Childminder in Barnet

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY223191 Inspection date 01 November 2005 Inspector Maggie Thorp

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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 was registered in 2002. She lives with her partner and two children aged five and three in West Hendon in the London Borough of Barnet. Children play and are cared for in the living room, kitchen/diner and conservatory playroom, they use bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. There is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The family have no pets. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of 2 children under 8 at any one time and is currently minding 2 children aged 15 months and 23 months. The childminder regularly takes children to local play groups. She is a member of the

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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 National Childminding Association and is a member of the South Barnet Park Childminding Network. She has recently taken part in the quality assurance scheme.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are effectively protected from infection and cared for in clean, healthy surroundings. The childminder is aware of the need to maintain high personal hygiene standards and is careful to wash her hands after assisting children with their toileting and before handling food. Children are beginning to learn about keeping themselves healthy. They respond well to reminders about such tasks as nose wiping and hand washing. However, children's independence in hand washing is less well supported there are no aids in place to help children to reach these facilities. Children's individual care needs are very well met. They are learning to use the potty independently. They take a pride in this and enjoy the praise they receive when doing so successfully. Children are able to rest as and when needed and can sleep in the lounge or an upstairs bedroom undisturbed by livelier play in the conservatory.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children receive good care when hurt or needing to be given medicines. This is through the childminder's knowledge and understanding of first aid and her good health care policies and record keeping. All accidents are carefully recorded as are any medicines that are administered and parents always sign these records to show they have been informed. Children are protected by the childminder's policy of not allowing children with infections to attend. She includes clear guidance about this in the information she provides for parents Children are well nourished and their individual dietary needs are met effectively. Careful records are kept of which foods children can and can not have. Their food intake is carefully monitored and the childminder plans with parents how best to help each child to eat well. Children have fresh fruit of their choice in the morning and afternoon snacks and drinks are within easy reach and available throughout the day.

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Helping children to be healthy

Currently the parents of the children attending provide meals, however, the childminder does cook for children according to parents' preferences and provides back-up meals in case packed lunches are accidentally left at home. She always checks with parents before offering children food they have not had before. Children have lots of opportunity for exercise. They run and climb in the very well resourced garden. Younger children have a low level climbing frame and slide which they enjoy. Older children have more challenging equipment. Older and younger children are learning to master a wide variety of wheeled toys. They bring Wellington boots so they can play outdoors all year round. Children attend a playgroup two or three times a week where there are more good resources to help them develop their large physical skills. The toddlers particularly enjoy the soft playroom.

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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 provision is good. Children enjoy using the new conservatory which the childminder has recently had built. It provides children with a very bright, safe, well decorated and maintained playroom. They have plenty of space for play as they use the lounge and hallway as well. Children use a wide range of play and care resources to encourage their all round development and meet each child's individual needs. Booster seats help smaller children reach the meal table, car seats protect them when travelling and stair gates keep children safe. The children have a large number of toys which are stored in clearly labelled containers on the shelves which line the walls of the conservatory. The variety children have is further increased by additional resources stored elsewhere and brought out from time to time to provide a change. The outdoor play

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

resources are very good. However, most of the play resources are plastic and with a particular function so children have limited opportunities to explore other textures or use more opened materials. Children can play very safely in the garden and indoors because safety is a high priority to the childminder and she has good understanding of making her home safe. Fire safety is well thought out, as is security. High door handles, secure fences in the garden and a stair gate ensure that children are unable to access any areas that are unsuitable or unsafe. Children are protected from hazards by the childminder's good assessment of risks and the steps she has taken to minimise these for example, by carefully taping up electrical wires so these are inaccessible to children. Moreover, children's wellbeing is safeguarded effectively by the childminder's secure knowledge and understanding of what to do if she thinks a child is being abused.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are having fun and learning as they play. They enjoy squeezing, cutting and rolling dough, building with blocks and drawing. The play at the childminder's home is supplemented well with additional activities and play resources children use at the play groups they attend. Children receive very good support from the childminder who gets involved in their play and ensures each child is able to choose the activity they want to do and has help to learn new techniques, for example, using scissors to cut the dough. Children are generally very content and busy throughout the day. However sometimes children lose concentration because activities are not set out in little areas where children can develop their play and avoid being distracted or the toys they are playing with getting muddled with others. The range of bought toys is good and matches the development of the children attending well. However, the opportunities

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

for toddlers to use real things such as hats, bags, pieces of material, saucepans, wooden spoons which enable them to tip, fill, wrap and generally experience a wider range of textures than plastic are limited. Children's all round development is fostered well overall, and the childminder is

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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 beginning to use the Birth To Three Matters framework to help her in this. Children are becoming skilful communicators as the childminder chats to children, teaching them new words during play by naming actions and objects and through the story reading times she has with children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are calm and very co-operative through the sensitive and thoughtful approach of the childminder. She has realistic expectations of the children and teaches them little phrases to help them learn how to behave well. Examples of this are as follows. She helps one child to turn on the computer but asks him to help a younger child put up her doll's buggy. Children getting rough with each other are reminded to be gentle by the childminder taking one child's hand to stroke the other child gently whilst saying "Nice and kind". Children are learning good manners but with a light touch. The childminder saying "ppp?" results in children remembering to say please. Children learning to value their own and each other's cultures through the childminder's knowledge and understanding of each child and the interest she shows in discussing this with parents. Children meet other children from many other

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Helping children make a positive contribution

backgrounds at playgroup and the toys and books they play with reflect different cultures, appearances and abilities positively. Children feel secure with the childminder because of the good partnership she builds with their parents. Parents are helped to gradually settle new children with the childminder. She maintains a two-way flow of information, through daily chats and a diary. Parents know what their children are doing and can chat to them about this. Children's routines, preferences and any new skills they are learning, for example potty training, are all discussed with parents so that children's individual needs are understood and parents' wishes are respected.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's welfare is safeguarded by the childminder's attention to safety and ensuring children are closely supervised both at home and at playgroup. Their wellbeing is encouraged effectively through the comprehensive records the childminder keeps of up-to-date contact information and in regard to children's health. Children enjoy a stimulating range of play experiences and good care because the childminder is very committed to continually improving her practice through appraisals, attending training and working alongside other childminders. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides well.

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Improvements since the last inspection

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 children benefit from the good progress the childminder has made in regard to the recommendations made at her last inspection. The information she gives to parents about the service she offers is well written and provides a good picture of what she provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been 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

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): • include every day objects like bags, saucepans and wooden spoons in the play resources offered and develop how activities are set out across the three play areas children use to further extend children's sensory experiences and foster their concentration • provide children with ways they can be more independent in personal hygiene tasks such as hand washing.

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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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