Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY217586 Unique Reference Number 18 April 2007 Inspection date Elaine Simmons 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 is currently living in rented accommodation while renovation work is being completed on her own home after a severe flood.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The house is in a residential area of Burgess Hill within walking distance of the town centre, local schools, playgroup and toddler groups, parks, railway station and local buses. Children have access to the ground floor of the house with sleeping facilities on the first floor. A cloakroom is available on the ground floor and a secure rear garden provides an area for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder co-minds with her mother who is also a registered childminder. Nine children attend over the course of the week, three attend on a full time basis with the other children attending on a part time basis. Some children attend term time only. The family have one pet cat.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Children are taken to local toddler groups and the childminder is a member of the National Child Minding Association and has a current first aid certificate.

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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 good. The children are cared for in the childminder's clean and tidy home, where they are happy and content. She has very good hygiene procedures to ensure the children's good health is supported. For example, children have liquid soap and paper hand towels to use. They are reminded by the childminder to wash their hands before eating and after toileting. She has antibacterial gel that the children can use to clean their hands, when they are on outings.

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Helping children to be healthy

A clear sickness policy is in place and all accidents and any medication administered are amply recorded. The children have good opportunities for physical play. They play in the garden or are taken to a soft play area where they can climb; they are also taken for walks in dry and wet weather by the childminder. She asks parents to provide suitable clothing and Wellington boots for the children to wear or is able to provide items required from her own stock of spare clothes. As a consequence children's physical health is successfully supported.

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Helping children to be healthy

The parents provide children with a packed lunch, although the childminder is willing to provide healthy and nutritious meals if required. The lunches are stored appropriately on the top shelf of the fridge. Each child has its own coloured plate, cup and named water bottle. The water bottles are used when they go on outings and this ensures the children have plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration. They are offered a healthy snack mid morning and afternoon with a drink of water or diluted squash. The childminder encourages healthy eating by taking the children with her to choose the fruit and vegetables that they buy from the supermarket. They then come home and taste their purchases. Children have recently tried mango, beetroot and passion fruit.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The childminder has very good safety precautions in place to amply protect the children. For example, a secure fire guard is in place around the fire; safety gates restrict access to the stairs; foam lagging encases the central heating pipes and foam wedges are in place on the doors to prevent them closing on the children's fingers. The childminder provides constant supervision which ensures children are safe at all times.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children have access to a varied range of suitable, clean, safe, toys and equipment. There are sufficient resources to meet the needs, ages and stages of development of the children, and they are able to access them independently from around the room. The children have a good range of play resources in the garden which have been imaginatively laid out to amply support their physical and imaginative play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder does not have the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedure. However, she has a clear understanding of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedures to follow should a concern need to be raised, which ensures children's welfare is sufficiently protected .

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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. The childminder plans activities for the children with her co-minder. Together they work with the children providing interesting activities that they really enjoy. The children have opportunities to decorate cakes and biscuits to take home to show to their parents, or to share at snack time. Today the children sat at child sized tables, happily threading an assortment of different coloured, shaped, beads onto thread, that had been secured to the table with sticky tape. The childminder offered children support and encouragement allowing them time to complete the task according to their individual needs. She praised the children as they finished threading and by tying the thread around their wrist allowed them to see what the bracelet looked like.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The children play harmoniously together on the carpet with small world figures and vehicles using their imagination happily. The children discuss with the childminder the figures that represent different types of disability. Together they look at the figure with crutches and listen as the childminder talks to them about her own experience of using crutches, helping to expand the children's knowledge and understanding.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder encourages the children in their free play in the garden, and intervenes when they need help in resolving minor disputes. Children enjoy playing with balls, throwing them to one another, learning to play cooperatively together as the childminder suggests that before they throw the ball, they call the other child's name, so that the child knows it is their turn to catch.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children have good resources, provided by the childminder, that reflect the cultural diversity of the world in which we live. She provides clear explanations, when they ask questions about people of other ethnic backgrounds, helping them to respect and value differences. Children's individual needs are met extremely well by the childminder. She spends time with the children getting to know them and their individual preferences. She assists families by collecting children from their homes or by taking the children home and caring for them when parents have to work late. She works with parents and other professionals to support children with disabilities. The childminder has completed a 'sing and say' course, which has helped her communicate effectively with a child who has speech delay.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The children are well behaved because the childminder has good behaviour management strategies. She gives good explanations, and uses distraction, to help children understand right from wrong. The children understand the basic house rules that the childminder consistently reinforces, which helps them to clearly understand the boundaries. Children are given lots of praise and encouragement which boosts their self esteem effectively.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Parents are given good information by the childminder. She exchanges information verbally with them, at the start and end of the day. New parents are given a parents' pack that clearly explains her childminding service, giving full details about her policies and procedures. Good relationships are fostered, because the childminder arranges social events where all the family are invited, giving them the opportunity to get to know one another.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The children are cared for in a secure and homely environment. The childminder provides constant supervision to ensure the children are safe at all times. Her documentation is up to date and well organised. She understands the adult to child ratios, and makes sure these are always adhered to, especially when co-minding with her mother, who is also a childminder. Children's daily attendance is suitably recorded.

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Organisation

Ample personal information is obtained from parents about the children, and these details are kept in a secure and confidential file, by the childminder. Although she has written permission from parents to allow her to take children in a vehicle and on outings, she does not have written permission from all parents to seek emergency medical treatment or advice and as a consequence not all children's welfare is fully safeguarded. All documentation has been kept since childminding commenced and is stored securely. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the previous Care inspection the childminder agreed to ensure the parents have access to a written statement that provides details of the procedure to be followed if they have a complaint.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder has provided a written complaints procedure for parents and has included it in the parents' pack. As a consequence, parents are fully informed of the complaints procedure and this meets registration requirements.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection 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. 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 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): • obtain permission to seek emergency medical treatment or advice for each child. • obtain the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures from the local authority and share them with parents.

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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 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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