Childminder in South Tyneside

Inspection report for early years provision

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312443 Unique Reference Number 22 November 2007 Inspection date Sharon Greener 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 2000. She lives with her husband and children aged 12 and 13 years in the Marsden area of South Shields. The whole of the ground floor and two bedrooms and the bathroom located on the first floor of the childminder’s house are used for childminding purposes. There is an enclosed garden 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 five children at any one time and is currently minding three children under eight years. One child attends on a fulltime basis and the other children attend part-time before and after school and during school holiday periods. The childminder walks children to and from local schools. She attends local carer and toddler groups regularly each week.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. The childminding environment is well maintained and appropriate hygiene standards are kept. The childminder presents as a positive role model to the children. They are encouraged to adopt

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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 suitable personal hygiene practices, such as, hand washing after visiting the toilet and before eating. However, individual hand drying facilities are not provided for the children. This does not help minimise the risk of cross infection. The childminder has a good understanding of related policies and procedures. For example, she understands the action to be taken regarding a sick child and the administration of medication. These procedures are used well to help to promote and preserve the children's welfare.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder shows a good understanding of the need to ensure that children are suitably nourished. Children's dietary needs are well met. The childminder is flexible regarding catering arrangements and children's individual dietary needs are discussed with parents and carers. Relevant information regarding any special dietary requirements a child may have is recorded on their personal record. The childminder understands the importance of adhering to the dietary wishes of parents and carers, whether for medical, cultural or religious reasons or their life style choices. Babies and very young children are fed in keeping with their individual routines. The childminder has previous experience of catering for specific dietary needs, such as, children with food allergies and intolerance to specific foods. Children are encouraged to eat a healthy diet and the childminder prepares home-cooked meals using fresh produce. Fresh fruit is offered

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Helping children to be healthy

each day as a snack. Appropriate drinks, such as, water, milk and fruit juice are provided at regular intervals throughout the day. This helps promote and preserve children's good health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children have regular opportunities for physical play both indoors and outdoors. They benefit daily from fresh air and exercise through outdoor play in the garden, walks and visits to the local parks and green areas. Children particularly enjoy regular walks to Cleadon hills. A good variety of equipment is provided to enable children to develop and enhance their physical skills. For example, slides of various sizes, swings, a basketball hoop, balls, goal posts, pedal cars and a trampoline. Children receive lots of praise and encouragement from the childminder. They are able to test their abilities and to develop their physical skills within a supportive environment. All children are able to rest or sleep according to their individual needs. This helps to promote their physical development and well-being.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder has a good enough understanding of the policies and procedures to be used to help remove or minimise risks to children. Childminding areas are well maintained and used sufficiently well to accommodate children's play. For example, the children play with dough and accessories at the kitchen table and sit on the floor in the lounge to complete jig-saws and play board-games. Suitable safety equipment is in place, such as, socket covers, a fire extinguisher and fire blanket and smoke detectors. This helps maintain a safe environment for the children and reduces the risk of accidents. Children are closely supervised by the childminder and this enables them to move freely and independently within the constraints of safety. The childminder completes a visual risk assessment of the rooms and resources to be used before children arrive each day. This process is ongoing throughout childminding hours and helps keep

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

children safe. However, unsuitable items are visible on a high shelf of a storage unit at the side of the bath and unused pieces of wooden fencing are stored in the corner of the garden. This does not support safety procedures.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder helps to raise children's awareness of danger and the need to preserve their own safety. She does this by talking to children about matters, such as, not talking to strangers, road safety and the need to always use zebra-crossings where possible. This helps raise children's awareness of safety and prevent accidents or injury. Children respond very well to the

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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 childminder. She understands the need to supervise children closely at all times and visitors are not allowed unsupervised access to the children. This helps keep children safe.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder shows a good understanding of her responsibilities with regard to safeguarding children and has completed relevant training. During the induction procedure she talks to parents and carers about the action she would take if she had a concern about a child's welfare. A copy of the recommended child protection literature and the contact details for the Local Safeguarding Children Board are available for reference purposes. This helps to protect children from harm.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The childminder has a good understanding of the individual abilities and preferences of the children placed in her care. She has gleaned this information through her ongoing communication with parents and carers, her observation of the children and discussion with them. This enables her to provide a very good variety of age appropriate activities and learning experiences for the children. They are able to take part in activities at their own level and achieve at their own pace, whilst very well supported by the childminder. A good balance of adult-led activities is included in the daily programme of activities for the children. For example, story telling, outings, cookery and some special creative activities, which are often linked to topics or current themes, such as, Halloween. The childminder makes very good use of questions to help extend children's thinking and to promote and reinforce language, vocabulary and mathematical skills. Children

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

learn about the local environment and wider world through frequent outings to the local library, museums, the beach, Tynemouth Priory, Bede's world, Souter lighthouse and other places of interest.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder builds very close, warm relationships with the children and they are very relaxed and at ease in her care. Children are interested in the activities and resources made readily accessible to them and self-select resources readily. Their independence skills and decision making skills are very well nurtured according to their age and ability. For example, children thoroughly enjoyed collecting blankets and used them to make a tent in the lounge by draping them over the chair and sofa. The childminder makes positive use of praise to promote and nurture children's self-esteem. For example, a young child's ability to recognise and name the colour of the dough she was playing with was praised by the childminder. The child beamed with pride and delight in response to this acknowledgment.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The childminder has satisfactory awareness of equal opportunity. A reasonable selection of resources and activities is provided to help raise children’s awareness of diversity. However, those to help address issues such as disability and gender are limited. The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of caring for children with learning difficulties or a disability. She has previous experience of caring for a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Age appropriate behaviour strategies are used very well to manage children's behaviour. The childminder acknowledges the importance of praising children's good behaviour as a means of promoting and reinforcing such behaviour. Children are given simple explanations and gentle reminders of the boundaries as necessary. They respond positively to the childminder and their behaviour is very good.

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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 Childminding policies, procedures and other general information are shared with parents and carers verbally during the induction process. The registration certificate is displayed for their information. Parents and carers are kept well informed of their child's progress and daily activities. This is achieved through regular verbal feedback from the childminder. Parents and carers are asked to keep the childminder informed of any relevant information which may have an impact on the care of their children. This enables the childminder to continue to meet children's needs appropriately.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder has a good understanding of the vast majority of policies and procedures and these are uses sufficiently well to ensure that children are well cared for and that their individual needs are appropriately met. The required documentation is in place and is well organised and presented. However, the childminder is not fully conversant with the complaints procedure and an appropriate system of recording information in relation to complaints is not in place. This does not effectively support operational procedures. The childminder holds a valid first aid certificate. This enables her to administer emergency first aid treatment to the children if necessary.

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Organisation

Good use is made of the space available to accommodate a wide range of age appropriate activities and play opportunities for the children. Time is well managed to incorporate frequent outings and out door play into the children's daily routine. 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 further develop record keeping systems regarding the administration of medication and accidents.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Appropriate record keeping systems are in place. This helps to improve operational procedures.

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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 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): • provide individual hand drying facilities for the children to help minimise the risk of cross infection • further extend children access to resources and activities to help raise their awareness of diversity in respect of gender and disability • become fully familiar with all aspects of the complaints procedure and put in place an appropriate system of recording such information for use if necessary • ensure that the risk assessment procedure is implemented effectively in all areas used for childminding purposes.

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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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