Bell, Nicola

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY221161 Inspection date 11 October 2005 Inspector Claire, Alexandra Parnell

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Type of inspection Childcare Type of care Childminding

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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 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 has been registered since 1998. She lives with her husband and two school aged children. They live in a house in a semi-rural location in Maidstone. Children have access to the lounge and dining area, kitchen and upstairs bathroom. There is a large garden available for outside play.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

She is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time. Currently, she is minding a total of three children, two of which are under five years and the other is of school age.

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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 The family have three cats and rabbits. The childminder has access to local parks, schools, and pre-schools. She makes regular visits to toddler group and music workshops for children. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She holds an NVQ level two qualification in early years practice.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children develop an understanding for good hygiene practice throughout everyday routine situations, such as washing hands before and after eating, independent toileting and when handling animals. They play in an appropriately and regularly cleaned environment, therefore promoting their ongoing hygiene awareness. Children learn about keeping clean and have appropriate spare clothes and protection, through the use of aprons to ensure that they are kept clean and dry during meal times, water play and when toileting accidents occur. Children's health needs are met through sufficient documentation of accident, medication administration and dietary requirements. Children learn about healthy eating through discussion, healthy choices of food and regular opportunities to entice them to try new foods and tastes. They confidently express their views about their preferences for food and can make decisions as to

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Helping children to be healthy

what to eat, from a healthy range of choices. They choose when to drink and are offered healthy choices. They confidently ask for further drinks to demonstrate that they understand about the need to drink. Children develop and extend their physical skills when using a good range of equipment and space available to them. They regularly use the garden and have access to a local park. Children are encouraged to learn new ways of using equipment and are enthusiastic about accomplishing, using established and extended strategies and movements, such as the trampoline and the monkey bars.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children freely access safe areas to play in, both indoors and outdoors. They can visit areas of the house independently to meet their needs, as the childminder checks the safety of these areas on frequent occasions and ensures that the premises are secure. Children safely access equipment and toys at a ground level. The resources are appropriate to their age and stage of development. Small equipment is effectively

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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 supervised to ensure children cannot choke on small pieces. The premises is free from clutter, therefore making it a safe environment for children to play. Children are kept safe in the event of an evacuation or fire, due to thought out procedures and places of safety. Fire equipment is well maintained and checked to ensure that it is in working order. Children learn about their own safety as well as the safety of others as the childminder gives clear explanations and appropriate demonstrations of safety. They benefit from adequate safety procedures when out of the premises, either when walking or travelling by car. However, the childminder does not have written consent from parents to allow the children to play on the trampoline, although clear safety rules are in place and understood by the children.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children's welfare is promoted and they are protected from harm, due to the childminder's understanding and clear knowledge of child protection procedures. The childminder has some experience of previous situations demonstrating her confidence to carry procedures through effectively to keep children safe.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children are happy, content and occupied, enjoying a good range of activities and resources accessible to them, enhancing their development and interest in new skills and equipment. They develop high levels of self esteem, confidence and independence as they contribute their own suggestions and requests, and help plan what they will do. The childminder supports their play well by providing entertaining activities and taking an interest in the children's play, asking relevant questions and extending their thinking. Children participate in co-operative play, learning to share and socialise together. The childminder's enthusiasm and involvement with the children fosters their warm relationships, building their confidence in her care. The children extend their play independently, using both indoors and outdoors environments, that have been thoughtfully prepared by the childminder to develop

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

their interest in the outside world. The childminder is aware of the children's levels of development and informally provides opportunities for their next steps. This continuity develops and extends their abilities in all areas of learning. However, the childminder does not use any framework to enhance under three year olds development. Children have regular opportunities to express themselves creatively through messy activities and role play, using their imagination through art work, dressing up and malleable materials.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are confident with high levels of self esteem, they effectively build close relationships and bonds with their peers and the childminder and demonstrate 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 independence skills. All these attributes are due to the excellent positive recognition, interaction and encouragement made by the childminder to encourage children to feel proud of the smallest achievement. Children respond well to the childminder's realistic expectations and positive behaviour management techniques. She works with parents sharing strategies to promote children's acceptable behaviour and good manners. Children learn to respect each other and feel positive about themselves. Children's individual needs are met well, due to the childminder using their background information effectively and respecting and reflecting people's differences positively through discussion, questions and use of images that portray today's society in a positive way. Children's special needs are carefully considered by the childminder. She

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Helping children make a positive contribution

understands how she might adapt her service to meet the needs of children with special needs and disabilities. Parents have close relationships with the childminder in order to support the children's needs effectively, therefore children settle quickly and confidently into her care. Parents have access to a service that promotes shared care between home and the setting. Although parents do not have access to written information, policies and procedures relating to the service offered to their children, the childminder does share daily events with the parents to provide them with relevant information about their child's achievements and participation in activities.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder provides a warm, welcoming and organised environment for children, enhancing their confidence in settling quickly into the settling and developing their independence in choosing resources and activities. The childminder is aware of the limitations in caring for numbers of children, to ensure that she offers a service for each individual child in her care.

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Organisation

The childminder has relevant qualifications that enhances her knowledge of child care practice, therefore children benefit from a personal and professional service. The childminder takes responsibility for updating first aid training, to ensure children are cared for according to current practice. She is eager to train further to complete additional qualifications in childcare. Children are protected from un-vetted persons because the childminder doesn’t allow children to be supervised by people who do not have relevant checks carried out. All required documentation is in place and complete, although some details of children's accidents are shared with others resulting in a breach of confidentiality. Overall, the childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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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

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection, the childminder was given three recommendations to improve her practice. Each child now has written consent from their parents to allow the childminder to transport them safely in her car. The childminder has basic systems in place to record parents consent and the administration of medication appropriately, to ensure children's health needs are appropriately met, although there has not been any medication administered to date. The childminder has not produced a written behaviour management statement for parents information, but does demonstrate good practice with acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. Parents are informed when their child first starts at the setting about strategies and the emphasis on positive recognition of children's behaviour.

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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): • gain written consent from parents and offer advice on safety requirements to enable children to use the trampoline safely. • develop systems to promote the development of younger children by introducing to use of Birth to Three Matters • ensure children's information remains confidential when recording accident reports • consider producing a policy statement to reassure parents of the care practice that is provided for their children

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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 procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements 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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