Childminder in Derbyshire

EYL413 V1_20090122 Ofsted National Business Unit St Ann’s Square Manchester M2 7LA Telephone: 08456 404040 Fax: 08456 40 40 49 Minicom: 0161 6188524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Outcome of monitoring visit for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Michelle W. Smith, carried out a monitoring visit of your provision on 25/06/2009. This visit follows on from your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of the visit

As a result of our inspection on 06/01/2009, we sent you a welfare requirements notice.

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Outcome of the visit

The notice required you to ensure that you submit an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) form for you and every person living on the premises aged 16 or over having regular contact with children and to obtain public liability insurance.

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Outcome of the visit

In addition to the welfare requirements notice you were also issued a notice to improve that required you to: ensure fire detection equipment is in working order; improve knowledge of safeguarding issues and ensure that an effective safeguarding policy and procedure is implemented; ensure that records of risk assessments and children's daily attendance are accurate and up to date; obtain all necessary information to safeguard and promote the welfare of children including written parental permission to seek emergency medical advice or treatment; plan and provide a daily balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities and experiences which are appropriate to each child's stage of development and undertake sensitive observational assessment in order to plan to meet young children's individual needs;

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Outcome of the visit

The notice of action to improve also required you to make improvements in relation to the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. This required you to: implement a written statement of procedures to be followed to safeguard children and make a copy of it available to parents; implement a written statement of procedures to be followed in relation to complaints and which a parent makes in writing or by e-mail and make a copy of it available to parent and to take action as specified in the Early Years section of the report in relation to risk assessments, CRB forms, records of children's attendance and public liability insurance. A monitoring visit was undertaken on 23 February 2009 and, having considered all the evidence, the inspector was of the opinion that at that time the childminder was making inadequate improvement overall. Ofsted took proportionate action to address the shortfall in requirements. A further monitoring visit was undertaken on 14 May

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Outcome of the visit

2009 where evidence showed clear improvements which resulted in some aspects of improvement being judged as good. However, overall the improvements were satisfactory. A further monitoring visit was made on 25 June 2009 where evidence proved that the improvements made have resulted in the childminder making good progress overall.

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Outcome of the visit

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that at this time you are making good improvement overall.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

The childminder has made good progress overall towards welfare requirements and actions made at the last inspection. Moreover, the progress the childminder has made is being sustained. As a result, children's welfare is adequately safeguarded.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

The childminder now uses documents more actively to ensure children's wellbeing is continually promoted. She has processed Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks for every member of the household. Through conducting and recording risk assessments proactively and ensuring fire detection equipment such as smoke alarms are in working order the childminder has begun to personally identify and minimise hazards in the home. This enables children to play freely and safely. The childminder has active public liability insurance and has devised a system to track the expiry date so that the insurance remains continuous. The written record of children's hours of attendance is accurately maintained on a daily basis. In addition, written parental permission is now gained for the seeking of necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future. A detailed complaints policy is available within the childminder's portfolio and is shared with each and every parent. Through her

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

improved commitment to working in partnership with others, implementing and maintaining useful and informative regulatory documentation children are thriving.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Through attending a child protection training course and obtaining guidance booklets the childminder has readily improved her knowledge of safeguarding, so helping her newly written child protection policy to be implemented. The childminder now understands that she needs to make contact with the relevant child protection agency should she have concerns about a child's welfare and to notify Ofsted of any significant events which may affect the suitability of herself or any members of the household.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

Planning and assessment of activities for children have greatly improved. Methods of observation, records of progress and next steps ensure plans for care and learning requirements are increasingly individualised. As a result, children continually take part in a sound range of activities which helps them to make adequate progress towards the early learning goals. The childminder builds warm and trusting relationships with each child which helps to form a strong picture of their needs. She responds to children's individual likes and dislikes and uses the information she has gained from assessments to plan future learning experiences. Children's language and communication skills progress particularly well. The childminder takes time to listen, respond and discuss real-life events such as what happens when cars break down. She also takes children on regular outings in the local community including trips to see sheep. Children enjoy being in the childminder's care. They develop self-

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

confidence and independence as they make choices about where and what they wish to play with, often choosing familiar resources such as sticking and jigsaws. Through the childminder's increased knowledge of child development children are more challenged by the experiences they partake in which helps to realise their potential. A successful balance between adult-led and child-initiated activities has been achieved with children responding readily to the childminder's ideas whilst also initiating their own play. The childminder is working in partnership with parents and others. She has recently listened to a child recalling the words 'don't talk' and through a process of enquiry has recognised that the child is learning about stranger danger at another setting. The childminder has made links with other early years professionals to go into their setting and to further understand how she can extend the child's learning. As a result, children benefit from a coordinated curriculum.

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Overall effectiveness of the improvement and outcomes for children

The childminder continues to take guidance and support from the local authority, independently acting upon and implementing the advice given. She demonstrates a commitment towards continual improvements, using the statutory framework as an working tool to identify which aspects of her service need further development. She recognises the benefits to children of keeping up-to-date and has a positive attitude towards attending further training. Overall, measures taken to improve children's learning, development and welfare and the leadership and management of the provision have improved outcomes for children. The childminder has made good progress in addressing the points for improvement. The next visit will be an inspection.

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Next steps

Having considered all the evidence the inspector is of the opinion that at this time:

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Next steps

 The childminder has made good progress in addressing the points for improvement. The next visit will be a full inspection. I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your childminding service. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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