Childminder in Oxfordshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY306687 Inspection date 15 September 2005 Inspector Rosamund Jane Tustian

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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 satisfactory. 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 registered in 2005. She lives with her husband, and daughter of 17 months, in a 2-bedroom, semi-detached house, in a quiet cul-de-sac on the edge of the village of Bloxham. Bloxham village is approximately five miles from Banbury. The family has no pets. The living room on the ground floor provides the main play area. A bedroom upstairs is available for rests as needed. There is an enclosed garden for outdoor play. Local facilities are within walking distance and include shops, schools, toddler and play groups and a children's play ground.

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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 is currently looking after a minded child and an older sibling on 2 days a week after school. She collects from Deddington Primary School. She also looks after her 17-month-old nephew on 3 mornings a week. She is a member of the National Childminding Association and has links with local childminders.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are cared for in a clean, tidy and well-maintained home. They are encouraged to take some responsibility for their own personal hygiene and children become confident to use the facilities for themselves. Nappy changing for the younger children may be set up within their play area or on a changing mat in the bedroom upstairs. Good procedures for double wrapping nappies and hand washing are in place. Children's health is supported with clear procedures in place for dealing with sick children, accidents and administering medication or treatment. Policies include guidance on the exclusion of children who are infectious and therefore may pose a risk to others. Family medications and cleaning materials are secured in cupboards that are locked or fitted with safety catches so that children cannot easily reach them. Snacks are offered the children when they return from school and the childminder

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Helping children to be healthy

has a good understanding about healthy eating but this is not shared with the children. The range of snacks is limited and includes biscuits and crisps and some fruit, so children are not learning to appreciate which foods help them to grow and thrive. Drinks are offered but children are not encouraged to drink after a long day at school. Outdoor activities and fresh air are included in the daily timetable but older children do not have easy movement between the garden and the house. Regular trips to the local parks allow the children space and time to run about, play and develop healthy bodies and a positive attitude to exercise. The two local parks both have a children's play areas and are within walking distance, or a short car journey. The younger children are able to move from inside the house directly into the garden when supervised, to make use of a range of play equipment to encourage large muscle

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children move freely and safely as they play inside the property. Potential hazards have been carefully considered and minimised. Safety gates and fittings have been sensibly located and the house is tidy and child friendly. The toys are mainly new, of a good quality and sorted in boxes and containers that are easy to reach for the different stages that may be looked after. There is a good supply of equipment for the younger children, and a convertible sofa bed and travel cot are ready to put up if

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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 needed for overnight care. Smoke detectors have been fixed on each level but they have not been located in line with the fire officer recommendations. Youngest children are encouraged to negotiate the stairs themselves and time is taken to ensure their safety as they practise new skills. The children enjoy playing outside and the childminder monitors them carefully by supervising play at all times. Hazards to the side of the house have been blocked off with seating and low barriers but these are insufficient to ensure these cannot be reached by the older children. The childminder has good arrangements in place with other childminders, so cover could be provided in an extreme emergency. This information is shared with parents so they can be reassured that their children would

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

be well cared for if this is ever necessary. The childminder has written procedures for emergency evacuation of the premises. She plans to practise these with the older children as soon as they are settled with her. She has all the required procedures and permissions in place to ensure the children's welfare is safeguarded and promoted. The car is used on a daily basis to collect children from school and she has appropriate insurance and documentation. The childminder has a good basic knowledge of child protection procedures. She demonstrates a good understanding of some of the indictors that would cause concern and who to refer to for advice.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. The children are new to the childminder and appear to have settled quite well. The childminder encourages the children to try a variety of activities. They are still exploring their new environment and their particular interests have not yet been established. Their concentration is limited as the activities offered are not sufficiently challenging at the moment. They enjoy playing with the younger child and engage for short amounts of time with plastic cars, sticking, play dough and with the toddler's toys outside. The children agree to take turns on the play station. Helping to prepare a snack helps to make the children feel special and involved. The use of the garden is currently limited to times when the childminder is available to supervise the area. The door from the garden to the living room is locked to ensure the children's safety but this also prevents them from enjoying free movement

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

between inside and outside while the weather is good. The childminder has only recently set up her business in her home and the resources available to ensure a wide range of activities and experiences for all ages are developing slowly. There are board games available and books of activities, but not the resources to carry out some of the examples. Plans and routines are not well established but children are encouraged to think about what they would like to do and how they will spend their time for the few hours they are with her. Good ideas are shared to encourage imaginative play without the need for expensive equipment; such as, pretending the carpet is the sea and using paper to cross the on magic 'stepping stones'.

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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

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is satisfactory. The children share the toys and look after each other with care and attention. The childminder puts a positive emphasis on behaviour management and provides good support to help the children learn to negotiate, for example as they divide the play dough and take turns on the play station. The children are valued as individuals and there are policies in place on inclusion and equal opportunities to help ensure parents are aware of her ideals. The childminder demonstrates a desire to build good relationships with the children and their families so that they can work together for the benefit of each child. Although resources are limited the childminder is keen to include activities to increase the children's awareness of the similarities and differences between people in the community. For example by sharing their experiences at school and including celebrations for a variety of festivals in their activities. The childminder has a very

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Helping children make a positive contribution

positive attitude to disability. She is aware of her limited experience but very positive about working closely with parents to support individual needs. She has some knowledge of basic signing and uses this with younger children as an effective way to communicate before they are fluent with spoken language. The children are able to learn about the local environment as they enjoy trips to the parks in the village and discover new areas a little way from their own home when on outings to the wild life centre. They are able to decide which activities they want to select and are helpful and polite. For example, they fetch a stool to stand on in the kitchen when preparing snack, say 'please' and 'thank you', and like to offer different activities to keep the toddler amused. They are helped to understand the 'rules' for the household and what is acceptable. Boundaries are clear, explanations and praise given as appropriate.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Partnership with parents is satisfactory. The childminder is committed to working with parents as a team. Initial meetings have been arranged so that policies and procedures can be shared and discussed and contracts agreed. Information about the children's time with her are currently shared informally, with monthly meetings envisaged for the future.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The children are made comfortable and the premises organised to allow them to explore safely on the ground floor. They are able to reach the resources for themselves and make their own choices from those available. The initial selection provides a small range of activities and visits to the park have helped to entertain the children in the early days. The garden provides limited use because of the need to supervise the children at all times. Polices and procedures are good and all records required for the safe management of the children are in place and ready to use. Planning, and access to wide range of

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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 activities that interest boys and girls are in the early stages. Methods to ensure safety of the youngest children and provide challenges for the older ones are not yet clear, for example how to safely set up small collage pieces for the after school children, make snack and supervise the younger children simultaneously. Strategies to share what children have done with parents are also only just developing. The childminder recognises the importance of ongoing training to further develop her knowledge, understanding and practice. She has made a positive start to her new career and overall the needs of the range of children attending are met.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Not applicable as this is the first inspection since registration.

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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 satisfactory. 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): • promote healthy eating by encouraging the children to enjoy a range of healthy snacks • further improve the safety of the children in the setting, with particular reference to the position of the smoke alarms and the safety and security of the outside play area • develop planning and resources so that children can develop their own interests and ideas.

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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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