Childminder in Sheffield

Inspection report for early years provision

p.1

300051 Unique Reference Number 14 May 2007 Inspection date Geneen Yvonne Hulse-Brown Inspector

p.1

Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

p.1

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

p.1

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.

p.2

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

p.2

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.

p.2

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.2

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.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has been registered since 1985. She lives with her family in a detached property in Sheffield. Local shops, schools and parks are within walking distance. The childminder has two daughters aged 16 and 22 years old.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding, this includes the dining room, playroom, downstairs toilet and conservatory. Children have access to a fully enclosed area for outdoor play to the rear of the property. The family has two dogs. Children are escorted to and from local schools.

p.2

WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

She is registered to care for six children at any one time and is currently minding seven children who attend on a full and part time basis.

p.2

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

p.2

Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of fun activities, which contributes keeping them healthy. They undertake regular outdoor activities, such as walks to the park and library to help them develop their physical skills. They take pleasure from playing outdoors and exploring their surroundings. Children enjoy riding bikes, bouncing on pogo sticks and manoeuvring ‘sit and rides’ around the garden. They climb internal steps with increasing confidence. Children benefit from regular outings to the local toddler group, library and further afield to broaden their interest in their environment.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children recognise when they are hungry and thirsty. They confidently ask the childminder when it is lunchtime and for drinks. Children sit together around a small table for their meals and enjoy spreading butter on their toast with small knives. The childminder serves healthy and nutritious snacks offering the children choices of brown or white bread. The children enjoy visits to the supermarket to choose fruit and vegetables, and the older children have made pictures of foods that are healthy and unhealthy. The childminder works with the parents to sensitively support and encourage the children to eat and try new foods, offering snacks little and often to poor eaters for them to try. She has a good awareness of children's likes, dislikes and allergies, demonstrating a high commitment to healthy eating.

p.3

Helping children to be healthy

Children are cared for in a warm, clean environment and are learning the importance of good personal care. They know they wash their hands before eating and after using chalks to remove germs. Each child has their own towel and excitedly tell visitors which colour belongs to which child. Children demonstrate good practice through daily routines due to the childminder's consistent approach to hygiene.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a welcoming and child friendly home where risks are minimised, due to the childminder conducting regular risk assessments both indoors and outside. The childminder spends time helping children learn how to keep themselves safe by talking about good practice. She uses stories and words appropriate to the children’s level of understanding to explain about taking care, for example, sitting carefully on chairs so as not to fall over. Children move freely from room to room in safety, developing their independence.

p.3

Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children make active choices of toys, games and activities that meet safety standards. Equipment is well organised and easily accessible to the children on low shelves and in boxes around the play room. They pick what they want to play with and ask the childminder for things they cannot reach or see, for example, they request jigsaws and dressing up items from the garage. Children have space to explore and choose in safety, due to the childminder maintaining good levels of supervision appropriate to their ages and abilities. They are encouraged to help tidy away and clear obstacles from the floor to prevent accidents. Children enjoy activities, which help them how to keep themselves safe, such as acting out road safety or enjoying a visit from the fire brigade to fit smoke alarms. The childminder has written procedures in place to keep children safe, explaining and practising fire evacuation them when they are old enough to

p.3

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 The childminder shows a high regard for the children’s well-being. She holds a valid first aid certificate for working with children and babies and demonstrates a secure understanding of child protection issues and procedures. The childminder has attended training put on by the Local Safeguarding Children Board and has started to update her policies to ensure they reflect changes to the legislation and comply with recommendations. She has devised a comprehensive range of documentation for recording accidents, incidents, medication and concerns.

