Childminder in South Gloucestershire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY248501 Inspection date 01 December 2005 Inspector Yvonne Campbell

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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 2003. She lives with her husband and two children aged 4 and 1 years, close to Longwell Green School in Longwell Green, Bristol. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of four children at any one time and is currently minding three children who are under 5 and a school-age child on a part-time basis. She walks to the local school to take and collect children. The childminder attends the local toddler group. The family has fish in an indoor tank.

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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 childminder has completed the Developing Child Care Practice course and she is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children enjoy a wide range of activities which contribute to their health and physical development. The childminder's home has a fully enclosed garden which is well- equipped with outdoor play equipment ,such as a slide and a trampoline. Children exercise and enjoy energetic play in the safe surroundings. They also have visits to toddler groups where they use a more varied range of large equipment. Children benefit from being in the fresh air as they have daily walks to the nearby school when dropping of and collecting older children. Children's good health and hygiene is actively promoted through established hygiene routines and effective practice. The childminder ensures that all areas used by children are clean and an anti-bacterial cleaner is used to disinfect surfaces and floors. Children are developing a meaningful understanding of which substances are harmful to their bodies as the childminder talks to them about the existence of germs.

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Helping children to be healthy

They know familiar procedures such as washing their hands before meals and after using the toilet. The childminder provides individual colour-coded towels so children know which one is theirs and they do not share with others. Specially prepared play themes based around health topics such as "The Dentist" help children to further understand the need to take care of their bodies through personal hygiene routines. For example, learning to clean their teeth after meals. Children's dietary needs are well met as the childminder had a good understanding of healthy eating and ensures that balanced diets are provided for all children. They choose meals from a selection of healthy, light meals and have a regular intake of fruit and vegetables. Processed foods or foods of low nutritional value such as crisps and sweets are limited. The childminder ensures that children who have pack lunches are provided with food which have high nutritional contents. She has regular discussions

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Helping children to be healthy

with parents about food provided from home. Children are encouraged to develop their interest in food through adult-led cooking activities. They are familiar with handling food in an uncooked state and they enjoy eating food made by simple methods.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The childminder has created a safe and welcoming environment for children and their parents in the bright and spacious through-lounge. The bottom end of the room has been adapted into a well-resourced play area. Toys and play material are thoughtfully set out so children can choose what they want to play with. Parents are free to stay

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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 and exchange information about their children or read the child care information on the parent's notice board. Children have access to a full range of attractive and interesting toys which promote their intellectual and physical development. For example, they enjoy imaginary play with a selection different dolls and household toys. All play materials are age-appropriate and safe for children to use, as the childminder makes sure that younger children go not have access to hazardous items which could harm them. She also checks toys regularly to ensure that they are still safe for their purpose. Children's safety indoor and outdoor is given high priority by the childminder and she carries out risk assessments to ensure there are no hazards to cause harm. Several safety features are in place, such as safety gates to make the stairs and kitchen

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

inaccessible. The childminder has regular fire drills for the children so that they know how to leave the premises quickly in an emergency. Children are developing their understanding of the road safety code when walking to school. The childminder reminds them of the procedure for staying safe. They know that they must cross the road at a safe place such as a pedestrian crossing and that they need to look out for cars. Children's well-being is safeguarded and promoted, through the childminder's clear understanding of the Area Child Protection Committee procedures. She knows the signs and symptoms of abuse and the procedure for making a referral to the relevant child care agency.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The childminder provides an enjoyable and stimulating range of activities that help children to make progress in all areas of learning. For example, they express their creativity through various art and craft activities. They also enjoy musical and imaginary play. Children are developing good social skills through regular visits to toddler groups. They benefit from being part of a larger group where they are learning to share and negotiate with their peers. Children show growing awareness and interest in the local environment and the wider community. The childminder knows how to foster their curiosity and she provides opportunities for children to visit interesting places like the beach and the sea life centre, where they learn about nature and creatures that live in the sea. Special events are recorded by photographs which enable children to recall and share their experience with others, including their parents.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Younger children are thriving as the childminder has regard to the Birth to three matters framework. She provides appropriate activities which assist and promote sensory and motor development in babies. They safely handle and explore a range of textured materials available in the treasure basket put together by the childminder. Their language is also developing well as the childminder is very patient and allows children time to express themselves. She extends their vocabulary by reflecting back and adding the occasional new word for children to learn. They are also learning how

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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 use basic mathematical knowledge in their daily experiences. For example, counting the number of sandwiches each child has at lunch time. Children show increasing confidence and express themselves freely when playing with each other and when communicating with adults. They have high self esteem as the childminder allows them to make some choice, such as what they want to eat for lunch and what they want to play with. She further supports children choices by giving recognition, praise and encouragement.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder provides a good range of activities and resources to promote children's understanding of some national traditions and a positive view of the celebration in the wider world. They have activities based on festival such as Harvest, Halloween and Diwali. Children are learning about difference in a natural way which enables them to respect the views of others. Each child is treated as an individual as the childminder has a thorough understanding of their needs. This is achieved through regular discussions with parents and recording essential information for reference. Children behave well. They are polite to each other and to adults and use terms such as 'please' and 'thank you' when interacting during childminding. The childminder encourages positive behaviour by giving children clear explanations so they know what is expect from them. They also have praise as they comply with adult

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Helping children make a positive contribution

instruction. Children enjoy taking part in a simple reward system devised by the childminder. They are given marbles for effort or good behaviour. These are stored safely in individual transparent containers so children can see how many marbles they have collected. The childminder ensures that children have continuity of care by establishing friendly, professional relationships with their parents. She engages them in discussions at dropping-of and collection time and she shares the relevant information about care and the children's progress. Parents know how children spend their time through the written activities plans which the childminder makes accessible to them. She also provides written child care information for each child on a daily basis. Parents are encouraged to write their own comments or observations on their children to share with the childminder. They are please with the service and comment on the "fun and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

educational" activities enjoyed by their children. Parents have sufficient information about the setting as the childminder as the childminder has a prominently displayed notice board with useful Ofsted and childcare information.

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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 Children benefit from the good organisation of the childminder's practice. She has completed the childminding training and suitability checks required by the regulator. Her assistant has also been checked. The childminder continues her professional development by seeking and completing relevant child care courses, such as behaviour management and child protection, to further improve her understanding of care issues. However, she does not have a current first aid certificate as her previous certificate is now out-of-date. The space in the home is well-organised to meet children's need for play and rest. There are clearly defined areas for playing, relaxing and sleeping. All resources are thoughtfully placed in order to be accessible to support children during their play and

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Organisation

learning. Records are maintained to a high standard. The childminder has all the required policies and procedures. These clearly typed and systematically filed in folders so that they are easy to access for reference. Policies and procedures are accessible to all parents as they are displayed near the notice board. Children individual records are stored in a confidential place and are only share with the relevant parents. The setting meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, the childminder has improved the arrangements for safeguarding children's health by providing a fully equipped first aid box. She now uses a list, provided by the local authority, to ensure she has the correct items to deal with any minor accidents which happen during childminding. A record of accidents is maintained in a confidential manner and parents only have access to information about their own children.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since the last inspection Ofsted has received one complaint relating to Standard 11: Behaviour Management. The complaint related to a behaviour management method used by the provider with her own child. Ofsted visited the provider in May 2005 and discussed the incident. She agreed to develop her awareness of more appropriate methods for behaviour management and she has completed a suitable training course. The provider remains qualified for registration. The provider has made a record of the complaint in her complaint record.

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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

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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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): • improve organisation and complete an appropriate first aid course that includes training in first aid for infants and young children

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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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