Childminder in Kirklees

Inspection report for early years provision

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310980 Unique Reference Number 26 February 2008 Inspection date Angela Margaret Ellis 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 1995. She is registered to care for six children and currently has six children on roll. All the children attend on a part-time basis.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder lives with her family in the village of New Mill close to Huddersfield town. All of the ground floor is used for childminding and includes the hall, lounge, dining room and kitchen. The bathroom is on the first floor. There is an enclosed area available for outside play. The childminding home is close to public transport links. The family has a pet dog.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder has an early years qualification and receives support from the local authority.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children's health is satisfactorily promoted because the childminder follows appropriate health and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures. She has all of the required records in place to gather information from parents regarding medical needs, dietary requirements and allergies.

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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 Written consent from parents for the seeking of any emergency medical advice or treatment is in place.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children learn about personal hygiene through their daily routines because the childminder regularly reinforces suitable hygiene practices. For example, children are reminded to wash their hands before and after eating and after going to the toilet. However, a communal towel is being used by them for hand drying, therefore, posing a risk of cross infection.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children enjoy a varied balance of nutritious snacks and drinks because the childminder provides plenty of fruit and vegetables. Children eat together at the table which promotes a relaxed social time and they are encouraged to eat at their own pace and enjoy their food. Children are encouraged to take part in the preparation; for example, by spreading the pancakes with their favourite topping, enhancing their involvement and enjoyment in mealtimes.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children make good progress in their physical development because the childminder provides a good range of physical activities indoors, outdoors and on outings. They have access to a variety of large and small equipment in the garden and at parks. This helps them gain confidence and enjoy moving their bodies in various ways. Their fine manipulative skills and control are developed through a variety of activities, such as drawing, painting and various craft activities.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in an environment where steps are taken within the home and outdoors to minimise the risks to children and where potential safety hazards are identified these are immediately attended to. The childminder has a sound understanding that children need a balance between freedom and safe limits and, therefore, encourages children to be independent and feel confident to naturally explore their environment.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children safely and independently select activities from a range of toys and activities that meet appropriate safety standards. Children have confidence to take risks and try out new skills as the childminder provides appropriate types of activities and gives appropriate levels of support. Through observation she learns the children's capabilities. Children learn about fire evacuation procedures because they regularly talk about how they would evacuate the premises in an emergency. However, there is not a smoke alarm on all levels of the home used for childminding.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are protected from harm because the childminder acts in their best interests. She has completed first aid and child protection training and has up-to-date information on the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures. This enables her to be prepared to take any action if necessary. The required documentation is in place to record accidents, incidents and existing injuries.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are settled, confident and content in a stimulating and caring environment. Effective and established routines meet the needs of children, for example, for meals, activities and outings. The independence of the children is promoted well because children have free access to a good range of equipment and make their own choices with enthusiasm and confidence.

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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 The childminder knows the children's likes and dislikes well and, therefore, provides activities that she knows will interest and challenge them. For example, children clearly enjoy having stories read to them and making a card for Mothers Day with a variety of craft materials. The childminder also supports the children well when looking at a road map and looking at which parts of the country their parents are travelling during the week; children were clearly interested in this activity.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are supported by the childminder well when necessary, demonstrating that she understands when and when not to intervene. She knows the children well and has cared for some of them since they were very young. A warm caring relationship is demonstrated through good interaction between the children and the childminder.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Parents are kept very well informed about their child's activities through verbal discussion, artwork, photographs and a record of activities. This is all very informative and demonstrates that the childminder values the children and this has a positive impact on children’s self-esteem. The outcomes for children under three years old are well met. The childminder has attended training and has a good knowledge of the 'Birth to three matters' framework and uses it well when recording children's progress.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children's needs are effectively met by the childminder. She treats all children with equal concern, valuing and respecting their individuality. She ensures all children can take part in a wide range of activities appropriate to their needs and abilities, and is successful in promoting an inclusive provision for all.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children learn about the local community through attendance at the local school and they learn to develop an awareness of the seasons and the natural world around them through their walks to and from school. Children are beginning to learn about the wider society because there is a varied range of resources available depicting positive images of others.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children behave well in response to the childminder's positive and consistent approach to managing behaviour. Clear and realistic boundaries are established which effectively promotes children’s understanding of right and wrong. They learn to care about and respect each other and other things, such as the family dog. Children make choices and independent decisions that contribute to their own learning and development of new skills, because the childminder successfully provides a good range of activities that captures children's interests and, therefore, they behave well.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

A successful partnership with parents contributes significantly to the children’s well-being and provides continuity of care. This two-way sharing of information and expertise allows the childminder to continually meet the children’s ever-changing needs, and keeps both parties well informed. Children clearly benefit from this very effective partnership and settle well in response, which enhances their experience and makes it a positive one. This is evident in the 'thank you' cards received from parents and children. There is a system in place to record a complaint from parents in line with the requirements.

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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

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The organisation of the setting promotes positive outcomes for children because the childminder is very experienced, and continues to be very enthusiastic and motivated in her work with children. She has a very good commitment to training and continued professional development by keeping up-to-date with current childcare issues. Skills, knowledge and experiences gained through training courses contribute effectively to enhancing the service further. This commitment supports children's care, learning and play very well.

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Organisation

Children benefit from a balance of home-based play and outings because the childminder encourages the children to broaden their interests and experiences; this is evident in the stimulating environment provided for the children and her interaction with them. Resources and activities are organised imaginatively both indoors and outdoors, and creative use of space enables children to access areas freely. This includes providing areas for children to play and rest.

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Organisation

All of the required records are available for inspection and are accurately recorded. A comprehensive range of policies and procedures have been devised that are well organised and regularly reviewed to ensure they reflect the service offered. This contributes effectively to children’s well-being. Confidentiality is maintained because documents are kept secure. 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

Progress has been made since the last inspection. The childminder agreed to improve aspects of documentation, access to drinks and safety. Parental consent is now in place for children to have access to the family pet dog, demonstrating that the childminder has a good working partnership with parents. Drinks are accessible to children as they arrive at the setting and they are offered regularly; they know that they can request a drink at any time if they wish. This contributes to ensuring that children's individual needs are being met. Professional advice has been sought from a fire safety officer with regard to smoke alarms. The setting has one alarm on one level, therefore, this remains an area for improvement. This will ensure that fire safety precautions within the home are in place in order for the childminder to act in the best interests of 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 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 smoke alarms, which conform to BS EN safety standards, are provided at every level of the house and are maintained in working order • ensure that children have access to individual hand drying facilities to minimise the risk of cross infection.

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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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