Childminder in Sunderland

Inspection report for early years provision

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305678 Unique Reference Number 02 May 2007 Inspection date Sharon Greener 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 2000. She lives with her mother, her husband and their children aged six, 13 and 15 years in the Millfield area of Sunderland. Her husband is an approved childminding assistant. The whole of the ground floor, except the bedroom, is used for childminding and there is an 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 five children at any one time and is currently minding three children under eight years. All but one of the children attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks children to and from school and nursery and also uses her car to transport children. She attends local carer and toddler groups each week.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder supports children with disabilities. She is a member of National Childminding Association's 'Children come first' network group.

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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. The childminder demonstrates an extremely clear understanding of how to ensure that children’s health is effectively promoted and that they are very well nourished. This is shown in the way that the childminding areas are exceedingly well kept and through the consistently high standards of hygiene maintained. The childminder is exceptionally flexible regarding catering arrangements which are discussed in great detail with parents and carers as part of the induction process. She ensures that relevant information obtained from parents and carers regarding any special dietary or medical needs a child may have is recorded in detail. She works in harmony with parents to maintain the individual feeding routines of babies to ensure consistency of care. The childminder has previous experience of catering for children with specific dietary needs whether for medical, cultural or religious reasons. She actively promotes healthy eating

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Helping children to be healthy

and consults with a dietician to ensure that meals and snacks offered are balanced and nutritious. A four week rolling menu is produced and is available to parents and carers. Children are encouraged to try a broad range of different foods, including those from other cultures. Fresh drinking water and other appropriate drinks are provided for the children at very regular intervals throughout the day and especially after outdoor or physical play. The childminder recognises the importance of advocating a healthy diet to promote and enhance children's well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has an excellent understanding of the procedures in place to enable her to ensure that children are effectively cared for should they require medication or become ill. Children are excluded should they have an infectious illness and information regarding exclusion periods for various common childhood illnesses is available to parents and carers. She is a very positive role model and actively promotes children's good health by ensuring that they adopt very good personal hygiene routines, such as hand washing after visiting the toilet, following outdoor and creative play and before helping to prepare food and eating. Children have a very good understanding of the need to hand wash. This was achieved through a simple experiment the childminder carried out with the children. The children pressed their hand into a slice of fresh bread and the bread was left for a few days. When they then checked their hand prints

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Helping children to be healthy

in the bread, areas of the bread had turned green. This was highly effective in helping them to learn about germs and to reinforce the need to hand wash and to adopt good hygiene routines to stay healthy. Children are actively encouraged to become independent as appropriate to their age and ability. For example, they are able to attend to their own personal care, such as toileting.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children's physical development is exceedingly well promoted. They receive ample praise and encouragement from the childminder and this allows them to test their abilities and to develop their physical skills within a very supportive environment. They benefit from easy access to the garden and an extensive range of resources and activities to help promote and enhance their physical development. For example, children enjoy playing in the outdoor sand pit and playing golf together. They have frequent opportunities to take part in robust physical play using the large equipment provided and to benefit from fresh air and exercise when visiting soft play facilities and during visits to parks and green areas. This helps promote children's physical development and general well-being. Strong relationships and excellent communication with parents enable the childminder to effectively preserve and promote children's good health.

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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 good. The childminder has a very good understanding of the policies and procedures to be used to help remove or minimise risks to children. Childminding areas are very well maintained and used effectively to accommodate children's play. The conservatory in particular is very child orientated and provides children with direct access to the garden, weather permitting. Suitable safety equipment is in place, for example, socket covers, smoke detectors and a fire blanket. This helps maintain a safe environment for the children and reduces the risk of accidents. Children are very closely supervised by the childminder and this enables them to move freely and independently within the constraints of safety. The childminder completes a visual risk assessment of the rooms and resources to be used before children arrive each day. This process is ongoing through out childminding hours and helps keep children safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder helps to raise children's awareness of danger and the need to preserve their own safety. She does this by presenting as a positive role model to the children and through talking to them about matters, such as the need to use toys and resources safely so as to prevent accidents or injury. For example, children playing in the sand pit are given gentle reminders not to throw the sand. Children respond very well to her and this helps to safeguard their welfare. The childminder talks to older children about road safety and discusses matters, such as not approaching strangers or animals when on outings with her.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder shows a very good awareness of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children and has completed relevant training. During the induction procedure parents and carers are informed verbally of the action she would take if she had a concern about a child's welfare. A brief written statement is in place. The childminder has a copy of the recommended child protection literature for reference purposes and this is made available to parents and carers by request. This helps her to protect children from harm. However, the contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children Board are not available for reference purposes.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder works very closely with parents and cares and uses very effective procedures to ascertain individual children's abilities and preferences. This enables her to pitch activities and learning experiences at the correct level and allows children to achieve at their own pace. Parents and carers play a very active role in settling their children into the childminding environment. This is achieved through a very well controlled gradual introduction of the children to herself, her family and her home. This is highly beneficial and helps children to settle quickly and happily. The childminder builds extremely close, warm relationships with the children. In turn children are exceedingly well at ease and exceptionally relaxed in the company of the childminder and respond extremely well to her. They are most enthusiastic and thoroughly enjoy taking part in a wealth of play activities and experiences and are supported most effectively

