Rafferty, Gillian

Inspection report for early years provision

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310672 Unique Reference Number 21 June 2007 Inspection date Chris Scully 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 registered in 1992. She lives with her husband and adult child in Maghull. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children at any one time. She is currently providing care for five children under five years and four children before and after school. The childminder collects and takes children to local schools. The childminder attends parent toddler groups, playgroups, parks and libraries with the children.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

She is a member of the National Child Minding Association and maintains contact with the Sefton Sure Start.

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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. Children are cared for in a clean home. Younger children learn the importance of good hygiene practices through discussions and practical demonstrations by the childminder. They are happy to wipe their own hands and faces before snack time and are developing an understanding of washing their hands at other appropriate times during the day. Older children are confident to see to their own personnel needs. The childminder enhances the children's understanding of good hygiene practices as they are all provided with individual towels and face cloths. These are effectively sorted onto colour coded pegs, which are situated within the bathroom. This promotes the children's independence and successfully minimises the risk of cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder is trained in first aid, which means children's accidents or incidents are handled well. Good systems are in place for attending to children who become unwell at the setting. This means the childminder is able to provide appropriate care until their parents arrive. Children have good opportunities to test and explore their larger physical skills within the childminder's home, local parks and toddler groups. The childminder states younger children are becoming confident to use larger resources. Older children enjoy the opportunities to play football and to use resources in the park. Effective systems are in place, which enable children to sleep or rest according to their individual needs.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a healthy and nutritious diet. Meals are freshly prepared and take into consideration the children's individual needs and preferences. Fresh fruit and vegetables are provided daily in order to encourage the children to enjoy a healthier diet. Snack times are relaxed social occasions as the children sit together and talk about what they have been doing with the childminder. Babies bottles are appropriately stored in the refrigerator and are reheated as necessary. Fresh drinking water is available to the children, however, at times younger children's independent access to their drinks is limited. Having said that, the childminder offers drinks to the children throughout the day.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, welcoming environment. There is sufficient space available to allow the children to play safely and in comfort. Children are happy in their surroundings and are confident to request additional resources, such as the story books. Children are able to self select their resources from some low-level storage systems and are engaged in a range of self chosen play activities. Children have access to a range of good quality resources both indoors and outside. These are safe, effectively maintained and meet the developmental ages and stages of the children attending. There is a range of resources depicting diversity, however, these are not always freely accessible to the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Risks have been effectively identified and minimised by the childminder, which means children can play and move around her home safely. The childminder talks to the children about how to keep themselves safe, such as how to cross the road safely. A suitable fire evacuation procedure is in place and is occasionally practised with the children. This means children are developing an understanding of what to do in an emergency. Clear systems are in place for keeping children safe on outings. The childminder ensures she has a first aid kit and the contact numbers of the parents with her when on outings with the children. This means parents can

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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 be quickly alerted to a problem when the childminder is away from home. The childminder effectively maintains the children's safety when they are asleep as she checks on them regularly.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a sound understanding of child protection issues. She is aware of the potential signs of abuse or neglect and the action she must take in order to protect children from harm. This is supported by the well written child protection policy, which also contains information on the action she would take if an allegation was made against herself. The childminder has enhanced her understanding of child protection as she has attended a child protection course and uses information from the Local Safeguarding Children Board well to inform her practice. This means children are protected from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very happy and settled in the childminder's care. This is due to the positive relationships the childminder builds with the children. This is further enhanced by the effective organisation of the daily routines and activities, which means children are familiar with what is happening around them. Children are confident to seek support and reassurance from her, for example, when visitors are present. The childminder has a sound understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and plans a range of activities to meet the needs of younger children. This means children are making good progress, however, there are no formal systems in place for observing and recording children's progress.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are eager to engage the childminder's attention and relish the opportunities to snuggle up to her and read stories. They enjoy the opportunities to use puppets to retell the stories, such as the 'Three little pigs' and point eagerly to the different houses as the childminder tells the story. The childminder uses stick puppets well to help the children sing a range of songs, such as 'twinkle, twinkle' or songs about animals. The children particularly like the song about the crocodile as he snaps his mouth shut. This part of the song is received with giggles and a big smile from the children. The childminder is attentive to the communication needs of younger children and uses gestures well to enable them to develop language and communication skills.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder spends considerable amounts of time talking, listening and interacting with the children. She is knowledgeable about the children's individual needs and meets these well in practice. Children have opportunities to take part in craft activities with the childminder, although on occasion these are over directed which limits their creativity. Younger children are provided with a range of experiences away from the childminder's home, which enable them to socialise with other children and to explore new resources and activities. The needs of older children attending before and after school are met well. The children have good opportunities to become engaged in a wide range of activities and play experiences, which effectively meet their needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children's individual needs, circumstances and preferences are known and effectively acted upon by the childminder. The childminder uses information sourced from the parents well to provide good care to the children. Children learn about the wider world through planned activities and the celebration of various festivals throughout the year, such as Chinese New Year. Here the children explored the festivities and tried various a range of Chinese meals.

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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 learn about their local community as they walk to and from school and by using the local amenities, such as the library to choose their reading books.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are generally well behaved and respond well to the childminder's requests. Younger children are developing an understanding of right and wrong through discussions with the childminder and by the positive example she sets. For example, by using appropriate manners and being kind to one another. This is further enhanced by their motto 'to care and share' which the childminder states has been effectively taken on board by the children. Clear explanations are provided to the children, which enables them to understand the consequences of their action. For example, if they continue to throw the toys they may have to be put away for a while. This enables the children to think about what they are doing and to modify their behaviour. Children with learning difficulties or disabilities are not currently being cared for, however, there are appropriate systems in place to provide suitable care.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder develops positive relationships with the parents. All parents are provided with a welcome letter and a copy of all of the childminder's policies and procedures. This means parents are informed about the type of care their child can expect to receive. Daily activity sheets keep the parents up to date with what their child has experienced each day. These sheets effectively record information regarding their child's sleep pattern, toileting needs and food intake. All consents are in place, which means children are cared for in line with their parents wishes. Regular discussions with the parents means the childminder is kept fully abreast of the children's changing needs, for example, their sleep patterns or dietary needs and enables her to continue to provide good care and support to the children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a secure understanding of the National Standards. She ensures all persons over the age of 16 years are appropriately vetted. Effective systems are in place for providing care for the children in an emergency. Parents are fully informed of these systems and have given the childminder written consent for her 'back up' plan. All children receive good levels of attention, which enable them to feel happy and confident in the childminder's care.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures which contribute to the children's health, safety and well-being are in place. Although the behaviour management policy needs to be revised with regards to bullying. All records and documentation are effectively maintained. Although, the documentation is relation to the car was not available for inspection. The childminder is committed to the ongoing improvement of her provision and has attended several courses since her last inspection in order to support her knowledge and skills. These include child protection, 'say it with sign' which she is currently introducing to the children, and 'Birth to three matters'.

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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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Improvements since the last inspection

Following the last inspection, one action was raised in relation to childminding assistants and two recommendations regarding consent for medical assistance and the formalisation the policies and procedures. The childminder has provided information to Ofsted regarding assistants. Consent is in place for each child for the seeking of any emergency medical advice or treatment. All policies have been formalised and are shared with the parents. In addressing these issues

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Improvements 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 childminder has improved upon the organisation of the provision and the health and well-being 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 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 complaint 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): • further improve upon the opportunities for younger children to independently access their drinks • ensure documentation relating to the car are available for inspection and revise the behaviour management policy.

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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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