Childminder in HampshireOfsted inspection, 6 Jan 2006

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique Reference Number 111130 Inspection date 06 January 2006 Inspector Lynn Reeves

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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 has been registered since 1990. She is registered to provide care for six children under 8 years and is currently minding four children aged under 8 years on a part and full time basis. She also cares for children aged over 8 years. The childminder lives with her two adult children in a residential area of Waterlooville, in Hampshire. The property is within walking distance of local shops, schools and parks. The ground floor rooms of the property are used for minding. The childminder is a member of the National Childminding Association. She has had experience of caring for children with special needs and children with English as an additional language. The childminder attends local toddler groups on a regular 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

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. The children are cared for in a clean and well presented home, where they learn the importance of good hygiene procedures and personal care. They are beginning to understand why they need to wash their hands through discussion and routines; for example, before eating and after using the toilet to prevent the spread of germs. The childminder has effective hygiene procedures in place, to keep the children free from infection. There is a separate nappy changing area available with a nappy disposal unit and the childminder uses disposable gloves. She clean toys and play equipment on a regular basis; in addition, she does not accept in her care children who are ill, to prevent the others from being infected. Procedures are in place to record accidents and the administration of medication. However, the childminder has not an up to date first aid certificate in place, which means the children are not fully protected in the

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Helping children to be healthy

event of an accident. The children enjoy a good range of activities, which contributes to their good health. They have access to outdoor play on a daily basis in the garden, where they develop control of their bodies as they play on scooters, kick footballs and ride the sit-on toys. They walk daily to school and go for walks to the park, where they benefit from fresh air and gentle exercise. The childminder has a very good understanding about appropriate types of activities and promotes a healthy lifestyle with exercise, diet, sleep, fresh air and healthy eating. The children benefit from a well balanced and nourishing diet, as the childminder provides a range of healthy snacks and cooked meals. The children are beginning to understand what is good for them, as they discuss what they are eating and participate in an around the world day activity once a month. As part of this activity, they choose what they would like to eat to celebrate other cultures. Fresh drinking

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Helping children to be healthy

water and made up juices are always made up prior to the children's arrival, so they can help themselves. The childminder works closely with the parents, to ensure all the children receive a unique care package to meet their individual needs.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is good. The children are cared for in a welcoming, safe and secure environment, where risks have been identified and minimised. They are able to move freely, safely and independently around the home. Their artwork and colourful learning posters are displayed on the walls, offering the children a sense of pride and belonging. The childminder provides a very good range of toys and equipment, which are colourful, vibrant and clearly labelled, to enable the children to make their own choices. These are clean, well maintained and meet safety standards. The childminder keeps the children under close supervision and carefully monitors and supervises the children's choice of toys, to make sure they are safe and appropriate for their age and stage of development. The childminder makes the children aware of dangers through general

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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 conversations and daily routines. For example, she reminds them not to climb on the furniture in case they get hurt, to be careful when handling the scissors, not to open the doors or answer the telephone and they regularly practise fire drills. The childminder has a good understanding of child protection procedures. She could recognise the possible signs and symptoms of abuse, which may indicate a child is being abused and is fully aware of whom to report her concerns to.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. The children have many opportunities to develop an extensive range of skills and progress very well in all areas in a stimulating, exciting and interesting environment. They are extremely confident and show very good levels of self-esteem; they move freely and independently from activity to activity, selecting what they want to play with. The children enjoy themselves, as they are provided with a range of meaningful activities that stimulate their curiosity, such as a treasure box filled with various media. The children feel and explore brush bristles, cotton wool, wood, plastic and wool, using their senses to describe how things feel. They have opportunities to play with a range of media, such as sand, water, paint and pasta to promote their imagination and creative skills. The children develop their small muscle control as they thread beads onto laces, use glue sticks, scissors and cutters with play-dough.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

They access books independently from low shelving and the childminder incorporates times into the day for story telling, listening and singing to nursery rhymes and dancing to music. The childminder has a good knowledge of how children learn and fully participates in the children's play, knowing when to stand back to let their own play develop. The childminder responds immediately to the children's needs. They benefit from her very strong support, as good quality conversation flows between the childminder and the children. She asks them open ended questions to make them think, developing their communication and social skills effectively. The childminder meets the children's needs, as she gets to know them well and provides resources that she knows they enjoy, such as Noddy books. The younger children are fully supported with lots of cuddles and interaction and the warm relationships they have with the childminder.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The children's individual needs are fully met, because the childminder takes the time to get to know the children and their families. The children are provided with a vast range of meaningful activities and resources, which teach them about the wider world, such as dressing up clothes, ethnic figures, books, puzzles, posters and musical instruments. They learn about their local community and environment, as they visit the library, woods and beaches and develop an understanding of life-cycles. The children investigate natural ways to keep slugs off of the seedlings and plant vegetables, herbs and flowers.

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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 The childminder maintains a positive approach to caring for children with special needs and deals with unwanted behaviour in a calm and consistent manner. The children behave extremely well, because they are kept fully occupied and know exactly what is expected from them. They are constantly praised, given cuddles, smiles and reward stickers, which supports their self-esteem and helps to develop good behaviour. The childminder gives clear explanations to the children in a language they understand; the strategies she uses are fully discussed with the parents, although these are not recorded to ensure a consistent approach. The children benefit from good partnership with the parents; the effective two way sharing of information on a daily basis ensures the children's individual needs and continuity

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Helping children make a positive contribution

of care are met. The childminder keeps the parents informed about her businesss, through the prospectus and written policies, which outline the varying aspects of her practice. All documentation is shared and co-signed as required.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children benefit from a well organised, safe, secure and stimulating environment, where most policies and procedures are implemented effectively by the childminder. However, the childminder's first aid certificate has expired, which impacts on the children's safety. The children's well-being is promoted because information is shared with the parents, to keep them well informed about the childminder's service and their child's activities. The children are confident, happy and relaxed in their environment, they move freely around the setting, accessing toys and resources independently. The children enjoy their time with the childminder, because resources and activities are planned well and provide significant challenges. Most of the required documentation is in place, signed by the parents and stored securely to maintain confidentiality. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection, the provider has re-organised play provisions by storing them on shelving and in storage boxes. This ensures all children can access the resources and make their own choices. Building work has been completed on the property; therefore the children can now access the garden safely. The provider ensures that the children's times of arrival and departure are clearly recorded and she has sought written permission from parents to seek medical advice or treatment. The implementation of these procedures safeguards the children's health and safety.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since the last inspection. 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

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Complaints since the last inspection

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 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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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): • implement a procedure for recording un wanted behaviour and share this with parents • complete an appropriate first aid course that includes training in first aid for infants and young children.

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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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