Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY255895 Unique Reference Number 13 March 2008 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 2003. She lives with her husband and children aged 11, nine and one year in a property in the Huncoat area of Accrington in Lancashire. The through lounge on the ground floor is used for childminding purposes, along with a first floor bathroom and bedroom. There is a rear 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 and is currently minding two children under five years during the day, on a part time basis, and one child over five who attends before and after school. The childminder is currently caring for children over eight years. The childminder walks and transports children to and from local schools and the nursery. The childminder attends local toddler groups. The home is in close proximity to the town centre, local schools and nurseries, parks, and transport links. The family has two birds and two guinea pigs. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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 satisfactory. Children are protected from infection because the childminder follows generally suitable policies and procedures. For example, she regularly vacuums bird seed up throughout the day and she washes her hands before preparing fruit for the children. A written illness policy is clear in informing parents that children with an infection cannot attend the setting, which minimises cross-contamination. However, all children share the same towel in the bathroom.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are involved in suitable routines such as washing their hands before eating, and are regularly reminded by the childminder to wipe their nose. This helps them to learn to understand simple good health and hygiene practices. The childminder also talks to children about the importance of brushing their teeth at home.

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Helping children to be healthy

Although parents are asked to provide lunch for their children, the childminder offers fruit and the occasional biscuit as a snack. Children are offered a choice of a range of drinks and these are left out for easy access, which promotes children's all round health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in a variety of physical activity. For example, they benefit from fresh air and exercise as they go to the park or walk to and from nursery or school. Children are helped to develop confidence in their physical skills as they use a range of equipment in the childminder's garden or indoor play centres.

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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 suitably welcoming environment. There is a large amount of natural lighting and space is organised adequately to meet children's needs. For example, they sit and play a game on the lounge floor and eat their lunch at the dining table at the other end of the through lounge. The childminder has a varied range of equipment to meet the needs of differing age groups and this is enhanced by the childminder's membership of Sure Start's toy and equipment lending services.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are helped to stay safe indoors because the childminder has identified and minimised hazards in the home well and fire safety is promoted to a good standard. For example, a fire safety officer has visited the premises to fit smoke alarms and observed the childminder's written emergency escape plan. Good security of the home ensures that children are unable to leave the premises unsupervised. However, a fence panel is missing in the garden due to recent storm damage. The childminder ensures the safety of children outdoors when they are using the mini trampoline through the use of soft crash mats and cycle helmets.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Overall, children are suitably safeguarded because the childminder understands her role in child protection. She is able to identify a number of possible signs or symptoms of abuse and neglect. Although the childminder is aware of the appropriate authorities to contact, she does not have any child protection guidance, including contact numbers.

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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

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Children are settled, confident and happy in the setting, for example, as they talk to each other whilst eating the items from their lunchboxes. Children are involved in an adequate range of informally planned activities within the home and an interesting range of outings such as to Eureka or feeding the squirrels in the park. Children enjoy playing games, for example, 'Simon says', 'traffic lights' and 'sleeping lions'. They laugh as the childminder carries out an instruction without Simon's say so and tell her that she is out of the game.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children use their imagination and relate well to others as they set up the car and airport small world activity. They talk about their holiday, saying that they went on the beach and flew on an aeroplane. Children develop their mathematical thinking as they successfully play a pairs game, taking turns. The childminder organises resources adequately so that they are readily accessible to support children's play and learning.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children respond well to the childminder who is interested in what they do and say, for example, as she joins in with their games or talks to them about the trip to Eureka.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children have their individual needs met because the childminder works suitably in partnership with parents. She obtains required information to enable her to offer appropriate care, and a parent pack which includes information about policies and procedures is shared before placement. Parents are able to freely telephone the setting if they wish to speak with their children and an information sheet, along with friendly chats, facilitate the daily exchange of information.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from a variety of resources which help them value diversity, for example, books, chopsticks and a compact disk game which reflect images of people around the world, the types of food they eat and buildings linked to them. Children take part in activities as part of the celebration of festivals. For example, they make lanterns as part of Chinese New Year.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn to respond to appropriate expectations for their behaviour because the childminder sets clear ground rules and reminds children about these, such as not opening safety gates. Praise and encouragement and reward stickers are used to promote good behaviour, which fosters children's self-esteem.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. Children are clearly at ease in the childminder's adequately organised home and suitable routines are implemented to help children to feel secure and supported. The childminder has attended an introductory course on the new forthcoming framework to prepare herself for the changes in her practice and care of the children. Although the childminder is in breach of requirements by not maintaining an up-to-date first aid training certificate, she has been actively seeking to update her training and is now booked on a course.

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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 The childminder plans her time adequately within the home to ensure that children can take part in a suitable range of play opportunities. Well-planned outings and the attendance at groups offer children additional and interesting experiences.

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Organisation

The childminder has devised a range of written policies and procedures, which reflect mostly accurate information about the childminder and her practice. These work suitably in most aspects of the practice to promote satisfactory outcomes for children. Documentation is generally maintained as required to promote the efficient and safe management of the setting. However, some accident and medicine records are not countersigned by parents and accident records do not include existing injuries.

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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

At the last inspection a number of recommendations were raised in relation to documentation, the physical environment, the accessibility of resources and the range of resources which reflect diversity positively.

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Improvements since the last inspection

The childminder maintains a suitably welcoming and safe environment by ensuring that areas are now clutter free.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children's awareness of the wider world is enhanced because the childminder has obtained a variety of resources and plans activities linked to diversity.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Children's independence and ability to make choices are suitably enhanced because resources are now satisfactorily accessible.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Documentation, required for the efficient and safe management of the setting, is enhanced because the childminder has obtained parental permissions to seek emergency medical attention and keeps a record of fire drills.

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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 complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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Complaints 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

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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): • improve the arrangements for drying hands • ensure that accident and medicine records are consistently completed to include all requirements and keep a record of existing injuries • improve the security of the garden and ensure that child protection documentation is available • confirm to Ofsted in writing when the planned first aid course is completed.

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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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