Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY345256 Unique Reference Number 25 June 2007 Inspection date Rachel Ayo 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 2006. She lives in a property in a quiet residential area of Allerton, Bradford in West Yorkshire. The childminder has two children aged eight and two years. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding, along with two first-floor bedrooms and a bathroom. There is a fully 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 under eight years at any one time and is currently minding two children under five years on a part-time basis. She walks to the local nursery to take and collect children. Local amenities include parks, soft play centres, schools and shops. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are suitably protected from infection because the childminder follows appropriate environmental health and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures. For example, she washes her hands before preparing food and ensures that work surfaces are cleaned with an antibacterial

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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 solution. The childminder additionally ensures that wet clothes resulting from the severe rain are changed ,to ensure that children are comfortable and remain healthy. Children are involved in appropriate routines to help them learn to understand simple good health and hygiene practices. For example, washing their hands before meals and after using the toilet. Children use liquid soap and their own individual towel, minimising cross-infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are adequately taken care of if they have an accident, as the childminder follows most procedures. For example, records are maintained as required and the childminder explains how she checks the contents of her first aid box regularly and replaces the contents as necessary. However, the childminder has not obtained parental consents to seek emergency medical treatment or advice.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder helps children to be well nourished. A written snack and meal rota includes a variety of foods that generally promote healthy eating. Examples include breadsticks and dip, fruit, biscuits, yoghurts, malt loaf, ham and mushroom pasta, spaghetti bolognaise and quiche with new potatoes and salad. Younger children clearly enjoy independently feeding themselves yoghurt as they lick this from around their mouths. All children readily tuck into the selection of fruit at snack time. The childminder explains that when she devised the menu, older children were involved in discussion about making healthy choices and why there was only one sweet option. This helps children to learn about healthy eating and living. Children's good health is supported as individual cups are out at all times and younger children are offered a drink regularly, for example, when they awake from their sleep.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in regular physical activity. The childminder does not transport children in a vehicle, therefore, children walk to and from various places within the local community, for example, the school or nursery. The childminder explains how children had been splashing in the puddles on the day of the inspection. The childminder has a varied range of equipment in the garden, such as the trampoline, swing and wheeled toys, which help children to develop confidence in their physical skills and learn how their body works. If the weather does not allow access to outdoors, children are involved in singing and dancing within the home. Rest and sleep needs are in line with parental wishes and the individual needs of the children, ensuring their all-round good health.

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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 clean and welcoming environment where space is organised well to meet children's individual needs and enable them to make choices. For example, the childminder ensures that a range of resources are set out invitingly for when the children arrive and bright artwork, colours and numbers are displayed on a noticeboard.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children use a suitable range of well maintained and safe equipment, appropriate to meet their individual needs. For example, younger children are kept safe and develop independence as they sit in high chairs and children can independently access the bathroom sink through the use of a foot step.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are cared for in safe and secure indoor and outdoor environments because, overall, the childminder has identified potential hazards, such as the stairs and hazardous materials, minimising these to protect children. Doors are kept locked to prevent children from leaving the premises unsupervised and the childminder is vigilant that younger children do not have access to inappropriate objects, such as small toys. Fire procedures are promoted in most aspects

