Childminder in Halton

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number 303362 Inspection date 27/01/2010 Inspector Wendy Brooks

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Type of setting Childminder to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It rates council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann's Square Manchester M2 7LA

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk 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.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. 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 was registered in 1999. She lives with her husband and two teenage children in Widnes, Cheshire. The whole of the ground floor is used for minded children, with access to an enclosed garden for outdoor play. The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to care for a maximum of five children at any one time. There are currently seven children on roll who attend at different times. The childminder takes children to local schools and nurseries.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She has established links with local early years settings where minded children attend.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is good.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder has a secure understanding of the children's individual needs and provides a wide range of age-appropriate activities and resources to cater for the different children who attend. Highly effective systems of observation and assessment are in place and the information obtained is used to extend children's individual learning. Effective partnerships with parents, carers and other settings have been established to ensure children's welfare and development needs are met. On the whole, documentation is well maintained, although there are some omissions in required written records. Children are respected as individuals and begin to develop an understanding of the wider world. The childminder is committed to continuous improvement and uses self-evaluation systems to identify areas for future development.

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further?

To fully meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 ensure the safeguarding children policy includes the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against the childminder (Safeguarding and welfare) (also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register). 10/02/2010

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should:

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further?

 ensure that written parental permission for the seeking of emergency medical advice or treatment is requested for all children. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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the early years provision

The childminder understands her responsibility to protect children from harm and has attended recent training in the area of safeguarding children. Written policies are in place and shared with parents; however, the safeguarding children policy does not include the procedure to follow should an allegation be made against the childminder. This is a requirement in the regulations. The childminder's home is safe and secure which helps to protect children from harm, and risk assessments are completed for the home and outings. The childminder ensures children are never left unsupervised with persons who have not been suitably vetted.

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the early years provision

Effective partnerships with parents and carers have been established to ensure that children's welfare and development needs are met. The childminder discusses children's development with parents during the admissions procedure and uses this information to support children when settling in to their new environment. Parents are informed of the routines and procedures of the childminding provision, and the childminder has obtained written parental permission for various aspects of the children's daily care; such as, taking part in outings, using sun cream and recording observations of children's progress. However, written parental permission for the seeking of emergency medical treatment or advice is not in place for all minded children. Parents are aware of the development files in place for each child and are given regular opportunities to look at these in detail, in addition to discussing their child's ongoing progress. Displays of children's art

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the early years provision

work, photographs and regular newsletters keep parents up-to-date of their child's progress. Parental comments are extremely positive and demonstrate that they are happy with the care provided.

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the early years provision

The childminder has developed links with local schools and nurseries where minded children also attend. Information regarding children's progress is shared informally and the childminder will extend activities children have taken part in at other settings, in order to enhance their learning experiences. The childminder has a positive approach to equality and diversity. All children are provided with equal access to resources and activities, and each child's home background is respected. Children develop some understanding of the wider world through activities which celebrate cultural and religious festivals such as Diwali and Chinese New Year, and a small selection of resources are available which reflect positive images of diversity.

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the early years provision

The childminder has completed a detailed self-evaluation record which identifies the strengths of the provision and recognises some of the improvements made which have had a positive impact on children. Some general areas have been identified for further development, such as attending future training and developing the area of equality and diversity. The childminder has met the one recommendation raised at the last inspection and demonstrates a positive commitment to continuous improvement. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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and outcomes for children

The children have access to a wide and varied selection of toys and equipment at the childminder's home. They make choices in their play and the childminder interacts well with them to support their learning. The childminder's home is arranged to allow the children freedom of movement; babies and young children are able to practise their crawling, shuffling and walking skills with plenty of space. Children spend time completing jigsaws, building towers with coloured stacking cups, exploring cause and effect toys, and playing imaginatively in the role play area. A dental surgery is set up in one corner of the room where children can look at books and pictures, which help them to understand about the importance of dental hygiene, while acting out this sometimes unfamiliar scenario. The children pretend to make appointments as they practise their early mark-making skills using pen and paper. The childminder sits with children to read a story about the dentist

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and outcomes for children

and they use equipment such as mirrors, toothbrushes and face masks to help them learn while playing. Later, children sort through photographs of different food types and decide which are healthy and which are not.

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and outcomes for children

The childminder also plans guided activities based on children's interests and general themes. As children are developing their understanding of using their different senses the childminder has planned a taste, smell and touch activity for older children, while babies are provided with a box of their own to explore a variety of sensory resources. Babies touch, shake and throw a selection of resources such as bath puffs, sponges, pine cones and feathers as they explore the texture and properties of each material. Toddlers and older children explore food stuffs such as onion, sugar, cocoa powder and lemon juice and are encouraged to think about the different smell and taste of each as they try to match the sample to the original container. Additional activities such as walks in the local area, outings to places of interests and regular visits to the local playgroups mean that children enjoy a varied and enjoyable range of experiences.

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and outcomes for children

Access to the rear garden and visits to the park give children opportunities to develop their large motor skills as they ride on wheeled toys and use the swings, see-saw and climbing equipment. These activities, as well as planting seeds and bulbs in the garden, help children to develop an early awareness of the natural environment and sustainability.

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and outcomes for children

All children have personal development files which are well maintained by the childminder and include regular photographs, pieces of art work and observational comments to record the progress children make. These are linked to specific areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), and the childminder identifies next steps in children's learning. This information is then used to inform future plans for activities. The childminder has detailed plans in place for each individual child and provides activities which support their learning and progress to a high level. For example, when a child is observed to be struggling to use the pincer grip when holding small objects, the childminder plans a variety of activities to support this area of development; such as, threading beads and buttons, using a selection of pens and pencils and being encouraged to pull their own zip up and down when putting their coat on.

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and outcomes for children

This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 The childminder supports children's understanding of keeping themselves safe through regular practises of the fire drill and by discussing safety issues with children when out of the home. Children develop a good understanding of personal hygiene, such as washing hands after using the toilet, cleaning teeth after eating, and using their individual towels to dry hands and prevent cross infection. 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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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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and managed?

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 2 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 1 The extent to which children feel safe 3 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 2 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 2 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 1

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Stage

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 provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary 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

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Arrangements for Safeguarding Children) 10/02/2010

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary 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

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Arrangements for Safeguarding Children). 10/02/2010

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