Childminder in Liverpool

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY317593 Inspection date 19/11/2009 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 08456 404040, 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: 08456 404040 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 2005. She lives with her husband and four grown up children in the West Derby district of Liverpool. Children have access to all of the ground floor which includes the play room, the conservatory, the kitchen, the utility room and downstairs toilet facilities. There is a fully enclosed garden for outdoor play. There is a pet dog at the premises.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both parts of the Childcare Register. She is registered to provide care for a maximum of six children at any one time. This is increased to a maximum of eight children when working with an assistant. There are currently six children under eight years on roll.

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Description of the childminding

Local amenities include Croxteth Park, toddler groups, a mobile library and shops. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

The childminder has an understanding of the children's individual needs and provides a range of age appropriate activities and resources to cater for the different children cared for. Activities are not always challenging or clearly focussed in order to promote children's learning to full potential, and partnerships have not been established with other Early Years settings that minded children attend. Partnerships with parents and carers are in place to ensure that information regarding children's progress is shared, however, omissions in documents means that children's health and welfare is not fully protected. Children are respected as individuals and begin to develop an understanding of the wider world. The childminder has started to identify areas for development and has taken action since the previous inspection to improve the provision for children, which demonstrates she has the capacity to improve.

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further?

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

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further?

 request written parental permission, at the time of the child's admission to the provision, to the seeking of any necessary emergency medical advice or treatment in the future and maintain a record of all medications administered to children (Safeguarding and Welfare). 03/12/2009

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further?

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

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further?

 further develop the written risk assessments to include all potential hazards This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 to children on the premises and during outings  ensure that a complaints record is in place should it be required  develop the observations and assessments to consistently identify next steps in children's learning; use this information to plan relevant and motivating learning experiences for each child  develop the partnerships with other settings that minded children attend to ensure effective continuity and progression by sharing relevant information between settings.

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the early years provision

The childminder understands her responsibility to protect children from harm and has made parents aware of the procedures to be followed should there be any child protection concerns. The childminder's home is safe and secure which helps to protect children from harm and risk assessments are completed for outings and some aspects of the home. The written risk assessments, however, do not include all potential hazards in the home and on outings and the actions required to keep children safe at all times. Suitable vetting procedures are carried out for all members of the household aged over 16 years. Minded children are cared for by the childminder and her adult daughter who acts as her assistant. Both work directly with the children during their play and are involved in meeting the care needs of each child.

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the early years provision

Partnerships with parents and carers are in place to ensure they are aware of the activities children take part in and the childminder discusses children's general progress and development, such as toilet training, walking skills and children's particular interests with parents each day. Information is displayed in the childminder's home for parents to see, including the details of how to contact Ofsted. A complaint record is not in place should it be required for future reference, although a complaints policy is available and details the procedure to follow. Most of the required information is obtained from parents when children begin to attend, however, the childminder has not obtained written parental consent for emergency medical treatment or advice for any children. In addition, the childminder has administered various medicines to children with parental consent, although no record has been maintained. This means requirements of the

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the early years provision

Early Years Register are not met and this impacts on children's health and welfare. The childminder has a satisfactory understanding of equality and diversity which is reflected in the activities and resources provided.

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the early years provision

The childminder takes minded children to various groups in the local area, including some children's centres and is a member of the local childminding network. She also cares for children who attend other early years settings, however, there have not been any links made with the other settings to ensure that children's welfare and development needs can be shared effectively. This means that the childminder is unable to extend children's learning and discuss the progress children are making.

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the early years provision

The childminder has begun to reflect on her practise and has identified some areas This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 for development, such as attending safeguarding training and developing her knowledge and understanding of required documentation. Since the last inspection, the childminder has taken steps to meet the recommendations made, for example, by extending resources for younger children and babies and reducing the hazards to children's safety in her home. However, no record of this is in place to enable the childminder to reflect fully on the impact her actions have had on children.

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and outcomes for children

The children attend various groups within the local area where they take part in activities such as arts and crafts, physical play, imaginative and creative play. Children also enjoy regular outings to places of interest such as the safari park, petting zoos and large play centres. This enables children to learn about the world around them and gives them opportunities to develop their large physical skills.

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and outcomes for children

When caring for the children at her home, the childminder provides a range of age appropriate resources which the children are mostly able to select independently. Most time is spent in the playroom where children can choose from a selection of low level toys, and older children's resources are stored on higher shelves for children to use when they attend after school. Babies and toddlers sit with the childminder and her assistant and explore cause and effect toys. They are encouraged to push buttons and slide levers to see what happens. When they show enjoyment as the animal pops out of the hole, the childminder encourages them to try again. Children enjoy sharing books with the childminder and show responses when looking at their reflection in the mirror as they turn the pages together.

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and outcomes for children

Most of the children in the early years age group have a development folder in place which contains photographs and observational comments of the children during their play. This has not yet been completed for all children in the early years age group. The childminder's assistant has taken most responsibility for recording information within these files to date, although the childminder is involved with the children's play each day and demonstrates a knowledge of the children's progress across the areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Observations show the children developing skills in various areas of the EYFS and give the childminder an insight into children's particular interests or skills developed so far. The next steps in children's learning are beginning to be identified from some of these assessments, although this is not done consistently for all children. The information gained from the observations is sometimes used

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and outcomes for children

by the childminder to provide activities suited to children's particular interests, for example, one child especially enjoyed seeing the animals at the safari park, so the childminder now provides small world animals and books for the child to play with and name the different animals. The information gained, however, is not used to plan guided or focussed activities to support children's individual learning. This means children's development and progress is not promoted to full potential.

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and outcomes for children

Children begin to develop an understanding of keeping themselves safe, as they This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 are involved in fire drill practises and they are reminded of appropriate behaviour on and off the premises which helps to protect them from harm. Children's meals are provided by parents, and the childminder provides healthy snacks such as toast and fruit. The childminder talks to parents about children's individual needs and follows parental preferences, although does not always use these opportunities to provide guidance and advice to parents on what is best practice for the children's health and welfare. For example, encouraging them to provide water for children to drink instead of juice and discussing recommended positions to support the posture for sleeping babies.

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and outcomes for children

Children develop some understanding of diversity in the wider world. Some resources and posters reflect positive images of diversity and children learn about cultural and religious festivals, such as Diwali, Chinese New Year and Mother's Day during the groups they visit. All children are respected as unique individuals and the childminder develops an understanding of children's family backgrounds, supporting children to feel valued and settled. 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 3 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 4 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 3

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Stage

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

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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: Met

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Met

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