Childminder in Cheshire East

Inspection report for early years provision

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304077 Unique Reference Number 27 March 2007 Inspection date Rachel Ruth Britten 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 satisfactory. 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 two children aged 21 and 18 years in the village of Willaston between Crewe and Nantwich. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. There are currently 12 children of various ages on roll. The childminder walks to local schools and pre-schools to take and collect children. She attends local parent/toddler groups and takes children to local parks. There is a small dog and a cat in the household.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children's physical health is good because the childminder teaches children about personal hygiene and preventing cross-infection. The children and the childminder routinely wash their hands after a nappy change or using the toilet and pre-school children wipe their faces with anti-bacterial wipes before eating. Pump foaming soaps and pleasant smelling hand creams encourage pre-school and school age children alike to adopt hygienic practices and the

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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 childminder talks to all children in an age appropriate way about how they can pick up tummy bugs if they do not take care about personal hygiene.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are encouraged to have pride in their appearance and play environment and to take care of their bodies. An important part of this is fresh air and exercise, walking to school and pre-school, walking the dog, going to see the horses, playing on the park apparatus, or collecting leaves to make collages with. Indoors, children learn from an early age about keeping the home clean, for example, sweeping up the paper from under the table, washing the toys, or stacking the role play drainer with cups and plates.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are protected from becoming ill through thorough procedures and records to ensure this. The home is kept very clean and tidy, first aid supplies are ready to use and the childminder has an up to date first aid qualification. The childminder has information about, and a good working knowledge of, childhood illnesses and has obtained written parental consent for any emergency treatment, should this be needed. The accident and medicine recording systems are also accurate and up to date, with parental signatures to acknowledge entries.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have a varied, nutritious and balanced diet and learn about healthy eating because the childminder talks about this and encourages children to eat good food. Fruit and sugar-free foods, such as bread sticks and toast are given, although school age children do enjoy baking cakes and decorating biscuits sometimes. Water or sugar-free juice is always available and pre-school children have covered drinking cups with them as they play. The childminder talks to children about the importance of healthy eating and encourages them to drink regularly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a welcoming, secure and generally safe indoor and outdoor environment. There is a designated play room and sufficient floor and table top play space available to children at all times. Exits are kept locked, but with accessible keys and areas are clean and clear of hazards, so that small children can move about safely and freely. The childminder is committed to safety through thorough supervision, for example, taking pre-school children to the toilet and being outside with all children to make sure that they are safe as they use ride on toys, footballs or the play house. However, the childminder has not obtained written parental consent for those children who are using the large trampoline, to ensure that parents agree to the safety arrangements for this. She has a reciprocal arrangement with a neighbouring childminder, should any emergency arise. However, she has not devised or practised an emergency escape

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

plan from the house, should there be a fire. This means that children are not familiar with what to do.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a satisfactory range of suitable and safe equipment and toys which are accessibly stored and well organised on shelves and in storage bins in the play room. Dressing up clothes are on a stand and board games for older children are on the higher shelves. Storage boxes are not labelled with pictures or words to help pre-school children to begin to recognise letters and words, but children can reach most appropriate toys and games for themselves.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are kept safe on outings because the childminder is vigilant whether on foot or in a vehicle. She teaches children not to cross roads unnecessarily, simply to cut a corner. She also teaches children how to cross roads safely and recognises that many of her minded children rarely walk anywhere, except when they are with her. The childminder makes sure seat belts are on, uses booster seats appropriately and talks to children about dangers on the road.

