Childminder in BirminghamOfsted inspection, 28 May 2009

Website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This document may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that the information quoted is reproduced without adaptation and the source and date of publication are stated. Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 228478 Inspection date 28/05/2009 Inspector Carol Johnson

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Type of setting Childminder This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has been registered with Ofsted since 1991. She lives in Birmingham with her husband. She is registered on the Early Years Register and on the compulsory part of the Childcare Register. The whole of the childminder’s home, with the exception of the bedrooms on the first floor and the front room on the ground floor, is used for childminding purposes. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outdoor play. Access to the front entrance of the childminder’s home is via a low step and toilet facilities are on the first floor. The family has a dog.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, of whom no more than three may be in the early years age range. She is currently minding two children in this age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The childminder collects children from the local school and attends several toddler groups on a regular basis. She has systems in place to care for children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and those who speak English as an additional language.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is inadequate. Children's welfare and safety are compromised because the childminder has failed to comply with several of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Some progress has been made since her last inspection but there are no procedures in place to evaluate her strengths and weaknesses in order to maintain continuous improvement. All parents and children are welcomed and valued; children's individual routines are followed and the childminder has a proactive attitude towards inclusion. Children are happy and settled in the childminder's care and enjoy a wide range of experiences that help them to make suitable progress in their learning and development.

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Overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall, the early years provision requires significant improvement. The registered person is given a Notice to Improve that sets out actions to be carried out.

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further?

To comply with the requirements of the EYFS the registered person must take the following action by the specified date:

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further?

 take the necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of children by ensuring that welfare requirements of the EYFS are known and met so that children are healthy, safe and secure and have their individual needs met (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 11/06/2009 This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  obtain information from parents about who has legal contact with the child; and who has parental responsibility for the child and provide information for parents about policies and procedures (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 04/06/2009  carry out a risk assessment for each type of outing and review it before embarking on each specific outing (Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare) 04/06/2009  ensure that Ofsted are notified of any change to the premises on which childcare is provided that may affect the space available to children and the quality

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further?

of childcare available to them (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 04/06/2009  ensure that appropriate fire control equipment is in place and in working order, for example, a fire blanket (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 04/06/2009  ensure that hazards to children are kept to a minimum and improve the risk assessment so that it identifies aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis and includes information on the date of review and any action taken following a review or incident (Suitable premises, environment and equipment) 04/06/2009  ensure that the registration certificate is displayed and shown to parents on request (Documentation; this also applies to the compulsory part of the childcare register). 11/06/2009 To improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 carry out regular evacuation drills to reinforce the procedure for the emergency evacuation of the premises and record details of any problems encountered and how they were resolved in a fire log book  improve children's progress towards the early learning goals by developing a systematic and routine approach to using observation and assessment in order to form a view of where each child is in their learning, where they need to go, and the most effective practice to support them in getting there.

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provision

The organisation of the provision is inadequate. Children are at risk because the childminder has a poor knowledge of the EYFS and as a result has not met several of the legal requirements. She failed to notify Ofsted of a conservatory that has been added since her last inspection and her current certificate of registration is not displayed or available to parents. The organisation of her documentation is weak and she has not ensured that appropriate fire control equipment is in place. The childminder is aware of some of her strengths and weaknesses but has no clear system in place to evaluate her own practice and this means that areas for This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 improvement are not effectively identified or addressed.

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provision

Children receive a suitable level of supervision and space and resources are organised appropriately. The childminder visually checks her home and equipment on a daily basis and ensures that all resources are appropriate to children's individual ages and stage of development. She ensures that suitable car safety seats are used when transporting children in her car and she takes parents’ emergency contact numbers, her mobile phone and first aid supplies on outings. However, children's safety is not assured because she has yet to effectively conduct her risk assessment. Some potential hazards to children have not been identified or suitably minimised and children’s safety whilst on outings has not been fully considered. For example, during the inspection cleaning materials were stored where they could be easily accessed by children and the childminder had not fully considered all the risks associated with a large trampoline sited in the

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provision

back garden. The childminder demonstrates an appropriate knowledge of child protection and has up-to-date information regarding the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and contact numbers.

