Childminder in Central Bedfordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 219690 Inspection date 20 October 2005 Inspector Paula Jane Hayhow

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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 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 has been registered since May 2000. She is registered to care for a maximum of 5 children under 8 years, of whom only 3 may be under 5 years, and of these only 1 may be under 12 months of age. The childminder can provide overnight care. She lives with her partner and child aged nine years. The family live in a property in the small town of Shefford close to Arlsey. The local shops and schools are within walking distance. The ground floor is used for

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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 childminding during the day and upstairs is available for overnight care. The garden is fully enclosed. There are three parks close to the family home. The family has fish. The childminder regularly attends the local toddler groups. She is currently minding nine children of whom two are under five years on a part time basis. She also cares for four children over five years on a part time basis Three children are over eight years and attend during the week-end for overnight care. She cares for children during the school holidays.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a warm, comfortable and clean home. They are well nourished and their health is promoted due to the childminder's good understanding of healthy eating. They are offered nutritious meals and all dietary requirements are discussed fully with parents and an accurate record of these is kept. The childminder abides by these requirements so that the needs of the children can be met. Children's health is promoted by the childminder's detailed paperwork which documents most of the necessary policies, consents and permissions. However, the written permission for the seeking of emergency first aid is not sought and a verifying signature from parents confirming they have been informed of an accident and the date is not consistently documented and this could compromise the care of the children should an incident occur. Children participate in a wide range of physical activities, contributing to their good

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Helping children to be healthy

health. The childminder ensures that there are daily opportunities for outdoor activities, such as walks to school or the local park, or playing in the well equipped garden. Indoor activities such as drawing, using cooking tools, puzzles and construction building promotes children's fine motor skills. These physical activities encourage children to develop coordination and spatial awareness as well as enjoying fresh air and exercise. The children understand their own physical needs, for example they know when they need a drink or why they need to wash their hands before snacks and after using the bathroom. The children are able to fully participate in the activities because the childminder has a good knowledge of child development. She provides appropriate activities and supports the children well so that they have confidence to try out new skills and experiences.

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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 welcoming and safe environment and are therefore able to move around independently and freely. The childminder has organised her home to provide the children with their own play room. All areas used by the children are checked daily for any hazards. The childminder is aware of risks, both in and out of the house, and has taken many steps to minimise these, for example, she has

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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 actively taught the children about road safety and fire evacuation, carrying out fire drills regularly. However, some of the hazardous items in the bathroom upstairs could be accessible to the children who are cared for overnight and the wine rack is accessible to children in the utility room and these could potentially compromise the children's safety. Children are able to independently select activities from a wide range of good quality toys and equipment. The childminder sensitively supervises the children’s choice of toys and activities, ensuring that they are safe and appropriate for their age and stage of learning. The children's welfare is promoted through the childminder having all the required procedures and documents in place. These include a thorough understanding of child protection procedures and written policies documenting the

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are very settled, confidently choosing activities and moving around the home. They relate well to the childminder and have opportunities to discuss and learn about the world through planned and organised activities. School projects are encouraged and the childminder aids the children in their understanding of the environment through use of reference books and creative activities such as flag recognition and finding out about the different fruits of the world through the use of the internet. Children enjoy a wide range of activities that cover all areas of development and encourage them to explore and learn about their environment. These include activities such as drawing, construction, imaginative play, music, cooking and regular outings to the farm, picnics and the library where they learn about books and have regular opportunities to listen to stories. The children have good relationship with the childminder who uses her knowledge of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

child development to adapt activities so that they are appropriate and promote children’s learning, ensuring that all children spend their time purposefully. The childminder is particular good at responding to all the children's questions and thirst for knowledge. The children are therefore given clear reasons and explanations, increasing their understanding of their environment and the wider world. The children's independence is highly featured as they freely make choices about toys, books and activities and help out with homely activities such as preparing their snacks and laying the table for meals.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are valued and respected as individuals. The childminder ensures that she is aware of the children's particular needs and meets these well. The children have a daily routine which allows time for them to play, rest, have fun and interact, as discussed with their parents. The children show care and affection for each other, playing together and learning about sharing and turn-taking. Their behaviour is 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 and they are confident within the childminder's home, happily making choices about their play. This is further reinforced by the childminder's excellent understanding of the importance of setting consistent and appropriate boundaries for all children. Children feel secure and trustful of the childminder as they readily confide in her and know she will support them. The childminder appreciates the importance of providing a range of activities and resources to promote positive images of our society and increase children’s understanding of this. They learn about their local community on routine outings to local parks, library, shops and school. The children's awareness of the wider world is promoted well through craft work, and talking openly with children and encouraging

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Helping children make a positive contribution

them to respect differences, for example they share experiences of their holidays, explaining what they liked and thought was different about the countries they had visited.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The childminder organises all aspects of her work very well, helping the children to feel comfortable, relaxed and at home. They are confident and can therefore initiate their own play and learning. The individual needs of all children are met by the childminder through her thorough procedures to ensure that she has all relevant information in place. She regularly discusses and reviews this information with parents. However, the attendance record does not document the actual times the children attend and this could possibly cause misunderstandings between the parent and the childminder thus jeopardising their relationship. The children's emotional and physical development is well promoted through the childminder's attention to detail in planning and organisation of her daily work. She ensures that children are offered a wide range of stimulating activities and opportunities and that all are able to participate.

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Organisation

Overall, the provision meets all the needs of the children who attend.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints made to Ofsted 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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 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): • obtain written parental permission to seek emergency medical advice or treatment for minded children and ensure that any incident recorded and countersigned by parents is consistently dated • ensure that children are safe from hazardous items in the upstairs bathroom and from the wine in the rack in the utility room • ensure that the attendance record is kept accurate and up to date with the precise arrival and departure times recorded.

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The quality and standards of the care

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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