Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY348214 Unique Reference Number 20 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 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 2007. She lives with her husband and two children aged 16 months and eight years in the Hylton Castle area of Sunderland. The whole of the ground floor, the bathroom located on the first floor and the second floor playroom of the childminder’s house are used for childminding purposes. There are enclosed gardens for outside play. The family has two pet hamsters.

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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 six children under eight years. The children attend on a part-time basis, some before and after school. The childminder walks children to and from local schools and also transports children in her car. She regularly attends local carer and toddler groups several times each week. The childminder supports children with learning difficulties and disabilities.

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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 good. The childminder presents as a positive role model to the children and promotes good personal hygiene practices. For example, children hand wash before eating, after using the toilet and following creative or outdoor play. Older children are encouraged to help clean the table before meals and this helps nurture an awareness of positive hygiene routines. The rooms used for childminding purposes are very clean and very well maintained. The childminder has a clear understanding of related policies and procedures, such as, caring for a sick child, nappy changing and the administration of medication. These procedures are used efficiently to help to promote and preserve the children's health and well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder acknowledges the positive benefits of fresh air and exercise for children. Regular opportunities for physical play both indoors and outdoors are provided. For example, outdoors children are able to play in the garden with a very broad selection of resources and equipment to promote their physical development. They are regular visitors to local parks, green areas and soft play facilities. Younger children attend the local Sure Start Centre to take part in the 'Busy-body' physical play activities offered each week. Indoors children enjoy dancing and action games. Children are given lots of encouragement and are praised readily by the childminder. They are able to test their abilities and to develop their physical skills in a very supportive environment. All children are able to rest or sleep according to their individual needs. This helps to promote and nurture their physical development and well-being.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder is very flexible in relation to catering arrangements and works in close harmony with parents and carers to ensure that children's individual dietary requirements are very well met. She discusses in detail with parents and carers children's needs and relevant information is recorded. A weekly menu is provided and shared with parent and carers. The childminder has a clear understanding of the importance of adhering to the dietary wishes of parents and carers, whether for medical, cultural or religious reasons or their lifestyle choices. She has experience of catering for children with specific dietary needs, such as, those from different ethnic backgrounds. Babies and very young children are fed in keeping with their individual routines. The childminder shows a very good understanding of the need to ensure that children are well nourished. They are actively encouraged to eat a varied, healthy diet including fresh vegetables,

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Helping children to be healthy

fruit and home-made soups. Children are offered appropriate drinks at regular intervals throughout the day. This helps promote and preserve their welfare.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The childminder has a very good understanding of relevant policies and procedures and has completed safety management training. She makes effective use of these to help remove or minimise risks to children. Childminding areas are very well maintained and used effectively to accommodate children's play. Suitable safety equipment is in place, such as, socket covers, smoke detectors, a fireguard and a fire blanket. The childminder completes a visual risk assessment of the rooms and resources to be used before children's arrival each day. This process is ongoing throughout childminding hours and helps to maintain a safe environment for the children. Hazardous items, such as cleaning fluids, medication and sharp utensils are stored beyond children's reach. Children are very closely supervised by the childminder as they move freely from room to room.

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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 The childminder shows a clear understanding of her role with regard to safeguarding children and has completed relevant training. She explains her responsibility and the action she would take if she had a concern about a child's welfare to parents and carers during the induction process. A written policy statement is shared with them. 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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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 and that of others. She does this by presenting as a positive role model to the children and through talking to them about matters, such as, road safety and the need to stay very close to her during outings. The childminder sets consistent boundaries for the children. The ground rules and the reasons for them are explained simply to them as appropriate to their age and level of understanding. Where necessary ground rules are reinforced and reminders given of the reasons. For example, young children are gently reminded not to climb on furniture because it is not safe. Children respond positively to this and this helps keep them safe.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is outstanding. The childminder builds exceedingly close, warm relationships with the children and they are extremely relaxed and most happy and contented in her care. Children are very active and interested in the activities and resources made readily accessible to them. They are able to make independent choices about their play and self-select and use resources with confidence and purpose. For example, a child of two years thoroughly enjoyed decorating a small container using glue and coloured paper. This was then filled with dry pasta to make a sound-shaker. The child showed confidence and increasing dexterity when manipulating the small pieces of paper and applying the glue. The childminder actively encouraged the child to names colours and shapes of the various paper pieces they were using. The child did this correctly with confidence and was enthusiastically praised by the childminder. This manner of interaction