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provision

A friendly relationship exists between the childminder and parents and flexible settling-in procedures help to reassure parents and allow ‘new’ children to adjust at their own pace. Information about individual children’s welfare and routines is generally shared during informal chats at either end of the childminding day and children take home examples of their artwork. However, children’s welfare is compromised because the childminder has failed to provide parents with required information about her policies and procedures and she has not obtained information about who has legal contact with or parental responsibility for individual children.

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provision

Some of the children currently in the childminder's care also attend other settings delivering the EYFS and the childminder is starting to forge links with these providers. She has obtained information about some teaching methods and liaises with staff at these settings as to how children have been and what subjects they are covering. Consequently, she is starting to gather information to help her support and extend children's learning when they are in her care.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

The childminder demonstrates a sound knowledge of the children in her care and informally plans a variety of experiences that suitably reflect their needs and interests and help them to progress in their learning and development. For example, children take part in cookery activities and these help to teach them about hygiene and safety, whilst at the same time introducing the concept of weight and an understanding of the changes that happen when ingredients are cooked. The childminder takes photographs of children during play and keeps examples of their artwork. She has begun to record some observations of what children do and enjoy and she considers these, and information gathered from parents about what their children know and can do, when planning future activities. She intends to use all this information to develop individual books for each of the children, charting their progress and experiences in her care. However,

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the childminder has not yet fully developed these systems and is not effectively involving parents or using her observations to identify children’s starting points, needs and interests or plan the next steps in their learning. Consequently, children may not be fully supported or challenged.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are cared for in a warm and homely environment, where they are treated equally and encouraged to show care and respect for others. They behave well and good manners are evident. The childminder adopts a calm and sensitive approach with the children and they happily go to her for comfort, reassurance and support. She gets down to the children's level and joins in with their play when asked or needed. She asks them questions and encourages them to participate and this suitably supports their development into active and inquisitive learners. Children receive plenty of praise for their achievement, effort and good behaviour and this helps to raise their self-esteem and make them feel valued. Children have an active social life and throughout the week are provided with a range of opportunities to mix with a variety of adults and children. For example, they attend community groups, visit parks, soft-play facilities and local museums and regularly

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

go to the library. As a result, children's social and physical skills are developing and they are learning about the wider community and experiencing nature.

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

Children are learning to keep themselves safe as the childminder reminds them of safety issues during everyday play and experiences. They learn about road safety on outings and gentle reminders about not running in the home help to reduce the risk of injury. However, children’s safety in the home is not fully protected as regular evacuation drills have not been carried out to reinforce the childminder's emergency evacuation procedures. Children’s health is suitably promoted as all areas of the childminder’s home are clean and children are encouraged to follow good hygiene practices. Children play outside on a regular basis and enjoy plenty of physical exercise and fresh air. Children also participate in lots of activities that help to develop their small muscles and hand-eye coordination, for example, jigsaws, cutting and sticking and building with construction toys. Space and resources are suitably organised and allow children to make some independent

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The quality and standards of the early years provision

choices about their play. On a daily basis the childminder puts out a general selection of resources that reflect what she knows about children’s individual likes and interests. Further resources are stored in various places around the childminder's home and she rotates these to add to and extend children's play. Children are told what is available and are able to ask for items that they cannot see or reach. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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of children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

How well does the provision promote inclusive practice? 3 The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement.

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Foundation Stage led and managed?

How effective is the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement? How well does the setting work in partnership with parents and others? How well are children safeguarded? 4

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

How well are children helped to stay safe? 4 How well are children helped to be healthy? 3 How well are children helped to enjoy and achieve? 3 How well are children helped to make a positive contribution? How well are children helped develop skills that will contribute to their future economic well-being?

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Years Foundation Stage promoted?

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (Suitability and safety of premises and equipment) 04/06/2009  provide parents with copies of the written statements of safeguarding procedures and complaints procedures (Providing information to parents) 04/06/2009  take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Certificate of registration). 11/06/2009

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