Childminder in Oldham

Inspection report for early years provision

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301326 Unique Reference Number 22 February 2008 Inspection date (Kate) Kathryn, Jane Ryder 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 1998 and has a childcare qualification. She lives with her husband and two children, one aged 10 years and one a teenager. They live in a house in the Failsworth area of Oldham.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The whole of the ground floor of the property and the first floor bathroom are used for childminding. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play. The family has a pet cat.

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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 currently there are nine children on roll, attending various days and hours.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, clean home where the childminder promotes good hygiene practices by having regular routines for cleaning the home, equipment and toys. For example,

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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 she uses antibacterial wipes to clean the baby toys and books. She follows good standards of hygiene during nappy changing, which protects very young children from the risk of infection. Children begin to develop good awareness about their personal care needs as they routinely wash their hands before and after certain activities, and they have individual towels for hand drying. Children are well protected in relation to pet hygiene, with good care being given to pet health and storage of feeding bowls.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder organises the day to ensure children are provided with opportunities for physical development. Children benefit from play outdoors in the fresh air as they frequently play in the garden during fine weather, take daily walks, visit the local park and have occasional trips to a farm. They use a range of large and small equipment, such as swings, slides and see-saws, to help make them strong children.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder ensures children are well nourished by consulting parents and having knowledge of their dietary requirements. She has attended food hygiene training and has achieved a healthy eating award. Children are offered healthy meals and snacks and example menus are displayed to keep parents informed about the kind of food provided for their children. Children enjoy meals such as spaghetti bolognaise and chicken pie. Snacks are very varied and nutritious and include celery and carrot fingers, raisins and apricots. Children are able to quench their thirst independently as they access fresh drinking water throughout the day. Children often attend topic events related to healthy eating, such as 'fruity Friday', when they visit the local library for exotic fruit tasting.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a very warm and welcoming home. Space is well organised to promote a child-friendly environment which has ample space to enable children to move safely and independently. Children's artwork, 3D models and photographs are displayed, which promotes a strong sense of belonging. Children are provided with good quality toys and equipment which meet their developmental needs and interests, and also address diversity. For example, there is a selection of books and dolls from different cultures. Toys are set out attractively by the childminder before children arrive each day and she gives good consideration to their ages and stages of development, balanced with children's requests. Children are able to make selections, which encourages them to initiate their own ideas and play.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder takes positive steps inside and outside the home to minimise risks and keep children safe. For example, safety gates are used at higher risk areas, gas appliances are regularly serviced and risk assessments for each area of the home are carried out. Relevant fire safety equipment is in place and children learn to keep themselves safe in the event of an emergency by taking part in regular evacuation practices in the home. Children are well protected whilst outside as they learn about the childminder's clear expectations, such as young children holding onto the pushchair handles and older children walking directly in front of the childminder and stopping at the kerb. Children begin to learn how to cross the road safely as they stop, look and listen for traffic.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect. The childminder has a good understanding of the procedure to follow with any concerns and she has attended training. She is fully aware of the types of abuse and the signs to look for and she has both national and local reference materials. She ensures new parents are made aware of her role and responsibilities in safeguarding children through discussion during the settling-in period.

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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 good. Children are very happy and well settled at the childminder's home. They enjoy the company of the childminder, who builds warm relationships with them, encouraging them to settle quickly. Young children miss her when she briefly leaves the room and call her name. The childminder displays children's pictures, 3D models they have made and photographs of them at play, which helps them to develop a strong sense of belonging within the home environment.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder sets up activities in different areas of her home, which ensures children are interested, involved and motivated in their play. Young children have a good variety of resources which they can independently access and they enjoy putting dolly to bed, cooking the chicken in the microwave and posting items in the giant tea pot in the role play area. They work out which button opens the microwave, set the timer buttons and wait to hear the buzzer before they take the chicken out. They build the stacker boxes up and enjoy exploring the different surfaces, such as the mirror and the shiny side. Young children benefit from the sensory experience of squeezing and kneading play dough and they enjoy trying to use the cutters and rolling pins. The childminder allows young children to lead the play and she supports their learning by playing on their level, asking them questions and by making the activities sufficiently

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder plans activities around a theme, for example, nature, seasons or special events such as Chinese New Year and Mothers Day. Children have recently enjoyed and learnt about the different birds to be found in the British Isles. During the recent school holiday, children enjoyed bird-spotting when they went to a local nature park and compared what they had seen to realistic models loaned from a toy library. The childminder extended the theme by taking children to the local canal, where they fed the ducks and older children made wooden bird houses by gluing the pre-formed parts together and painting them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's needs are well met within the setting as arrangements for their care respect parental wishes and suit individual needs and stages of development. Children develop a positive attitude to others and develop a good understanding about the wider world and community through the many opportunities offered by celebrating festivals, trying different foods and having access to a good range of resources which shows positive images of diversity. They have opportunities to visit places in the local community, such as adult and toddler groups, the park and community centres. They also visit places of interest such as a farm and a nature park. The childminder has effective arrangements to care for children with special educational needs and she is experienced in working in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure children's individual needs are well met.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder manages children's behaviour well. She uses strategies which are appropriate for their age and stage of development. For example, she distracts their attention, redirects their interest and gives older children explanations about their actions and the consequences. She provides interesting activities in order to keep children purposefully engaged and frequently praises children for their good behaviour and achievements.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder establishes good relationships with parents, ensuring that children's needs are discussed and understood at the time of placement. Information is shared with parents through

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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 daily informal discussions and some written observations of young children using the 'Birth to three matters' framework. This system ensures parents are clearly informed about their child's activities and welfare. New parents are encouraged to read the childminder's comprehensive file containing setting information, policies and procedures and photographs, which demonstrate how she cares for children and the service she provides. The childminder has a written complaints procedure and has set up a written complaints record. However, it does not reflect the suggested format to fully comply with the regulation.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a childcare qualification and continues to attend short training courses as a means to the ongoing development of her knowledge and skills. For example, she has attended training to learn more about certain aspects of children's behaviour so that she can better meet individual needs. The childminder consistently interacts with children, providing effective support and encouragement, which helps them feel secure and confident.

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Organisation

The childminder plans her time and resources well to ensure children have access to a wide range of interesting and challenging activities both inside and outside the home. Space is well organised to provide an accessible environment for children, which helps them to develop their independence and enables them to make choices and develop their own ideas.

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Organisation

In the main, documentation meets the requirements of the National Standards and is shared with parents appropriately. However, the children's record of attendance does not clearly show when children are not the childminder's responsibility, for example when attending a playgroup session. The childminder has devised a comprehensive file of written policies and procedures, such as equal opportunities and managing behaviour. This keeps parents fully informed about all aspects of their children's care. The childminder's certificate of registration is openly displayed.

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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 time of the last inspection the childminder was asked to provide smoke alarms at each level of the house and to develop more awareness about child protection issues. Smoke alarms are provided on each level of the home and as a result early detection systems keep children safe. The childminder demonstrates a good understanding about child protection procedures, therefore children are well protected from possible abuse or neglect.

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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 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): • amend the complaints record to reflect current guidelines in regulations • make sure children's actual times of attendance are recorded in all instances.

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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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