Childminder in Leeds

Inspection report for early years provision

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319937 Unique Reference Number 23 October 2007 Inspection date Rachel Ayo 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 was registered in 1994. She lives with her husband and children aged 17 and 14 years in the Wortley area of Leeds in West Yorkshire. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding, along with a bathroom on the first floor. There is an 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 under eight years at any one time and is currently minding three children under five years during the day and seven children over five before and after school and during holiday periods. Children attend a variety of sessions. The childminder is currently caring for a number of children over the age of eight years. The childminder walks and uses her vehicle to take and collect children from school and nursery. The childminder attends local toddler groups, and the home is in close proximity to schools and a park and is on a local bus route. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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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. Overall, children are suitably protected from infection because the childminder follows appropriate health and hygiene guidelines, policies and procedures. For example, she uses gloves to change nappies and washes her hands before preparing fruit and after changing nappies. A range of health information, such as the hygienic preparation and storage of food, further supports the childminder's practice. Children use separate drying arrangements after washing their hands in the kitchen, which effectively minimises cross-infection. However, they use the same towel in the bathroom.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are involved in appropriate routines to help them learn to understand simple good health and hygiene practices. For example, the childminder regularly reminds them that they need a tissue and even babies have their hands washed before eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children take part in regular physical activity through a range of outings and access to the childminder's garden. They benefit from fresh air and exercise as they ride around on wheeled toys, dig in the sand pit or run around. Babies have time to be active, for example, as they bounce up and down on the childminder's knee or shuffle around on the floor, stretching out to the sensory octopus. Babies are well rested because the childminder recognises their signs of tiredness; she responds by placing them in a car seat, gently rocking them while they snuggle their soft blanket. Warm and supportive relationships are observed between the childminder and babies, which promotes their emotional well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder generally meets requirements with regards to accident procedures and the administration of medicines. However, the current arrangements for storing medicines means that they are not sufficiently inaccessible to children.

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Helping children to be healthy

Although the childminder does not currently provide cooked meals, she offers children a range of healthy snacks and light meals such as sandwiches, yoghurts and breadsticks. Children clearly enjoy the selection of fresh fruit and carrot sticks and the childminder responds positively when they ask for kiwi. Babies wave their arms in excitement as they are offered some mashed banana. Children's all round good health is additionally supported as bottles of diluted juice are accessible at times and babies are offered a drink regularly. Children learn about healthy eating as they take part in planned activities, such as making smoothies or fruit kebabs.

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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 warm and welcoming home-from-home environment. A range of toys is available to enable children to make choices in their play and learning, and the suitable use of space means that children can take part in creative activities in the kitchen or build with bricks, complete puzzles or play a game in the lounge. A variety of children's artwork is displayed in the kitchen, which helps children develop a sense of belonging. Parents and children are greeted in a warm, friendly manner, which additionally creates a welcoming home.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a generally good range of suitable equipment that promotes children's safety, meets their individual needs and supports their development. For example, babies are learning to be sociable and effective communicators as they sit alongside the kitchen table with older children to eat a snack or play with dough. However, a cupboard in the kitchen

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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 housing cleaning materials is not sufficiently inaccessible due to a broken plastic catch. The childminder has a good range of photographs showing a variety of resources and how these promote different types of learning. For example, puzzles, matching games, number books, shape sorters and stacking toys help children to develop their mathematical thinking.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Overall, children are cared for in a very safe and secure environment. The premises, including the outdoor area, are effectively secured, visitors have to sign in and excellent arrangements ensure that children are only collected by authorised adults. The written emergency escape plan is practised regularly and a record is maintained of this. Good procedures ensure that children are helped to stay safe on outings, including when they are being transported. Children are clearly aware of safe practice as they tell the inspector that they must hold hands when on outings and get out of the house if there is a fire.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are safeguarded because the childminder understands her role in child protection. She has attended training to enhance her knowledge and understanding and is able to recognise a range of possible signs of abuse or neglect. The most up to date safeguarding procedures are held to ensure that any concerns of this nature are passed on in a prompt and efficient manner.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Effective settling-in arrangements mean that children are well settled, presenting as happy and confident. This includes babies who have only been attending for a very short while. On the inspector's arrival, older children are in the middle of playing a shopping memory game and they readily invite the inspector to join in. Children wait to take their turn then become excited as they turn over a card that matches an item of food on their shopping list, which they then enthusiastically add to their shopping basket.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder completes play plans, including an activity plan relating to the 'Birth to three matters' framework, which means that children take part in a broad range of play opportunities to support their development and learning. Children clearly enjoy making Halloween pictures, showing good concentration at this activity. They create patterns on their bat or pumpkin shaped paper by rolling a ball from side to side in a tray using orange and black paint; they laugh and become quite excitable as the ball jumps out of the tray. Children play imaginatively with the dough as they pat it, poke it, make funny hairstyles and create hedgehogs. Babies are also given a piece of dough, which they explore and investigate using different senses such as touch, sight and taste.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