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

helps to effectively promote and reinforce children's learning and to nurture their confidence and positive self-esteem.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder has completed training in respect of the 'Birth to three matters' and the 'Birth to five' frameworks and uses these exceedingly well to support children's learning and development. She has an excellent understanding of the individual abilities and preferences of the children placed in her care. She has obtained this knowledge through her effective ongoing communication with parents and carers, her own observation of the children and discussion with them. This enables her to plan and provide an extremely good variety of age appropriate activities and learning opportunities for all of the children. Children are able to take part in activities at their own level and achieve at their own pace in an exceptionally stimulating and supportive environment. The childminder ensures that an excellent variety of adult-led activities is included in the daily routine for children, such as singing, story telling,

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

outings, cookery and additional creative activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are taken on a variety of outings. For example, they visit local shops, parks, green areas, the library and museums. These outings provide additional social and learning experiences for the children and increase their knowledge of the local environment and the natural and wider world. Younger children regularly attend local carer and toddler groups several times each week. This gives them additional opportunities for peer group interaction and socialisation.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder has very good understanding of the need to promote all aspects of equal opportunity. A broad range of resources and activities are provided to help raise children's awareness of diversity. For example, dolls, play figures, jig-saws, dressing-up items and books. Some of the books are written in dual language text and help raise children's awareness of other languages. The childminder provides activities that help children to recognise and celebrate festivals from other cultures. The childminder has previous experience of caring for children from different ethnic backgrounds. She has a good understanding of caring for children with learning difficulties and disabilities and has done so in the past. The childminder holds a Level 2 certificate in British Sign Language.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder shows a clear understanding of behaviour management and has completed relevant training. Appropriate strategies are used in a very calm and consistent manner to manage children's behaviour. For example, distraction tactics are used with very young children and reminders and explanations of the rules are used with older children. The childminder uses the recognition and praise of children's good behaviour as a way to reinforce and promote such behaviour. Children respond positively to her and their behaviour is very good.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works very closely with parents and carers to introduce children to herself, her family and home. During the induction process parents and carers are asked to carry out a number of visits with their children to her home. This enables all parties to become familiar with each other. Children are introduced gradually into her care and this helps them to settle very well. The childminder talks to parents and carers about the policies and procedures she uses and shares written policy statements with them. Other relevant information, such as, the registration certificate, the Ofsted poster, weekly activity plan and the weekly menu are displayed clearly for their benefit. Pertinent information about the children is gleaned from parents and carers and recorded on each child's individual file before they are left in the childminder's sole care. The childminder uses regular verbal feedback to keep parents and carers very well informed

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Helping children make a positive contribution

of their child's progress and the events of the day. Respective parents and carers have access to their child's records and are asked to keep the childminder up to date with any relevant information that might impact upon the care of their child. This helps to ensure that children's evolving needs continue to be very well met.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a very good understanding of policies and procedures. She makes effective use of them to ensure that children are very well cared for and that their individual needs are very well met. The required documentation is in place and is efficiently organised and very well presented. This helps to support operational procedures. However, the record of children's attendance is not consistently maintained each day. The childminder holds a valid first aid certificate. She ensures that her first aid certificate is renewed in good time so as to enable her to administer emergency first aid to children should the need arise.

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Organisation

The childminder is very committed to the continued development of her skills and good practice. This is shown through her willingness to seek out and complete relevant training. For example, she has completed training regarding the 'Birth to three matters' framework and the 'Early Years Foundation Stage, Setting the standards for Learning, Development and Care for children

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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 from birth to five'. She uses these frameworks effectively to support her practice and to nurture and enhance children’s learning and development.

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Organisation

The childminder makes very good use of the space available to facilitate children's play. They are able to self-select their own resources and make choices about their activities. This helps to promote and nurture their decision making and independence skills. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since registration 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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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 the record of children's attendance is completed consistently each day so as to maintain an accurate and up-to-date record at all times.

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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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