Childminder in Leeds

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 319768 Inspection date 29 April 2005 Inspector Elizabeth Welborn

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Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Childminding

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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 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 has been registered since 1984. She lives with her husband, one adult daughter and one daughter aged 15 years, in the Alwoodley area of Leeds, West Yorkshire. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children on her own and eleven, when working with her assistant. They work together each weekday and are currently caring for a total of 12 children, some attending on a part-time basis. The childminder takes and collects children from the local nursery and primary schools.

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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 The family have two pets, a cockatiel and a cat. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are encouraged to follow good routines of personal hygiene and from an early age, they are taught why this is important. They are cared for in a very clean, warm and welcoming home, where physical activity in the fresh air is encouraged, by the extensive range of outdoor play resources. The children enjoy a wide range of outings and they walk to and from nursery and school, whenever the weather is suitable, which helps to develop their general fitness and physical well being. First aid equipment is always available at home and on outings, so that any accidents the children might have, can be attended to quickly and competently by the childminder or her assistant. They both have valid qualification to administer first aid. The risk of children being exposed to infections is minimised by the childminder's clear written policy, which she shares with all parents, stating that children likely to spread

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Helping children to be healthy

infection, should be kept at home. Food enjoyed by the children, is healthy and nutritious. Discussion between the parents and the childminder ensures that the children have a well balanced diet, in accordance with their individual needs. The children sit together for meals and in addition to learning good table manners, they are able to develop social skills. They are from different ethnic, religious and cultural groups and the childminder takes great care to meet each child's dietary requirements, whether she is providing their food herself or serving foods prepared by the parents. Children have independent access to drinks throughout the day and the childminder encourages them to take additional drinks in hot weather and after exercise.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Potential hazards have been identified and minimised by the childminder, so that the children can play freely. The children are warmly welcomed on arrival and cared for in a house which is clean, tidy and well maintained. There is plenty of space for them to move about independently. The children have access to a very good selection of well organised play and activity resources, both inside the house and when playing in the fully enclosed garden. There is also a good selection of suitable and safe nursery equipment for the younger children. These resources are clean and kept in good condition by regular safety checks and cleaning. The childminder and her assistant, supervise the children very well and have good procedures in place to keep them safe on the regular walks to and from school or nursery, as well as on outings. The children are encouraged to try new activities, with very good adult support available to them when

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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 required. The childminder has attended child protection training periodically, to ensure that she is familiar with the procedures to follow if she ever has concerns about a child in her care. A plan for the emergency evacuation of the house is displayed in the playroom, although it has not been practiced by the children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are happy and settled in the childminder's home. They are confident in their relationships with both the childminder and her assistant. They enjoy a very wide range of activities, in the house, the garden and on outings in the local community and to other interesting places. The children relate well to each other in small group situations at home and the younger children also play confidently in larger groups, at the local toddler group. Activities in all areas of play and learning are enjoyed by the children. The childminder does not make written plans for each day, but ensures that the children have time for organised activities, free play, outings, meals and rest. The activities are age appropriate and provide good stimulation for the children, contributing to developing their imagination, creativity, language and natural curiosity. The resources and activities are also suitable to cater for the different interests of the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

children. The older children enjoy organising activities for the younger ones, particularly during school holidays. They involve them in dancing, painting, singing and making music, role play and physical play in the garden. The childminder has numerous photographs showing the children looking very happy and experiencing a wide range of enjoyable and stimulating activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children enjoy many opportunities to learn about the wider world. They are from different society groups and there is a very good selection of resources, which reflect positive images of gender, ethnicity, culture and disability. During their activities, the children celebrate a variety of festivals, meet other people on visits and outings and sample foods associated with other countries. General kindness, sharing of resources, taking turns and respect for each other, are encouraged throughout the household. The childminder and her assistant, know the children very well, recognising and valuing their individuality. They identify the children's individual needs through observation and through regular discussions with the parents. The childminder has excellent relationships with most of the parents and they share information on a daily basis. The children's welfare is very important to the

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Helping children make a positive contribution

childminder and she has attended training to update her knowledge about the procedures to follow if she has any concerns about them.

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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 House rules are consistently applied and the children generally behave very well. The older children enjoyed helping to decide the realistic house rules and they set a good example to the younger ones. This helps the younger children to learn what is and is not acceptable, quickly and easily.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children's care is enhanced by the well organised, clean and tidy environment, where the childminder is well prepared for their arrival. She uses the available space very well to meet their needs and ensures that their day runs smoothly, with time for activities, outings, meals and rest. All documentation is very well organised and confidentiality is maintained by individual folders for each child. Written policies and procedures are used effectively to promote the general welfare of the children. These are shared with the parents to inform them about the provision and both the registration and first aid certificates, are displayed for parent information. Overall the provision meets the needs of the children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the childminder has improved safety for the children, by fitting shallow steps with hand rails on each side, at the doorway from the playroom to the garden. In fine weather the children are now able to access the garden safely and independently. The school age children now have a range of activities available to them after school each day, although many of them still prefer to relax watching TV, at least for part of the time, after their busy day in school. The children now benefit from the reduced risk of contact with infection, as the childminder has given all the parents a copy of her sick children policy, which asks parents to keep their children at home, if they are likely to spread infection. The attendance records include the arrival and departure times of the children. This shows that registration number requirements are always met, so that the childminder can give the children

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Improvements since the last inspection

appropriate attention and provide them with good support.

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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

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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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 all children are familiar with emergency evacuation procedures • continue to seek ways to improve the service provided.

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The quality and standards of the care

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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