A suitable range of general resources are available for children and babies to freely access and they show sufficient levels of interest in these. For example, children look at books, build with construction toys and push the car and trailer along the carpet, and babies lie on the activity mat exploring the sensory octopus and plastic stacking toys. The childminder stays close by for support. Babies use their voices to communicate and let the childminder know what they need and how they feel. For example, they make eye contact and shout at the childminder to gain her attention as she prepares the snack.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children respond well to the childminder who demonstrates a caring and enthusiastic manner and is interested in what they do and say. She supports children during the shopping game as she says, 'Oh, remember that one because you've got the eggs on your shopping list, haven't you?' The childminder talks to children about numbers as they attempt to complete the clock

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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 puzzle, supporting their learning by asking, 'What number comes after two?' She ensures that babies' early attempts to converse are interpreted, responded to and valued. For example, as they excitedly move their fingers in and out and make sounds of pleasure as they chew the mashed banana, the childminder says, 'Do you like that banana? Is it nice? You're really enjoying that aren't you?'

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. Children are valued and included and have their individual needs met because the childminder works in close partnership with parents. Suitable arrangements are in place for gathering information from parents and seeking their views in order to provide appropriate care for their children, including those who may have more specific needs. Good systems are in place for informing parents about the childminder's routines and childcare practices, for example, through written policies and photograph albums of topics, visits and activities.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Daily diaries are maintained for babies and individual photograph albums keep a record of what children do from the beginning to the end of their placement. Parents then take this away with them when their child leaves. Written feedback from parents reflects very positive comments about the setting and care of their children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Overall, children behave satisfactorily and learn to respond to appropriate expectations for their behaviour because suitable strategies are used to manage unwanted behaviour. Children develop self-esteem because the childminder acknowledges their achievements with praise and encouragement, for example, when they have created their Halloween picture or tried a raw carrot stick that they previously said they didn't like.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children relate well to others overall. They share the dough equipment, take turns when playing a game and smile and speak warmly to babies, for example, during nappy changing. Children benefit from a range of resources and activities that help them to value diversity. For example, they celebrate different festivals, dress up in costumes and look at books that reflect people from a range of backgrounds.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder utilises her time effectively and implements good routines. This ensures that children feel secure and take part in a variety of play opportunities that support all areas of their development indoors, outdoors and on outings, such as to Meanwood Valley farm. Children clearly feel at ease as they move around confidently and freely.

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Organisation

The childminder maintains a training record and, along with attending required training in first aid, the childminder has attended a variety of additional courses, for example, in child protection and 'Birth to three matters'. This enhances children's care and welfare and demonstrates the childminder's commitment to continual improvement.

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Organisation

The childminder has devised a good range of written policies and procedures to support the efficient and safe management of the setting. These work well in most aspects of the practice to promote children's health, safety, enjoyment, achievement and ability to make a positive contribution.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 Documentation is well organised and record keeping systems are used effectively to promote children's well-being and meet their individual needs. For example, children are protected because the childminder has completed and returned relevant forms to Ofsted to ensure that any person living in the household over the age of sixteen years is subject to required checks.

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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 last inspection a recommendation was raised regarding accident procedures. The childminder has obtained parental consents to seek emergency medical treatment or advice, which enhances children's safety and welfare.

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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 all 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): • improve the arrangements for children drying their hands in the bathroom • review the arrangements for storing medication • ensure that cupboard locks are in good working order to ensure that cleaning materials remain inaccessible.

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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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