Childminder in Birmingham

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 227538 Inspection date 30 March 2006 Inspector Paula Hunt

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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 registered in 2000. She lives with her adult son in a house in the Harborne area of Birmingham. There are shops, parks and schools within walking distance. The whole of the ground floor is used for childminding purposes. The garden is not available for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for a maximum of six children under eight years at any one time. She is currently minding six children under eight years and four children over eight years mostly on a part-time basis.

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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 family have 2 pet cats. The childminder attends local carer and toddler groups on a regular basis and supports newly registered childminders in the area.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is satisfactory. Children are taken to different play sessions where they can enjoy large physical apparatus and soft play equipment. Within the home children are encouraged to use push a long toys to develop new skills appropriate to their age and stage of development. Children are well nourished and are supported in developing self-help skills at meal times. Meals and drinks as provided by parents and appropriately stored by the childminder. The children are offered supplementary food or drinks throughout the day if required. Children are encouraged to learn about good hygiene practices through a regular daily routine, for example, hand washing or use of baby wipes after toileting and messy play. Standards of hygiene are good throughout with good routines and preventative measures in place to ensure minimal risk to children. Parents are aware that children should not attend if they have a contagious illness or sickness and

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Helping children to be healthy

diarrhoea, and that they will be contacted if their child becomes ill. The childminder has a current first aid certificate and has suitable procedures in place to record accidents and the administration of medication. However, these records do not contain sufficient details to protect children's welfare.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children enjoy playing in the lounge which is organised well to make the best use of space. Equipment is clean, safe and suitable for the children attending, with an adequate range to support all aspects of their development and safely organised for ease of access. Children remain safe and well in the childminder's care. She takes appropriate steps to isolate hazards and has suitable procedures for preventing accidents so that children remain safe, both indoors and out. Small children are kept secure within the lounge and out of the kitchen. Safety gates are also well placed at the bottom of the stairs to keep these isolated. Younger children are always escorted to the toilet on the first floor so that they do not wander off into unregistered areas of the house. When out and about, older children are taught road safety, for example, to look out for the green man signal at the lights before crossing the road.

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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 The childminder ensures parents are aware of her duty to protect children and the procedures she must follow so that they are suitably safeguarded. She has some knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse and knows how to seek advice should she have a concern about a child's welfare, but is not yet fully conversant with local procedures for making referrals and working together with other agencies.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children’s learning and enjoyment is very well supported because the childminder carefully plans activities according to their individual needs. She also takes into account their personal preferences. This allows them to make good choices for themselves and become independent. They are developing confidence and self-esteem through forming a positive relationship with the childminder. They participate in a range of appropriate activities, which includes reading books, role play and educational activity toys. Children are beginning to develop social skills by having opportunities to play with other children of a similar age through attending local toddler groups. Children develop confidence and self-esteem because they are given frequent praise and encouragement. They learn how to use their initiative because they have the opportunity to make decisions and do things for themselves. The childminder listens

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

to the children and shows a keen interest in what they have to say. She is aware of their general interests and leisure activities enabling her to initiate conversations they enjoy. The childminder makes use of the 'Birth to three matters' framework to extend and enrich her care for the younger children.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Children are clearly at ease with the childminder who gives them cuddles and emotional support, which develops their self-esteem and sense of belonging. They have choices in what they play with and eat, which enables them be involved in making decisions. When toys are tidied up they are encouraged to help so that they make a contribution. Children learn social skills, such as sharing and taking turns. Children learn to behave well because the childminder acts as a good role-model with her friendly and courteous manner. She shares her behaviour policy with parents and explains to older children about the consequences of their behaviour, so that they learn what is right and wrong. Children begin to learn to value each other's similarities and differences from the good example set by the childminder, who treats them with equal concern and has regard for their individual needs, interests and capabilities. Children have access to

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Helping children make a positive contribution

resources with positive images of gender, culture and disability to create a welcome for all, and the childminder has some knowledge about special needs and disabilities to draw on to carry out her equal opportunities policy for the benefit of all children.

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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 Children benefit from the childminder's professional approach to working with parents to ensure that they stay safe and healthy. She uses daily informal contact in order to exchange information about children's welfare. There is useful information given to parents about her service in a special introductory folder and in notices on display.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. Children's well-being and progress are supported well because the provision of care is managed effectively. They benefit from a safe, comfortable and stimulating environment where space and resources are well organised. Effective policies and most procedures are well maintained ensuring that children's welfare is monitored. Children benefit from the consistency and continuity which derives from the daily feedback between childminder and parents. All aspects of the childminding service offered are detailed in a portfolio available to parents, ensuring they are provided with a wealth of information about the care provided. Overall, the provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the previous inspection, the childminder has taken steps to improve resources to promote equality of opportunity and anti discriminatory practice. Children attend a number of groups and take part in activities to celebrate festivals, which help to develop their understanding of other cultures, and resources in the home have been provided. The childminder agreed to maintain accurate records of children's attendance. Attention is now given to recording children's hours of attendance and ensuring the record is up to date, improving record keeping and the efficient and safe management of the provision. Children's safety has been improved as they benefit from the emergency evacuation procedure that the childminder has developed. They practise fire drills to help them understand the importance of escaping quickly and safely in an emergency.

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Complaints since the last inspection

Since 1 April 2004 there have been 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

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 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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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): • ensure accident and medication records are completed with the appropriate details • develop knowledge and understanding of the local area child protection procedures.

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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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