Childminder in Surrey

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 507325 Inspection date 28 July 2005 Inspector June Fielden

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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 was registered in 1992. She lives with her husband and their 2 school age children in Horley, Surrey. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of 6 children at any one time and is currently minding 7 children part-time and 1child full-time. She walks and drives to the local shops, parks and schools. The childminder attends local toddler groups, church groups and meetings with other childminders. The family have a cat,

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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 5 rabbits, 3 guinea pigs and 2 gerbils, as pets.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children receive care in a warm, clean home. Their health is supported appropriately by the childminder. She ensures that children's hands are cleaned after they handle the pets and before they eat. Younger children have their own drinking containers and the childminder encourages them not to use each others cups, to avoid the risk of cross contamination. She has the appropriate permissions for the emergency treatment of children and records all their injuries. However, as more than one entry is made on each page in the accident book, confidentiality is not maintained. Children eat snacks which include healthy options. The childminder provides a choice of sandwich fillings at tea time and gives children cooked lunches, including pasta or meat dishes accompanied by vegetables. She considers the nutritional value of the meals she offers, having recently attended a course on preparing food for under 5's.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children benefit from regular physical activity involved in walks to the park, which contribute to their good health. They have the opportunity to play on a variety of equipment provided in the childminder's garden, including a climbing frame and swing, to exercise and strengthen their muscles.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children choose freely from a suitable range of toys and equipment that are sufficient to interest children at all stages of development. Their safety is promoted on journeys, as the childminder has satisfactory measures in place to protect them from harm, such as permissions from parents and the appropriate car insurance. Smoke detectors and safety gates are fitted in the childminder's home to safeguard children's wellbeing. However, there are currently some hazards within the home and garden that are accessible to children, such as low level glass, a dangerous plant and creams in the first aid box stored at low level. Consequently, their safety is not fully assured. The childminder has attended a course in child protection to update her knowledge in this area. If she had concerns about a child she would record them and take the appropriate steps to obtain advice. Children's own awareness of safety issues is

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

raised by the childminder. She regularly reminds them to hold onto the buggy during outings and to use the climbing frame correctly, to reduce the risk of accidents.

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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 Children dig and plant beans in the childminder's garden, learning from watching them grow and develop. They affectionately hold the family pets and experience being involved in their care. Children's questions are answered with explanations appropriate to their level of understanding. Whenever possible, the childminder provides any additional materials requested by children to enable them to complete their activities. Children's intellectual capacities are developed by the childminder. She shares books with them and makes available resources to develop their ability to spell, such as an interactive toy computer. Children learn maths skills by singing rhymes and counting objects used during art and craft activities. As a result, children see their learning as fun. The childminder is familiar with the Birth to three matters framework and provides

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

opportunities for younger children to progress by using similar ideas. Consequently, they are provided with many opportunities to develop their imagination and creative skills through activities which involve singing, using musical activities and making collages.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder treats all children with equal respect, teaching them to share and accept each other, regardless of ability and cultural differences. They understand that some children require more help than others and are pleased to be of assistance whenever possible. Consequently, children with special needs are well integrated into the group and take part in all activities, gradually developing their social skills. Parents are informed of children's progress at the end of each day. Children learn acceptable behaviour and receive frequent praise for small successes, such as completing an activity correctly. The behaviour management strategies used by the childminder are appropriate to children's level of maturity and are based on her knowledge of their individual circumstances. Children receive affection from the childminder and are treated kindly by her son and daughter. As a result, they feel

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder is well organised, planning a weekly timetable to show the main activities she provides, such as hand and foot painting. This is referred to by the children and is available for parents to read. She arranges the furniture creatively, to allow the maximum amount of space for children to play. Their safety is assured when visitors are present, as the childminder either remains with them, or ensures that her husband is present to supervise guests. The childminder regularly records when minded children are present. However, as

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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 this record is not signed by parents and the times of children's arrival and departure are not always clear, it does not fully contribute towards promoting children's welfare. The childminder has recently attended training courses to improve her practice. Children's records are always available to parents and stored to maintain confidentiality. Overall the provision meets the needs of all children.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The previous care inspection recommended that the childminder become familiar with current child protection procedures and ensure her knowledge of notifiable infectious diseases is up to date. Since the last inspection the childminder has attended an evening course in child protection to safeguard children's wellbeing and has obtained details of notifiable infectious diseases to assist her in promoting children's good health.

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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 the living room, toilet and garden are free from hazards • maintain an accident record that ensures confidentiality and is signed by parents • maintain a record of attendance that clearly shows children's arrival and departure times and is signed by parents.

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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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