Barker, Gail

Inspection report for early years provision

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305468 Unique Reference Number 18 September 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 1999. She lives with her husband, an approved childminding assistant and their children aged 16, 10 and four years in the Grangetown area of Sunderland. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding purposes. 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. One child attends on a full-time basis and the other children attend part-time. The childminder sometimes walks children to and from nursery and school, but tends to transport children in her car. She regularly attends local carer and toddler groups and the local childminding support group. The childminder is a member of the City of Sunderland Social Services Sponsored Childminding Scheme.

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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. The childminder ensures that the childminding environment is very well maintained and high standards of hygiene are evident throughout the home. This is achieved through regular cleaning and decorating routines. The childminder presents as a positive role model to the children. Children are actively encouraged to adopt suitable personal hygiene practices. For example, hand washing before eating, after visiting the toilet and following outdoor play and creative activities. The childminder has a clear understanding of related policies and procedures. She is fully aware of the action to be taken regarding the care of a sick child and the administration of medication. This helps to promote and preserve children's health and welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder acknowledges the benefits of fresh air and exercise to enhance children's physical development and well-being. Weather permitting, children have daily opportunities for outdoor play in the garden. A very good selection of equipment is provided to enable children to develop and enhance their physical skills. Children are taken on regular walks and outings, for example, to the beach, local parks and green areas. Younger children are frequent visitors to soft play facilities. All children are able to rest or sleep according to their individual needs. This helps to promote their physical development and good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Catering arrangements are very flexible so as to meet the wishes of the parents and carers. The childminder works in harmony with them to ensure that any dietary requirements children may have are very well met. Such requirements are discussed in detail with parents and carers and relevant information is recorded on children's individual personal records. The childminder has previous experience of catering for children with specific dietary needs, such as children from different ethnic backgrounds. She shows a very good understanding of the need to promote healthy eating. Children are offered fresh fruit and vegetables on a daily basis and suitable drinks are provided at mealtimes. Toddlers and older children have easy access to fresh drinking water throughout the day. Babies are fed in keeping with their individual routines and the childminder supports parents and carers during the weaning process. Information about children's

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Helping children to be healthy

individual health needs is obtained from parents and carers and recorded. This helps promote and preserve children's health and well-being.

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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. A visual risk assessment of the rooms, resources and equipment to be used each day is carried out before children's arrival. This process is ongoing throughout childminding hours and helps keep children safe. Childminding areas are very well organised and maintained. Children are supervised extremely closely by the childminder and are able to move freely and independently around the childminding environment within the constraints of safety. Suitable safety equipment is in place, for example, a fire blanket, socket covers, safety gates, a fireguard, carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and child locks on low-level cupboards. This helps maintain a safe environment for the children and reduces the risk of accidents.

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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 and that of others. She does this by talking to children about matters, such as the

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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 need to use toys and resources safely. For example, a very young child is gently reminded not to suck the water based paint-pen and responds positively. The childminder fully understands the need to supervise children extremely closely during outings and uses appropriate equipment, such as a double buggy, reins and wrist-straps to help keep children safe. She discusses road safety and not approaching strangers with the children to raise their awareness of safety during outings. This helps keep children safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has completed training in relation to safeguarding children from harm and she has a very good understanding of her responsibilities in this area. She speaks to parents and carers about the action she would take if she had a concern about a child's welfare and shares a written policy statement with them. A copy of the recommended child protection literature and the contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children Board are available for reference purposes. This helps to protect children from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder has a very clear knowledge of child development. She is familiar with the 'Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage' and has completed training in respect of the 'Birth to three matters' framework. She makes positive use of these to help effectively enhance and support children's learning and developmental progress. Space is used exceedingly well to accommodate children's play. For example, the lounge is used to accommodate imaginative and construction type play and the dining room to provide opportunities for table-top activities, such as jigsaws and creative type play like mark-making and painting. The childminder ensures that resources are frequently varied and that a very good balance of adult-led activities is included in the daily routine for the children. For example, additional creative activities linked to a current theme or topic, often initiated by the children. This ensures that children remain

