Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY221814 Unique Reference Number 11 July 2007 Inspection date Susan McCourt 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 has been registered since 2003. She lives with her two children aged 12 and 15 years in Lewisham. The whole 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 three children under eight years, currently there are three children on roll who attend on a part-time basis.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She takes children to local amenities. The family has a dog and the childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children play in a clean environment. Children have satisfactory facilities to take care of their personal hygiene, and nappy changing routines are good, reducing the risk of cross-infection. The family has a dog which has no unsupervised access to minded children, and the garden is

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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 checked before play to ensure it is clean. The childminder understands the recording processes for accidents and the administration of medication, but has not sought parental consent for emergency medical treatment, which could cause delays in the event of an emergency.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children eat a healthy diet in the childminder's care with a good variety of foods and lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, and they have regular drinks available as they play. Babies are cuddled for their bottle feeds, and children get plenty of opportunities for rest, fresh air and physical play, which contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children have ample space to play in the childminder's comfortable and cosy home. The childminder has a good variety of play materials and toys to suit children of all ages, most of which are easily accessible to children. The childminder swaps resources around to give children further choice, and provides activities for outdoor play in the good-sized garden.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has satisfactory systems in place to keep children safe and supervises them to ensure they cannot access any hazardous items such as cleaning materials. The childminder has smoke alarms and a fire blanket, although the blanket is not kept in a safe site in the kitchen which reduces its effectiveness in the event of a fire. The childminder has completed child protection training and understands her responsibilities in terms of safeguarding children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident and feel secure in the childminder's care. She has a very gentle, quiet manner and takes a great deal of enjoyment from being alongside the children, playing with them and enjoying their company. Children enjoy the same routine with the childminder as they would with their parents, particularly when it comes to meal and sleep times for babies. The childminder gets to know the children very well so that she can provide the toys and play equipment most suited to their age and development. The childminder also includes various outings to local amenities, so children spend time in the community, as well as interesting activities indoors such as cooking and art and craft.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder has an anti-discriminatory attitude and supports non-stereotypical play, which supports children living in a diverse community. The play materials reflect the local population and the childminder enjoys the opportunities this affords to learn about a range of cultures. The childminder has experience of working with children who have disabilities and learning difficulties and works with parents and other professionals to ensure she is meeting the child's needs.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children benefit from having clear boundaries when in the childminder's care. She works closely with parents to ensure that the messages are consistent and tries to match their approach where appropriate. She shows good insight into children's personalities and treats each child individually, tailoring her approach to the child.

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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 The childminder builds professional and friendly relationships with parents. She gathers a great deal of information about the minded children to ensure consistent care, especially with babies, and uses contracts to ensure she has relevant consents. The childminder provides parents with good verbal feedback about the child's day to ensure that they are fully informed.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. The childminder has good experience of working with children in different settings, has a very caring approach to her work, and evidently takes great pleasure in being alongside the children in her care as they grow and develop. Her home layout makes it easy to ensure that children are always in sight and sound. The register is an accurate reflection of the hours and dates of children's attendance, which meets the regulation. Other paperwork is all stored in one place and all information about children and families is kept secure.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection two recommendations were made . The first was to improve safety in the garden and the childminder has increased the height of the fence which ensures a secure boundary when children are playing. The second recommendation was related to improving the resources for disabled children. The childminder has experience of caring for children with learning difficulties and disabilities, and has worked with parents to ensure that resources are appropriate and accessible.

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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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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): • seek parental consent for emergency medical treatment • ensure fire blanket is fixed to the wall in a safe position.

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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 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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