p.3

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are well settled, confident and independent. They help themselves to a wide range of interesting and fun resources, such as dressing up and jigsaws, happily taking turns and acting out roles when playing house. Children are very involved in planned and spontaneous activities, deciding together what they will play with. They are confident and demonstrate their independence as they move around the home extending their games. Children enjoy baking and making their own sandwiches. They explore the garden looking for bugs and watch snails with awe as they crawl across the ground.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enthusiastically make choices from easily accessible boxes of toys, games and creative materials suitable for their ages and abilities. They are busy, motivated and absorbed in their play to extend their natural creativity, making patterns with chalks and then wetting the board to see how it changes. They proudly show of the funny potato faces they have made to the inspector and giggle with delight at the reactions. Children enthusiastically extend their imagination, as they act out roles dressing up as Santa and making drinks for each other. They enjoy throwing hoops at a board to see who can get the most, and concentrate well completing shape and alphabet jigsaws. The childminder uses every opportunity to extend language, introduce numbers, shapes and colours to progress their play and extend their understanding.

p.4

Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy listening to stories and responding to the childminder's questions about what is happening in the pictures. They look at the notice board of photographs and pick out themselves, talking about where they are and what they are doing, enthusiastically recalling events and outings. Children establish very good relationships with the childminder, playing games together, having fun and building on what they know. They demonstrate good self-esteem, as the childminder uses praise and encouragement for attempts and achievements, displaying their work around the playroom. Children enjoy regular outings to toddlers, soft play centres and the library as part of busy days with their childminder.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder has a broad range of stimulating resources and offers fun activities to promote children's self-esteem and introduce them to the wider world. She promotes a positive view of diversity, as she takes the children to choose books from the library about other cultures and in dual languages. Children talk about and share home experiences, they are confident, make choices and ask questions. They enjoy activities where they look at different festivals and have fun pretend playing with chopsticks. The childminder takes the children to local toddler groups, where they meet other children and share experiences.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

All children are valued and respected; they behave well and their needs are met, as they follow agreed daily routines. The childminder recognises the abilities of all the children and supports them to try new skills and undertake new experiences. She has a good understanding of the

p.4

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 needs of all children in her care and plans effectively to support and extend them, recognising when children need individual attention. The childminder is experienced in working with children with learning difficulties and disabilities, as she has supported parents through the diagnosis period. She has attended training to support her work and has developed her resources to include a small toy sized wheelchair and walking aids for dolls.

p.4

Helping children make a positive contribution

The children learn good behaviour and respect for each other due to the childminder's sensitive approach. She consistently praises the children, such as faddy children attempting to eat and carefully spreading butter on toast. Parents regularly share information and have developed strong relationships with the childminder, ensuring a consistent approach to the care of their children. The childminder uses photographs to record what the children do and displays them attractively for parents to see. She has a comprehensive file of information, which she shares with the parents to ensure they are well informed about the service she offers. Children are secure, happy and confidently make decisions about what they want to do at their childminders.

p.5

Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are relaxed and at home in a well organised and child friendly environment, which allows them to be confident and initiate their own play. The childminder effectively maintains all documentation in a well organised manner ensuring it is all up to date. She has started to put together files of information including certificates, photographs, policies and procedures in an outcome based format, which are in the process of being developed to effectively support her working practice. Notice boards display her registration certificate, photographs of the children immersed in activities and other interesting information. The childminder has a comprehensive range of policies and procedures to support her work and these are shared with parents to promote outcomes for children. She keeps all children's records in a professional manner ensuring they are maintained confidentially and secure.

p.5

Organisation

Flexible planning allows children space to make choices and plan their own time. The childminder sensitively supports and guides them to extend their play and learning and promote independence. Creative use of all available play space provides children with a stimulating and challenging environment. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

p.5

Improvements since the last inspection

Recommendations from the last inspection related to activities and resources promoting a positive awareness of diversity and children's access to make independent choices of play materials. These recommendations have been successfully addressed to support children to enjoy and achieve and make a positive contribution. They make good choices of easily accessible toys and equipment and request anything they cannot see or reach. The childminder has attended cultural awareness training and continues to develop her resources. The recommendation regarding medication records has been addressed as the childminder has updated her recording systems using individual sheets to maintain confidentiality. This effectively supports keeping children healthy.

p.5

Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 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.

p.5

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 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.

p.5

THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

p.6

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.

p.6

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): • continue to update child protection procedures to comply with the Local Safeguarding Children Board recommendations (LSCB) • continue to review and extend policies and procedures to support existing good practice.

p.6

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

p.6

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

p.6