Childminder in North Lincolnshire

Inspection report for early years provision

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505184 Unique Reference Number 18 May 2006 Inspection date Sharon Watson Inspector

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Childcare Type of inspection Childminding Type of care

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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

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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 2000. She lives with her husband and two sons aged seven and ten in Epworth a small village near to Scunthorpe, a suburb of North Lincolnshire. The whole ground floor of the childminder's house is used for childminding and there is a fully enclosed garden for outside play. The childminder is registered to care for four children at any one time and is currently minding nine children all of whom attend on a part-time basis. The childminder walks to local schools to take and collect children. She will attend the local toddler group and take children to the local shops and parks.

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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 satisfactory. Children benefit from regular exercise that promotes their physical development and general well-being. They take regular walks to and from school and attend local parks where they can run around and enjoy the open space. A good selection of outdoor toys and equipment engage the children well in robust physical play, which includes the use of a fixed climbing frame, ball games and sit-and-ride wheeled toys. This promotes children's growth and development and encourages positive attitudes towards exercise. Young children use the furniture to support their movement and help them to gain control of their bodies. Policies and procedures are followed to promote children's health.

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Helping children to be healthy

Children are beginning to take responsibility for their own personal hygiene; for example, they routinely wash their hands after toileting and prior to eating. However, they do not benefit from individual hand drying practices. Babies remain clean and comfortable as nappy changing routines are implemented well. A healthy nutritious diet is provided for the children; this includes a daily allowance of fruit. Water and juice are available to children throughout the day to access when they are thirsty.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children benefit from a child-focused environment; they are welcomed into the setting and very much at ease in their surroundings. They independently access a good range of safe and suitable toys and resources that are within easy reach of the children. Children relax on comfortable seating that is safe and suitable for there use.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The children's safety is considered at all times and the childminder has a vigilant approach to the supervision of the children; for example, a child sleeping outdoors is constantly checked. A risk assessment has been completed for all areas of the home used by the children, and safety procedures mostly ensure that the children can move around the home safely. However, hazardous substances are accessible to children in the toilet area. The children learn about staying safe, this includes the reinforcing of seatbelt wearing when transported in the car. They also benefit from the childminder's sound knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse, and the local safeguarding children board's procedures.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children enjoy a good range of toys and resources that are suitable to their age and stage of development. Toys are easily accessible to the children who are free to choose their own play opportunities. A farm set is constructed with the support of the childminder, who questions children to extend their learning; for example, how many animals can you see and what colour are they? This promotes early maths and colour recognition.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

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 evidence their increasing knowledge and understanding of the world as they identify different farm animals. They purposefully collect post from the letter box as the post arrives, developing their growing independence and self-esteem. This also ensures that they learn about the roles of others within the local community as discussion is promoted.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

There are opportunities for children to engage in creative play; for example, painting, play-dough, collage and singing. This is often enjoyed outdoors as children can enjoy messy play without restrictions. Babies and toddlers benefit from a good range of toddler toys that encourage exploration to promote their development. The children are happy and very much at ease in their surroundings, and there are good opportunities for children to engage in outdoor activities to add interest and variety to their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. The childminder maintains a good approach to the sharing of information with parents. This ensures that she gains knowledge of the children she cares for and is able to meet their individual needs effectively. For example, she is aware of the feeding and sleep routines of the younger children. Play is very much led by the children as they choose their own free play activities and resources. The childminder remains sensitive to the needs of the children; in particular, plenty of cuddles and reassurance were given when a young child awoke from sleeping. Comprehensive setting information, policies and procedures and clear information sharing ensures that good relationships are maintained with parents. This helps to children settle well into the setting.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are beginning to learn about diversity as they access resources that positively reflect this; for example, books promote children's understanding of religion, culture and gender roles at a level of their understanding. Children benefit from the childminder's positive approach to caring for children with learning difficulties or disabilities and there are good procedures in place to ensure that children's development is promoted.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

Children are very well behaved as the toys and activities maintain their interest well. The childminder maintains a consistent approach to managing children's behaviour and implements firm rules in partnership with parents. The children respond well to this system as they learn to recognise the boundaries and take responsibility for their own behaviour. Praise is used appropriately to reinforce the children's good behaviour and recognise their achievements.

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Organisation

The organisation is good. The children benefit from the childminder's commitment to training and development, ensuring that children receive quality of care at all times. Adult-child ratios are met and an accurate record of the children's attendance is maintained. Space is organised well, ensuring that children can move around easily and access suitable toys and activities. Toys and resources are organised well and clearly labelled. This supports the children's independence and freedom of choice.

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Organisation

A well organised setting portfolio, policies and procedures keep parents informed of their children's activities and overall care. Documentation is reviewed regularly to keep parents

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 up-to-date with current practices and changes to the setting. The provision does meet the needs of the range of children for whom it provides.

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Improvements since the last inspection

At the last inspection the childminder was asked to provide a range of toys, equipment and resources that develop positive attitudes towards people with ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The children now benefit from a range of resources that promote their understanding of cultural and ethnic backgrounds in a positive way.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration.

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Complaints since the last inspection

The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents, which they can see on request. The complaint 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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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 good hygiene practices are implemented with regard to children's hand drying routine, in order to prevent the spread of infection • when children have access to the ground floor toilet, ensure that they are not exposed to hazardous substances.

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The quality and standards of the care

set out in the leaflet Complaints about Ofsted Early Years: concerns or complaints about Ofsted's role in regulating and inspecting childcare and early education (HMI ref no 2599) 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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