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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 Documentation adequately supports children's safety in the setting. For example, the childminder has evidence that the car is suitable, has current insurance for childminding and completes the daily register in a diary to show which children are on the premises along with their arrival and departure times. These procedures secure children's safety.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are adequately protected from abuse because the childminder has a sufficient understanding of her role in child protection and is confident that she is able to put appropriate procedures into practice if necessary. She retains both her child abuse and health and safety materials to show parents upon request, but she is unsure of what to do if an allegation of abuse is made against her.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy, secure and make positive relationships from a very early age because the childminder has cared for some for many years and she actively encourages them all to share and cooperate together. She is warm and attentive, playing on the floor, at the table and outside with them and is skilled at keeping pre-school children motivated and interested. They also meet other children and adults in the community as they attend numerous toddler groups and places of interest and are able to enjoy their play in a variety of indoor and outdoor venues.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children respond well and show interest in what they do because the childminder is enthusiastic as she presents a range of activity ideas which captivate children's interest. For example, pre-school children excitedly play with the role play tea set, the aeroplane construction set and the magic drawing and printing board. Children enjoy the extra challenges made by the childminder as she asks them what is going to happen next and probes their imagination. She guides, explains and praises children as they play and encourages speech development with her own clear comments and questions. Children participate in craft, physical activities, role play, board games and construction within the home and pre-school children are frequently read to. As children undertake these varied activities, they are improving their small motor coordination and control, their understanding of the world, and their creative and social skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder does not have the 'Birth to three matters' framework materials to use as a structure for play activities to develop children under three years old. However, she is providing a good balance of play and learning, using her own experience. For example, she plays outside with pre-school children and the dog, helping children to develop ball control skills and hand/eye coordination.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children in the setting have developed a sound sense of belonging and feel secure because the childminder is affectionate towards them. She fully includes them in all aspects of domestic life, makes sure they have equal access to all the play resources and teaches minded children of all ages to care for one another. She achieves this through kind and proactive input, talking, questioning and involving the children throughout the day, teaching them good manners and demonstrating how to look after people and things. As a result, children generally play well together. For example, children after school might enjoy a game of bingo or popular television quiz games with the childminder.

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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 Children have some opportunities to consider and value diversity because the childminder has an open approach to equal opportunities issues and takes children to places where there are positive images of other cultures and the chance to meet people with disabilities or who come from various cultural backgrounds. She makes sure that there is no gender bias in play activities at home and has some dressing up clothes, books and games to support this. However, there are no play resources or activities undertaken to present children with positive images of disability.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children receive good support to behave well because the childminder is calm, vigilant and consistent in her approach. She endorses the rules of pre-school and school so that children receive consistency, for example, insisting that children do not drop litter. She listens to children, is in tune with their mood and shares in their pleasure as they laugh and smile at completing their picture on the magic writing board. She talks to them about what is happening and what their activity choices are and gives them praise and encouragement to persist, complete and succeed. She also knows when children need to have a quieter activity and is always ready to cuddle them and read another story.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children’s needs are met through a satisfactory partnership with parents. The childminder is open and communicative with parents and spends time giving and receiving effective verbal feedback from them. However, she is not creating any records containing written or photographic evidence of children's progress for families to see for themselves. There is also no evidence retained of parents' views of the service. However, the childminder has a record of complaints for parents to see upon request.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder has a sound regard for the well-being of all children and is gradually building upon her knowledge and experience over time. She has attended the required training for first aid, but has not attended any courses relevant to childminding to boost her practice. She acts upon the findings of her inspections, but has not evaluated the quality of her own provision under the five outcomes for children. Vetting procedures were undertaken by Cheshire county council when the childminder registered, but she now also has Criminal Records Bureau disclosures for her adult children who live at home. This provides evidence of their suitability to be around minded children.

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Organisation

The childminder has a clear sense of purpose and direction and uses her time and resources very well to support children's care, learning and play. She manages the daily routine, utilising written timetables, showing exactly who is coming and when, and where she plans to go. This ensures that all children have their individual needs met, are well stimulated and have her attention for the maximum amount of time possible.

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Organisation

Most procedures work well in practice to promote children’s health, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution. For example, all necessary parent agreements, child details and records of accidents, medication and incidents are kept with each child's record and are well organised and easily accessible. There are also well organised files of certificates and useful information, but no policies or procedures, menus or activity plans to give prospective parents a flavour of the childminder's service. Nevertheless, information about how to contact Ofsted is prominently displayed for parents.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

There were five recommendations made at the inspection in April 2004. These have been satisfactorily completed and help to secure children's health and safety in the setting. The childminder has obtained Criminal Records Bureau checks for all those in the household who are over 16; she has ascertained from the local authority that there is no planning consent needed for childminding over six children (who are aged over eight years); she has restored the stair gate to prevent access to the stairs; she obtains written permission from parents before giving medication to children; and she has obtained, and become conversant with the procedures for what to do if you're worried that a child is being abused.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Ofsted received concerns relating to National Standard 6, Safety and National Standard 1, Suitable person. An Ofsted Early Years childcare inspector visited the provision on 24 April 2006. An action was raised on National Standard 1 concerning keeping to registered numbers. This is satisfactorily met by the registered provider and she remains qualified for registration.

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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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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 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

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • devise and practise an emergency escape plan • obtain parental permission for children to use the large trampoline • ensure that the correct action is taken by the provider if an allegation of abuse is made against her • obtain and make use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework • provide resources to show children positive images of people with disabilities.

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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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