Setting

Inspection report for early years provision

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EY348414 Unique Reference Number 22 January 2008 Inspection date Valerie Thomas 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 four and six years in Kidsgrove, Stoke-on-Trent. The whole of the ground floor and two rooms upstairs are used for childminding along with upstairs bathroom facilities. There is a rear garden for outdoor play. The family has a dog, rabbit and guinea pig as pets.

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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 and is currently minding two children under five and one child over five years. The childminder supports children with English as an additional language. She walks to local schools to take and collect children.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children benefit from the clear hygiene routines implemented. Discussion of nappy changing routines shows that they are effective in preventing cross-contamination. The childminder uses a changing mat which is wiped clean after every use and nappies are disposed of appropriately.

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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 There is a written policy in place for excluding sick and infectious children and a list of notifiable illnesses available. This helps to limit the spread of infection and helps children to remain healthy.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder works in partnership with parents to ensure individual dietary needs are met. Young children's needs are fully discussed and parents' wishes are respected. Fruit is given regularly at snack time and children have vegetable sticks with their sandwiches at lunch time. Samples of menus are available and the childminder explains how she limits processed foods such as chicken nuggets and fish fingers. This helps children to develop a positive attitude to healthy eating.

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Helping children to be healthy

Physical development is promoted well. They walk to the local toddler group and school if the weather is suitable and visit local parks and nature areas in school holidays. Children are able to choose from a wide range of outdoor toys such as bikes, balls and a slide. Inside, young children confidently explore their environment pulling themselves up on the toy boxes and walking around the low furniture as they develop their walking skills. This promotes a healthy lifestyle.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. There is sufficient space for children to play comfortably and the home is maintained well offering a welcoming environment. There is a good range of toys available which are easily accessible from the open boxes that are set out each day. Young children enjoy reaching into the toy box to empty the toys out exploring them as they do this.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Procedures to ensure safety for children within the home are mainly adequate. A safety gate at the bottom of the stairs ensures that young ones cannot access and cleaning materials are stored safely. There is a fireguard in place although this is not secure and potentially poses a hazard to young children. The childminder provides good supervision for children however, the main front door to the home is not always secure to prevent unauthorised persons from entering. Consequently, children's safety is compromised.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Boundaries are put in place to help children learn the importance of keeping themselves safe. Young ones learn that hot drinks may burn them and that they need to be careful when walking around furniture. Fire drills are practised and there are clear procedures to help children learn about road safety when walking to school.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The childminder has a clear awareness of child protection issues. She has a sound understanding of signs and symptoms that may alert to child abuse and fully understands the procedures for reporting any concerns with appropriate contact details on file. This helps to safeguard children.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children experience a varied range of activities which ensures that they enjoy their time in the setting. They are inquisitive as they explore their environment crawling around to the various toys. They develop their concentration as they sit with the large teapot taking the cups out. Their play is extended well by the childminder as she shows them how to pour drinks which they imitate and pretend to drink. Language skills are promoted effectively and new words are introduced through play as they try to say cake and join in with songs. They imitate the actions

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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 to the song 'Round and round the garden' and smile when they are tickled. Children like to explore the sounds of musical instruments and have fun as they shake the rattles and play the xylophone. Toddler groups are visited frequently and this enables them to develop their creative skills through painting and gluing activities.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Children are happy and respond positively to the effective interaction they receive. They often vocalise and smile to show their feelings and enjoy playing with the older children. Their independence is developing as young ones hold their own cup to drink and move around the room freely.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Equal opportunities are promoted effectively in the setting and the childminder attends relevant training to extend her knowledge in this area. Children are valued and appreciate each other as they give hugs and cuddles when it is time to go home. They have access to a good range of resources that promote positive images of culture, gender and disability. For example, there are books, small world figures and felt pictures showing how people live in different types of homes. This enables children to develop their awareness of diversity and understanding of others. Individual needs of children are fully discussed with parents to ensure that the childminder is able to provide effective care. There are no children currently attending with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. However, the childminder fully understands the need to work in partnership with parents and is willing to seek advice to develop her knowledge and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Effective procedures are in place to manage a wide range of children's behaviour. There is a written policy which is shared with parents. Children are encouraged to share and take turns and allocating times on the clock helps them to understand when it is time to give the toy to someone else. Distraction is used successfully by the childminder to ensure that children learn how to play together appropriately. This helps them to feel secure knowing what they can and cannot do. Praise is used well to help build children's self-esteem.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Procedures to promote positive relationships with parents are good. A pack containing all relevant policies is given to parents including the complaints policy. Written records such as medication are shared and a daily diary ensures parents are fully informed of their child's well-being. Review meetings are held to discuss how children are settling and parents are encouraged to share their views. This enables parents and the childminder to work together to meet the needs of the child.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder has a current first aid certificate and attends additional training courses to extend her knowledge. For example, 'Promoting Positive Behaviour', 'Safeguarding Children' and 'Christmas Crafts'. This helps to broaden children's experiences and contributes to the good quality care provided. The childminder's shows a good knowledge of the national standards with written policies in place to cover all areas. Documentation meets all requirements and is stored confidentially. This promotes children's welfare.

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Organisation

Children are at home in the well-organised environment and the space available ensures they are able to move about freely. They develop their independence as they crawl around, exploring

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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 and making choices from the easily accessible toys. They receive positive interaction and their needs are attended to well with good encouragement for children to play together. Overall, children's needs are met.

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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 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): • take reasonable steps to minimise hazards in the home: this relates to the security of the front door and the fire guard.

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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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