Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY331167 Unique Reference Number 10 October 2006 Inspection date Sarah Elizabeth Howell 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 May 2006. She lives with her husband and two children aged five and eight years in the Brookvale area of Runcorn, Cheshire. The whole of the ground floor of the property is used for childminding. The rear garden is currently not used by the children. The childminder is registered for five children under eight years and currently has four children on roll. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association and is actively involved in her local childminding support network.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children learn about the role that good hygiene routines play in keeping them safe. They wash their hands after using the toilet and before meals and understand that by doing this they are

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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 stopping germs from making them poorly. Parents are given verbal and written information about the childminder's policy in relation to sickness and medication. This clarifies how the childminder protects all children from cross infection by not caring for children with illnesses which might be infectious or contagious. The childminder also follows good routines when giving and recording the administration of medication whilst meeting children's ongoing medical needs. In addition, the childminder employs a range of good hygiene practices which ensure that the environment is clean and risks to children's health are minimal.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's health is also effectively promoted by the availability of healthy foods and snacks and good independent access to drinks, such as milk, water and diluted juice. The childminder encourages discussion about food and provides easy to understand explanations as to how food can help children's development and keep them healthy. For example, explaining to children why milk is better for them than diluted juice because it helps their bones to grow strong and does not contain sugar. The childminder is well informed about children's individual dietary requirements and works closely with parents to support and monitor children who have specific needs. Parents are well informed about what their children are eating and drinking as the childminder provides sample menus and daily feedback for them.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has a good understanding of the importance of exercise for children's physical well-being and development. Although the childminder's garden is not available for outside play, she makes good use of local parks and playing fields to provide opportunities for children to enjoy exerting themselves and developing a range of physical skills. For example, she supports children in making the transition from riding bikes with stabilisers to those without. Children can practise riding bikes with and without stabilisers and when their skill and confidence develop they delight in being able to have their stabilisers taken off permanently. In the winter the childminder makes very good use of her local Sure Start centre to provide opportunities for children's enjoyment of active physical play, for example, in the soft play and ball pool areas. In addition, the childminder works closely with parents of young children to help support

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Helping children to be healthy

different stages of their physical development. For example, discussing with parents what resources she is considering using to support a child who is pulling himself up to standing and trying to toddle on his feet. As a result, children's physical development is effectively promoted and supported.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's emotional well-being is also sensitively nurtured. The childminder has very good routines when caring for and feeding babies. She encourages them to feel safe and secure by keeping them close to her at all times, giving lots of cuddles and maintaining good eye contact. She works closely with parents to maintain consistency of established patterns of care. As a result, babies appear very settled and contented in her care. Children are encouraged to talk about their feelings and the childminder listens and offers reassurance and practical guidance. For example, encouraging children who are experiencing problems with other children at school to talk to teaching staff and mums and dads so that together any issues can be tackled. As a result, children are learning that talking about issues that concern them can be an effective way of tackling problems and help them to feel better.

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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

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Both children and their parents are warmly welcomed within the childminder's home. The playroom is set out with an excellent variety of toys and equipment which are readily accessible to children. On the walls the childminder displays children's art work which encourages them to take pride in their achievements and enables parents to see the kinds of activities available to children whilst in the childminder's care. In addition, a useful range of information is also displayed for parents benefit, for example, the childminder's training certificates, fire evacuation drill and her childminding insurance.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's understanding of safety and how the way in which they act and behave can keep them safe is very good. They regularly practise fire evacuation drills and know not to leave their bags and coats on the floor in the hall as this could create an obstacle in an emergency evacuation involving the front door. Through being involved in agreeing the house rules, children understand that their behaviour can keep themselves and their friends safe, for example, they understand that running inside the house is dangerous because they may slip and cause an accident. The childminder provides very good supervision at all times to ensure that children's safety is paramount, particularly when they are playing outside or going on outings. She uses discussion and topic work to help extend children's understanding of safety. For example, she has used colouring sheets printed off from the internet to help children learn about road safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Within the home a range of safety procedures are in place which also ensure that any risks to children's safety are minimised, for example, the use of a safety gate on the stairs and child safety locks on all low level kitchen cupboards.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder also protects children from potential harm and keeps them safe through having a clear understanding of her responsibilities in relation to child protection. She is well informed about the range of possible indicators of abuse and neglect and would work closely with parents to clarify any initial concerns should these arise. However, she is less clear about the procedures she would need to follow if she needed advice or guidance on a child protection matter and is planning to attend a training course in the near future to address this issue.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. A wide variety of fun activities is available to children of all ages who attend. The childminder offers very good opportunities for children's enjoyment, learning and development. Children are involved in planning and deciding the kinds of activities and outings they will be doing. Particular favourites are outside play and creative activities, and a scrapbook of photos taken over the summer months shows children enjoying a wide range of outdoor pursuits, and art and craft projects, such as mask making and balloon modelling. Children benefit from a good balance between adult led activities, such as craft sessions, and group games and free play opportunities. They have very good access to a wide range of resources to support their play activities and the childminder encourages them to respect the play equipment, putting it back when they have finished so that it is accessible to others.

