Childminder in Cambridgeshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number EY304301 Inspection date 03 February 2006 Inspector Sheena Osborne

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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 good. 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 was registered in 2005. She lives with her husband and their children aged four and six years in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of three children at any one time and is currently minding three children under five. The childminder is able to walk to local amenities and walks to the local school to take and collect children. The family has a pet cat.

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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 a member of the National Childminding Association (NCMA).

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. Children are cared for in a clean, warm home and are beginning to develop an understanding of self-care through planned daily routines, for example they clean their hands before and after eating. The childminder has knowledge of first aid and keeps the required documentation which helps her to support the health and well-being of the children, for example a record of accidents and allergy information. Children enjoy daily activities both indoors and outdoors. They have the opportunity to develop their physical skills, for example daily walks and visits to the park. Younger children develop physical control of their bodies with the support of the childminder through some purposeful activities, for example feeding themselves. Children eat their meals and snacks seated at the table so they enjoy social conversation and develop their good manners. They enjoy a varied range of healthy

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Helping children to be healthy

meals and snacks that meet their individual needs and discussion with parents ensures children's meals take into account allergies or special requirements. All children benefit from having independent access to drinks which supports them in meeting their bodily needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. Children play safely in a home where risks are mostly minimised. This means they are able to move around and select their own activities independently. The childminder has safety procedures, which on the whole are very effective. However, some procedures need to be reviewed, such as ensuring that appropriate equipment is used to support younger children when accessing the kitchen sink and by removing obstacles from the bottom of the stairs. The childminder has a good understanding of the children's development. She uses this to ensure that toys and play equipment are safe and appropriate for the age and developmental stages of the children using them. The equipment is well organised in storage boxes which are easily accessible to the children. This enables them to move around and select toys, activities and equipment independently. Children learn to keep themselves safe. They develop an awareness of safety practising and

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

discussing the emergency evacuation procedure. This ensures that children are aware of what they may need to do to keep them safe from harm in an emergency. All of the required procedures are in place to safeguard children, for example the childminder has a current first aid certificate and has appropriate consent for outings from parents. Children are supervised both indoors and outdoors, which means they can develop their independence in a secure environment. To promote children's

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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 safety and well-being the childminder has a good understanding of child protection. She knows who to contact and is aware of the local area child protection procedures. She has a written policy which informs parents of this procedure.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children settle well and are confident in the childminder's home because she makes it very welcoming for them. They enjoy participating in a broad and stimulating range of activities which engage their interest and meet their individual developmental needs. The childminder organises consistent routines throughout the day so that children have times for rest and quiet as well as active games. This helps to ensure children are secure and know what to expect. The childminder has a good awareness of how to promote young children's learning through play and practical experiences. The childminder has a good understanding of the children's developmental needs and how children learn. She uses this knowledge well to adapt activities to promote younger children’s learning. Children spend their time engaged in purposeful play, making choices and developing their own interests. They are beginning to become independent as they choose between a variety of

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

toys, books and activities. They enjoy exploring a good range of activities, which contribute to their creativity, such as dancing, listening and moving to music, painting and baking. Children have many opportunities for self-initiated play so they develop at their own pace and follow their own interests. Children are curious and enjoy a range of stimulating and challenging activities that are appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children benefit from the good support offered during their activities, which encourages them to develop their skills. For example, children's early communication skills are developed through good quality interaction with the childminder who responds positively to them.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children's individual needs and characters are clearly understood and respected by the childminder. All children are welcomed and included in the provision. The good relationship with parents contributes significantly to the children's care and well-being. The childminder gathers and shares information with parents and the effective use of daily diaries ensures that parents are well informed of their child's daily routines, activities and progress. This enables parents to be fully involved in their child's care and development. The childminder provides a meaningful range of activities and resources to promote a positive view of the wider world and help children understand their differences and similarities. For example, they explore aspects of the Chinese culture through first hand experiences by having a Chinese meal, looking at and having a go at Chinese writing and making lanterns as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations. Regular

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Helping children make a positive contribution

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 walks and visits ensure all children are familiar with their environment. Children behave well in response to the consistent, positive strategies used by the childminder. This helps children of all ages understand what is expected of them and learn to respect the needs of others, how to share, take turns and play together co-operatively.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children are secure and confident and have their needs met because the childminder effectively organises space, resources and activities. Consistent routines and kind and caring support enables children to confidently explore their environment, begin to express their needs and develop their ideas and interests. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the children who attend. The childminder has written agreements in place and most of the required documentation which contributes to the children's health, safety and well-being is completed and regularly reviewed. However, the record of attendance is not always completed daily. The written policies and procedures provide a framework to ensure that children are safe and well cared for. These are shared with the parents, which means they know about the provision and the care their child receives.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There are no complaints to report. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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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 good. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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WHAT MUST BE DONE TO SECURE FUTURE IMPROVEMENT?

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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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): • further improve safety by assess the risks to children in relation to accessing the kitchen sink and stairway and take action to minimise these • ensure that the record of attendance is completed daily, thus improving procedures which help to keep children safe

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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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