Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY250326 Unique Reference Number 18 February 2008 Inspection date Shazaad Arshad 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 2004. She lives in Wortley near Leeds, West Yorkshire, with her partner and their four children aged 21, 14, nine and eight years. The whole ground floor of the childminder’s house is used for childminding purposes 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 four children at any one time. She is currently minding one child aged under five years. The childminder takes and collects children from school as required and attends local toddler groups. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The childminder provides care to the children from hygienic premises. Routines for cleaning are good, with extra emphasis being placed in the bathroom and the kitchen to ensure the safe and hygienic preparation of food and drinks. Good systems are in place to frequently clean the

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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 toys and resources in between uses, in order to reduce the transmission of infection. Equally, the children are encouraged to attend to their own personal care to reduce incidents of ill health. The children are taught about oral health and have their own toothbrushes. They also carefully wash and dry their own hands with their own towels before eating and after using the bathroom.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children's good health and welfare are promoted effectively by the childminder. She uses her sound knowledge and understanding of nutrition to ensure that the children receive food and drinks that are specific to their unique personal requirements. For instance, the childminder works closely with parents to ensure that children enjoy a well-balanced diet that is rich in vitamins gained from fresh fruit and vegetables.

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Helping children to be healthy

The children's physical development is supported effectively through their participation in a good range of indoor and outdoor activities. For example, children attend a variety of recreational areas for using different larger apparatus. Children enjoy the physical activities and the opportunities to develop their balance and coordination through using climbing apparatus in the rear garden and at local activity centres.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The children remain safe in the care of the childminder because the childminder implements effective risk assessments on most areas of her premises and equipment. For instance, she checks the toys to ensure that they remain safe and she uses a range of safety equipment to effectively minimise any identified hazards within the home. The children are closely monitored at all times and low numbers ensure there is plenty of safe space for children to move around. Equally, good systems are in place to evacuate the premises in the case of an emergency. However, the fire procedure is not practised with all the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The toys and resources are very well ordered to enable the children to access them safely and independently. They have access to a broad range of high quality play provision, which is suitable to address their social, emotional, physical and intellectual developmental needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a clear understanding of child protection. She is knowledgeable regarding many of the indicators of child abuse and she is confident to report any concern swiftly in order to maintain children’s welfare. A written child protection statement is in place including procedures to be followed in the event of any concerns about child abuse or neglect. However, she does not have the latest Local Safeguarding Children Board policies and procedures.

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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 importance of play for children. She plans an interesting range of activities, which supports all aspects of development and learning. The childminder provides individual care to children due to the low numbers. She is keen to develop the children's communication skills, self-esteem and confidence. She has attended training, which has helped her to understand how children develop, and has individual profiles recording the children's development. Consequently, she has taken positive steps to ensure that children are learning and moving to the next stage of their individual development.

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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 Children are offered an abundance of toys and resources to stimulate their senses and encourage movement. For instance, they are provided with opportunities to explore different textures and shapes through the provision of craft equipment and interesting artefacts. In addition, their physical development is maximised as they are encouraged to enjoy free movement in safe surroundings.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Older children benefit from lots of imaginative play provision; they thoroughly enjoy using construction equipment, small world toys and electronic learning resources to increase their intellectual and physical capabilities. The childminder knows the children very well, is able to identify their needs and take positive steps to ensure that they remain challenged and take the next steps in play and learning. Extremely warm and caring relationships are in evidence; the children freely approach the childminder for affection and they show immense pleasure as they receive high levels of positive affirmation.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Overall, the children are extremely happy and settled in the care of the observant and sensitive childminder.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder treats the children with equal concern; she values their individuality and meets their needs effectively. They are freely encouraged to self-select equipment in order to encourage independence and increase their ability to make decisions. No equipment is gender stereotyped and the toys and resources are provided to help the children realise that men and women are not restricted to a narrow range of activities. Likewise, the children have access to books, dolls and small world equipment which provide positive images of disability, ethnicity and a range of different cultural traditions. This helps the children to value diversity in the wider community.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Strategies used to manage children's behaviour are consistent and take into account children's age and maturity. The childminder is very sensitive to the children's needs and personalities. Therefore, she is able to see when difficult circumstances are building and she takes swift action to diffuse the situation. Overall, the children are well behaved because the childminder values them and warmly appreciates their contributions.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Good systems are in place to establish the children's preferences and routines. For instance, the childminder spends time talking to parents at the start of a placement in order to learn about the children's specific needs. She also ensures that they are fully informed about all aspects of the childminding service by providing them with access to her written policies, including her complaints procedure. Information about the children's progress is readily exchanged during daily conversations and the childminder completes daily diaries in order to extend the partnership with parents. In addition, parents’ comments and suggestions for the development of the service are actively sought through the provision of questionnaires.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder uses her time very effectively and therefore the children benefit from high levels of adult attention and opportunities to enjoy activities inside and outside the home. A structured daily routine ensures that children are able to take part in play that is sensitive to their age and abilities. The childminder has a sound knowledge of children's development and

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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 a high regard for their well-being. She has attended some relevant training courses that have had a positive effect on the care offered to the children; for example, the Foundation Stage, food safety and first aid.

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Organisation

The registered premises are well organised which underpins the successful operation of the childminding service. The childminder has clear systems in place for maintaining the required documentation, such as children's personal details and attendance registers. Similarly, appropriate systems are in place for requesting a range of written parental consents.

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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 made on extending the range of activities and resources that promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice. The childminder has purchased a range of multi-faith books and has extended the resources to include access to both genders. This impacts positively on the children and extends their knowledge and understanding of the wider world.

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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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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 all children practise the fire procedure • obtain the Local Safeguarding Children Board policies and procedures.

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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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