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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 Babies receive loving and sensitive care. They enjoy excellent support and one to one care from the childminder who works closely with parents to respect established routines particularly with feeds and sleeping patterns. As a result, young children appear very settled and very happy in their interactions with the childminder. Their development is carefully monitored and discussed with parents and the childminder makes good use of ideas encountered through attending training to extend opportunities for children's enjoyment and learning. For example, she has recently prepared a sensory basket from every day household items and observed how much enjoyment and exploration this has provided for a young child in addition to supporting the development of his hand-eye co-ordination. She responds positively to babies verbal and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

non-verbal communication, playfully encouraging their early attempts to communicate.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children also enjoy a wide variety of outside play opportunities particularly when the weather permits. The childminder closely supervises their use of the front garden whilst the rear garden is being renovated and made safe for them to use. Children's enjoyment of outside play is enhanced by a good range of quality equipment and resources. As well as making good use of bikes, scooters and other equipment which supports their physical development, children also love making dens outdoors, blowing bubbles, chalking and play acting outside which also supports their imaginative and creative development. The childminder makes good use of the large kitchen area to support children's enjoyment of creative pursuits, providing lots of resources and opportunities for children to make and create their own 'works of art' which they can either take home or have displayed on the playroom walls. In addition, children's enjoyment

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

is further enhanced by the childminder's very good links with external agencies, such as Sure Start. She researches what is available locally for children of different ages and provides children with lots of opportunities to attend interesting and fun events and activities, for example, art and craft activities, balloon sculpting and circus skills sessions. As a result, children get to explore a wide range of experiences and socialise with friends from school and their local community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual personalities and dispositions are acknowledged and valued. The childminder is well informed about children's preferences, likes and dislikes and uses this information effectively to plan for their care and enjoyment. In turn children are encouraged to respect and care for one another through sharing, taking turns and playing together. Minor disputes are often effectively handled by encouraging children to think about the impact of their behaviour on the other person, and how it would feel if a similar thing were to happen to them. For example, not letting someone join in with a game or share a particular resource. As a result, the childminder finds that children generally play well together and she spends very little time refereeing and negotiating disputes.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are involved in agreeing the house rules and generally understand that these relate to keeping themselves and each other safe as well as respecting the childminder's home. From the beginning of each placement both children, parents and the childminder have a clear understanding of the expectations in relation to behaviour as this is discussed as part of the enrolment procedure. As a result, standards of behaviour are generally very good. Children are

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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 happily occupied in their play and the childminder finds that she is rarely called upon to put sanctions in place. Children are praised for their helpfulness and co-operation which encourages them to feel good about themselves and motivates ongoing good behaviour. When the need for sanctions arises, the childminder ensures that the child understands why the sanction is being used and how they can remedy the situation.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works closely with parents to build good relationships with them. She provides a variety of written information for them at the beginning of their child's placement to help them make an informed choice about the care they are choosing for their child. This includes information about the care children will receive, the support for their development and learning as well as details of her policies and procedures. She encourages planned settling in periods so that both children and parents have time to prepare for the transition into her care. As a result, children generally settle comfortably into the routines and patterns of daily life in her household and are quickly able to benefit from the play experiences available to them. She encourages a friendly daily exchange of information about each child. This enables her to provide good continuity of care for children and ensures that parents get a clear picture of what their child

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Helping children make a positive contribution

has done and how they have been each day.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder makes good use of the downstairs of her home to provide for children's enjoyment and relaxation. A well resourced playroom provides children with lots of choices of equipment and toys as well as space to play. Children can watch television or participate in quieter activities in the front room which is also used to accommodate babies who need a sleep during the day. Art, craft and baking activities take place in the kitchen as there is a large kitchen table which enables all the children to get round and join in. Good use is also made of the front garden and local parks to provide for children's enjoyment of outside play. The childminder's husband is also registered to assist his wife in the care of children for short periods of time and with the written permission of all the parents. For example, this enables her to do the school run without disturbing a baby who is sleeping. In addition, the childminder feels

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Organisation

that children benefit from a positive male role model and at times from a higher child to adult ratio which can be useful when some of them want help learning to play a new board game, whilst others need some support in using the computer.

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Organisation

The childminder makes very good use of training to develop her childcare knowledge and to extend the range of activities and experiences available to children in her care. She continually assesses her childcare practice to consider ways in which she might improve, for example, recognising her lack of experience with child protection issues, she has booked a place on a child protection training course to help her develop knowledge of the procedures. The childminder also has places booked on child development and Christmas crafts courses in the near future.

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Organisation

A high standard of record keeping enables the childminder to ensure that children's care is supported by accurate, detailed and up to date information which is well organised and easily accessible for daily use. The childminder makes good use of local childminder support networks which keep her up to date with local childcare initiatives and which provide a variety of activities

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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 for children of pre-school age. As a result, children enjoy participating in a range of local community based social activities. Overall, the provision meets the range of the needs of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration there have been no complaints made to Ofsted that required the provider or Ofsted to take any action in order to meet the National Standards.

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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 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): • develop understanding of the procedures to be followed in the event of needing advice or guidance in relation to a child protection issue.

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The quality and standards of the care

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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