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

interested and very well stimulated. Regular outings to places of interest, such as the farm, the sea life centre and Monkwearmouth train museum provide rich educational experiences for the children. These outings also help to raise their awareness of the wider world.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder builds strong, warm relationships with the children and they are most at ease and comfortable in her care. She ensures that children are able to use their initiative and become increasingly independent as appropriate to their age and ability. For example, older children are actively encouraged to attend to their own personal needs, such as toileting, hand washing and helping themselves to fresh drinking water. Children are able to self-select resources and activities readily from an extensive selection made easily accessible to them each day. This helps to nurture their decision making skills. They are extremely well supported and challenged by the childminder. She makes particularly good use of questions to help support and enhance children's learning and to reinforce concepts, such as number, colour and shape. Children are very interested in the activities available and eager to play and learn. Their confidence and

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

self-esteem is extremely well nurtured by the childminder. For example, a child of two smiled broadly when their ability to complete a simple jigsaw was acknowledged and praised enthusiastically by the childminder. This encouraged the child to attempt to complete another jigsaw.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder makes skilful use of her own ongoing observations of children and discussion with their parents and carers to enable her to keep up to date with the children's evolving abilities and needs. This allows her to plan and provide an excellent range of activities and learning experiences at the correct level so as to enable all children to develop and achieve at their own pace.

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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 good. The childminder has a very good understanding of caring for children from different ethnic backgrounds and has previous experience of this. She recognises the importance of promoting equality of opportunity and has completed relevant training. A good selection of resources and activities are provided to help raise children's awareness of diversity. The childminder has no previous experience of caring for children with learning difficulties and disabilities. However, she has completed relevant training and shows a good enough understanding in this area.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder shows a clear understanding of behaviour management. Age appropriate behaviour management strategies are used very well and applied in a calm and consistent manner. For example, distraction tactics are used with very young children and older children are given explanations and reminders of the ground rules. The childminder makes very good use of praise to promote and reinforce children's positive behaviour. She praises children readily. They respond very well to her and are very well behaved.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works very closely with parents and carers to introduce children to her home and family. Parents and carers carry out a number of visits to her home with their children as part of the induction process. The gradual introduction of children into the childminder's care helps them to settle very well. The childminder talks to parents and carers about the procedures she uses and written policies are shared with them. Pertinent information about their children is obtained from parents and carers and recorded on each child's individual record before they are left in the childminder's sole care. Respective parents and carers have access to their child's records. They are asked to keep the childminder up-to-date with any relevant information that might impact upon the care of their child. This helps to ensure that children are cared for in keeping with the wishes of their parents and carers and that children's evolving needs continue

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Helping children make a positive contribution

to be very well met. Very positive feedback about the service provided was obtained through the many cards and letters given to the childminder by parents and carers. In particular they commented about her friendly, reassuring manner, professional standards and the very good progress made by their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides. The childminder has a very good understanding of policies and procedures. She uses these efficiently to ensure that children are very well cared for and that their individual needs are met effectively. The required documentation is in place and is very well organised and presented. However, the multi-entry per page system of recording details about accidents and medication administered to children does not preserve confidentiality. This does not help to effectively support operational procedures. The childminder is fully aware of the complaints procedure and this information is shared with parents and carers. An appropriate method of managing and recording such information is in place should this be required.

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Organisation

The childminder shows an ongoing commitment to the continued development of her good practice through her willingness to seek out and complete relevant training. For example, she has completed training in relation to the 'Birth to three matters' framework, behaviour management, food hygiene, basic health and safety, supporting young children's speech and language development and specific needs, such as diabetes and epilepsy. She holds a valid first aid certificate.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the time of the last inspection the childminder was asked to review and update procedures in respect of complaints and safeguarding children from harm.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Very good procedures are in place relating to complaints and safeguarding children from harm, including the relevant contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children Board. This helps to improve operational procedures and to safeguard children's welfare.

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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 that accidents and medication records preserve confidentiality.

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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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