectations are met.

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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 than 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 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): • make sure that the garden steps are safe for children to access to reduce the risk of potential accidents • keep a record of complaints relating to the national standards and any action taken • maintain an accurate daily record of children's arrival and departure times.

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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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