Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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219643 Unique Reference Number 24 July 2007 Inspection date Susan Ennis 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 1988. She lives with her husband in Sandy, Bedfordshire. The whole of the ground floor, excluding the conservatory, and two bedrooms of the childminder’s house are used for childminding and there is a fully 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 six children at any one time and is currently minding three children under five all day and two children over five before and after school and during school holidays. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. The family has two cats and a rabbit.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder can support children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities.

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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 cared for in a warm and comfortable home environment. Their health is suitably promoted as the childminder follows sound hygiene procedures such as regularly changing the bathroom towels and clearing up spills immediately after they occur. Discussing the procedure regarding sick children with parents also helps prevent cross-infection. Children's immediate safety is promoted as the childminder is trained in first aid and has a fully equipped first aid box. However, permission to seek medical treatment for the children is not in place affecting their welfare in an emergency situation. Children are encouraged to understand simple hygiene practices such as washing their hands before eating and after using the toilet and messy play. These together with discussions about germs increase their knowledge of the importance of these procedures.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are suitably nourished with healthy meals and snacks including sandwiches, quiche and fruit promoting their growth and development. When asked the children inform the inspector that their favourite meal is currently pasta with mushrooms and chicken. Their independence is developed as they help make their own sandwiches at lunch time. Drinks are ongoing preventing the children from becoming dehydrated. Their dietary requirements are fully discussed with the parents and adhered to.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children participate in a varied range of physical activities, contributing to their good health. The childminder ensures that there are daily opportunities for outdoor activities such as visits to the local park where the children enjoy playing on the slide, swings and swinging bar. Children also enjoy playing in the suitably equipped garden with the bikes, play house and bats and balls. They also excitedly play with water pistols trying not to wet the childminder's windows. Older children initiate imaginary games with the younger children encouraging them to act like orang-utans stretching to reach for the trees. Their rest and sleep patterns are accommodated, with all individual needs fully discussed with parents and abided by.

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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 welcoming, safe environment in which they are able to move around independently and freely. The childminder carries out informal risk assessments and takes general steps minimising the hazards, for example, accessible plug sockets are covered and hazardous substances are locked out of reach. However, as there is only one smoke alarm on the premises and the childminder does not practise the emergency escape plan, children's safety is affected. Children are starting to learn about keeping themselves safe as they are encouraged to learn about road safety and how to correctly strap themselves into the car. They are also reminded about the dangers during their play, for example, when filling their water pistols some water spills onto the floor. They are told 'Look water is getting on the floor. Now be careful as your going to trip over' increasing their awareness of the hazard.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are able to independently select activities from a suitable and varied range of toys and equipment. The childminder sensitively supervises the children's choices ensuring that they are both safe and appropriate for their age and stage of learning. Toys are positioned at a low level developing the children's independence and enabling safe self-selection. Children's welfare is sufficiently promoted because the childminder has a sound understanding of the signs and

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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 symptoms of abuse and the procedure to follow. However, as the latest contact details for concerns are not in place, children's welfare is affected should any concerns arise.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are confident, settled and interested in their play. They relate well to the childminder who uses her good knowledge of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and areas of development to extend their play and learning experiences. For example, through asking open-ended questions such as 'Where's the horse. Can you see him?' when encouraging younger children to do some stamp printing. Following a junk modelling activity, children are encouraged to look and see how the paint changes colour as it dries developing their knowledge and understanding. The childminder also uses her knowledge to give age-appropriate explanations answering the children's inquisitive minds. For example, when they ask if the watering can is full she replies 'Yes otherwise the water would come out of the spout.' Children can participate in the activities because the childminder uses her broad childcare experience to adapt activities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

encouraging all to become involved. Younger children are given more hands-on support whilst older children are encouraged more verbally.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children enjoy the positive environment and the varied range of activities and resources available. They make decisions about their play which the childminder facilitates as much as possible. When the children ask to go and feed the ducks during the inspection they are told they can go after lunch which they mostly happily accept going off to do something else instead. Later in the day they ask to have the bubbles out. The childminder then ensures that all have enough liquid improvising when some run out by making her own. Children are developing their skills in all the areas of learning. Their knowledge of the natural world is promoted through farm visits and their social skills are promoted by meeting with others of the same age. They make positive relationships with the childminder and each other. When one is watering the plants another is asked if they would like to join in demonstrating their awareness of others. They

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

also enjoy discussing past and present events with the childminder informing her that 'You need a new paddling pool. It's too small.'

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued and respected as individuals. The childminder ensures that she is aware of the children's individual needs and meets them positively. Daily conversations with parents ensure that all parties are fully informed about their child's development and care. The children have a trusting and caring relationship with the childminder, coming to her for security and reassurance when needed. When feeling a bit unsure children easily approach the childminder for a reassuring cuddle demonstrating their trust and comfort in the environment. Children's behaviour is positive, being reinforced by the childminder's secure understanding of consistent and age-appropriate strategies. Distraction techniques are suitably used together with explanations and reasoning. Basic boundaries help the children understand what is expected of them, for example, no jumping on the furniture and no drinks in the living room. They are

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Helping children make a positive contribution

also beginning to take responsibility for their own actions. When children start squirting each other with water they are asked not to as they will get cold. When they continue the childminder says 'Please don't or I'll take them away until later.' Children then respond as asked.

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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 Children's understanding of the wider community is generally increased by the childminder providing some resources and activities that positively promote diversity in society such as books, play figures and small world resources. However, a lack of activities promoting the wider world is limiting the children's understanding. The childminder has some experience in caring for children with disabilities and/or learning difficulties and is able to effectively care for all children discussing the level of care required with the parents and ensuring that all children's individual needs are met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children's needs and welfare are suitably met because the childminder has a sound relationship with parents. Initial visits ensure that attitudes on both sides are fully discussed and the use of contracts ensures that most relevant information is recorded. However, parents are not informed about the complaints procedure potentially affecting their positive working relationship with the childminder should concerns arise.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder suitably organises her work, helping children feel comfortable, relaxed and secure. They are confident and settled in their play. The individual needs of all the children are positively met by the childminder's use of written documentation, ensuring that most relevant information is in place. However, some children's actual times of attendance are not correctly recorded affecting their welfare should any incidents occur.

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Organisation

The childminder uses her varied childcare knowledge to assist her in planning a safe, stimulating and caring environment for the children. She provides a valued consistency of care having cared for some children from when they were babies through to being at school. Both the parents and children show their appreciation of this through comments such as 'She is a wonderful childminder' and 'She is very good.' The childminder ensures that the children are offered a varied range of activities that all are able to participate in. Overall, children's needs are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to develop a portfolio to aid the sharing of information with parents. A folder is now in place which parents see at the start of the placement enhancing the relationship between themselves and the childminder therefore providing a more settled environment for the children.

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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): • obtain parental permission to seek emergency medical advice or treatment • increase knowledge of the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures • ensure that smoke alarms, which conform to BS EN safety standards, are provided at every level of the house and regularly practise the emergency escape plan • provide resources and activities promoting children's understanding of the wider world • make the complaints procedure more readily accessible to parents • ensure that actual times of attendance are recorded for all children.

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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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