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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 to help children stay safe; however, the emergency escape plan has not been practised as part of the childminder's risk assessment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are suitably helped to stay safe on outings. For example, the childminder explains that she carries out a risk assessment for structured outings and teaches children about basic road and car safety, such as the importance of keeping seatbelts fastened when travelling in another childminder's car. This helps them learn to keep themselves safe. Older children say that they must hold the childminder's hand or the buggy when out walking.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because the childminder understands her role in child protection and is able to identify a suitable range of possible signs of abuse or neglect. The procedures to be followed, including contact numbers, are displayed to ensure that concerns of this nature are passed on promptly to promote children's safety and welfare.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are well settled and happy within the setting, resulting from good settling-in arrangements. On arrival, younger children, asleep in the pram, are placed in a quiet area to ensure that they are well rested and older children readily start to play with the jigsaws set out on a child-sized wooden table.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are involved in a broad range of activities and spontaneous events, which support their development and learning. The childminder shows a good knowledge and understanding of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and has devised written plans for all age groups. She fully considers the individual needs of the children attending. She does this by incorporating the four aspects of the framework and the Foundation Stage, even though she does not receive funding to deliver nursery education. A range of resources are set out in 'choosing' trolleys, which are alternated, along with a range of general activities, such as small world, construction and role play. Photographs show children engaging in a range of interesting activities, such as making an Easter basket, then engaging in an Easter egg hunt in the garden.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children show good levels of interest in the provision and clearly enjoy engaging in creative activities, such as boxcraft, using different collage materials and adhesive, or painting. Even very young children are included as they sit in high chairs and happily make patterns or explore boxes. The childminder has plans to extend the general range of resources for younger children to include natural materials, once she has attended further training in heuristic play and treasure baskets. Children relate well to others and are interested in sharing conversations, for example, as they talk to the inspector about what they are painting or talk to each other about the picture on their towel in the bathroom.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children relate well to the childminder who is very motivated and enthusiastic and shows interest in what they say and do. For example, children readily approach her to talk about the pasta soup that they had for dinner or to show her what they have made. The childminder engages herself in children's play to offer support and encouragement, for example, as she suggests that a flower could be made with the magnetic shapes. Children decide to make a racing car pattern and the childminder shows enthusiasm and praise when this is completed, thus, developing their self-esteem.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued and included in the setting and are helped to feel a sense of belonging. For example, positive relationships are developed with the childminder and all children have their own photograph and symbol, which links to their individual towel, coat peg, place mat and cup.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children have their individual needs met by the childminder who works in partnership with parents. For example, most required documentation is completed before placement and the childminder verbally shares her policies to ensure that parents are adequately informed about, and in agreement with, her practice. A leaflet has additionally been recently devised, informing parents of other aspects of her childminding practice, such as the types of activities provided. On-going information is shared verbally on a daily basis to keep parents informed about what their children are doing, along with some displayed information, such as the tea and snack rota and Ofsted parent poster.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder demonstrates a positive attitude towards behaviour management, has a consistent approach and a good knowledge of a range of strategies. For example, she distracts younger children who initially do not want to sit in a high chair and cajoles children to share and take turns. As a result, children play co-operatively overall and learn to respond to appropriate expectations for their behaviour. Children develop self-esteem as a result of positive reinforcements, for example, praise and encouragement and the acknowledgement of achievements, such as the creation of a painting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from a variety of resources which help them value diversity, such as dressing up clothes, books, puzzles and small world figures. The childminder additionally plans a range of activities that help children learn about the wider world, such as celebrating different festivals. For example, as part of Chinese New Year the children ate prawn crackers for their snack.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder has a clear sense of purpose and a commitment to continual improvement in enhancing outcomes for children. She has attended the required training for childminding and has attended a number of other courses along with developing her knowledge and understanding of child development through her other post working in a childcare setting. Courses include: an introduction to child protection; 'Birth to three matters'; working with parents; special needs; safety support; and signing for children with Downs Syndrome. The childminder has plans to attend future courses, in particular, training in the use of treasure baskets and heuristic play, which will further enhance younger children's development, exploration and discovery.

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Organisation

The childminder's good use of space and how she organises her time and implements routines, means that children feel secure, are confident to make choices and take decisions and clearly feel at ease in the childminder's home. Even the youngest children can choose their preferred activity from the accessible trolley. The childminder ensures that children spend their time purposefully at the setting and engage in varied play opportunities indoors, outdoors and through outings, such as to the play centre.

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Organisation

Policies and procedures generally work in practice to promote children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution. Most documentation,

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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 required for the efficient and safe management of the setting and which meets children's individual needs, is maintained suitably. However, the childminder has not at present devised a complaints log.

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Organisation

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

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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 childminder 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): • obtain parental consent to seek emergency medical treatment or advice • enhance safety by practising the emergency escape plan • devise a complaints log.

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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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