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

by the childminder. Her sensitive approach and the ample praise she gives to children helps them to develop very positive self esteem and they show very good levels of self confidence. Independence skills are particularly well nurtured. Children are given the scope to use their initiative and become increasingly independent during varied, purposeful and developmentally appropriate activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder has a very clear knowledge of child development. She has completed training in respect of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and implements this positively to underpin

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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 her care of younger children. The childminder provides opportunities that enable children across all age ranges to make excellent progress. Resources are frequently changed to constantly keep children interested, stimulated and engaged. She provides a very good variety of adult led activities, such as singing, story telling, cookery and outings, whilst allowing children ample opportunity to initiate their own play and learn through exploration.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder has some experience of caring for children from different ethnic minority backgrounds and of caring for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. She has completed relevant training, for example, an introduction to the Disability Act and training in relation to supporting speech and language development in young children. This helps to inform and support her practice. She has a very good awareness of such matters and recognises the importance of promoting equality of opportunity. A good selection of resources and activities are provided to help raise children awareness of diversity. For example, children visited Newcastle to watch some celebrations for Chinese New Year, went for a meal in a Chinese restaurant, grew Chinese herbs and older children tried their hand at writing in Chinese.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder shows a very good understanding of behaviour management. She uses suitable strategies in a very calm and consistent manner to manage children's behaviour in keeping with the child's age and stage of development. The childminder recognises the importance of acknowledging and praising children's good behaviour so as to promote and reinforce positive behaviour. Children respond very well to her and their behaviour is very good.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder understands the benefits of working in harmony with parents and carers. They are told of the policies and procedures she uses and some written information is shared with them. Relevant details are obtained from parents and carers and recorded on each child's individual record before children are left in the childminder's sole care. Respective parents and carers have access to their child's records and are actively encouraged to keep the childminder up to date with any relevant information that might impact upon the care of their child. The childminder uses regular verbal feedback and a daily diary system for children under three years to keep parents and carers very well informed of their child's progress and the events of the day. This helps to ensure that children's needs are very well met.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a very good understanding of policies and procedures. These are used effectively to ensure that children are very well cared for and that their individual needs are very well met. The vast majority of the required documentation is in place and is very well organised and presented. However, the childminder is not fully aware of all aspects of the complaints procedure as stipulated in the Addendum to the National standards for under eights day care and childminding. This does not help to support her practice. The childminder holds a valid first aid certificate. This enables her to administer emergency first aid to children should the need arise and helps to promote children's welfare. The childminder shows an ongoing commitment to the continued development of her good practice through her willingness to seek out and complete relevant training.

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Organisation

The childminder makes very good use of the space available to accommodate a very broad range of age appropriate resources and play experiences for the children. The conservatory in

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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 particular is very child orientated. Child friendly storage systems allow the children to self-select resources and activities with ease. This helps to promote and enhance their decision making and independence skills. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the time of the last inspection the childminder was asked to continue to access relevant training to further extend the already good practice and to continue to update and develop her childcare skills.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder has attended several relevant training courses and has obtained and read relevant literature to continue to update her knowledge and underpin her good practice. This helps to improve the care of the children.

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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 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 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): • ensure familiarity with all aspects of the complaints procedure as detailed in the Addendum to the National standards for under eights day care and childminding • ensure that the contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children Board are accessible for reference purposes.

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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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