Walsh, Samantha

Inspection report for early years provision

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510726 Unique Reference Number 05 September 2006 Inspection date Jeannette Waring 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 satisfactory. 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 lives in a four bedroom end of terrace house in Abbey Wood. She lives with her three children, a daughter aged 16 years and two sons aged 13 and seven years. The house is located on a bus route and is close to local shops, schools and pre-schools. Children have use of the whole of the ground floor of the property including a playroom, together with an enclosed back garden. The family have a border collie dog.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

The childminder is has been registered since 1992 and may care for a maximum of five children aged under eight years at any one time. She is currently caring for three children. The childminder's mother, who holds an NNEB childcare qualification, works as her full time assistant.

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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 being cared for in a clean and well maintained home. Because the childminder has good cleaning and hygiene routines in place children are protected from the risk of the spread of infection. Children learn about the importance of good hygiene routines as the childminder talks to them about the need to wash their hands and as they use paper towels to dry their hands after playing outside and after using the toilet.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder is able to care for children in the event of an accident as she holds a current first aid qualification, although this will expire at the end of the year and childminder is aware of the importance of up-dating this training. She protects children by keeping an accident book and individual medication records for each child. Although all required medical consent forms are in place she does not currently ensure that parents sign each entry on the medication record so children's health is not fully protected.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder has ensured that children have plenty of good opportunities for physical exercise. Children play in the front garden and enjoy helping with the gardening as they rake the newly cut grass into piles. The back garden has now been made safe and suitable for children's use and this will provide further opportunities for physical play, as part of the garden is paved and can be used in all weathers. In addition the childminder enjoys taking children on outings to local parks and open spaces, to toddler groups and to the swimming pool.

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Helping children to be healthy

The childminder provides children with a range of meals and snacks and displays a sample menu for parents in her play room. She ensures that she is able to meet children's individual dietary needs by discussing these with parents whenever a new child joins her setting. She helps children to make healthy choices by always providing fresh fruit at snack time. She makes sure that most meals contain fresh ingredients including fresh vegetables, although she does balance healthy meals with some traditional children's choices such as burger and chips.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. Children's safety is assured within the childminder's warm, safe, secure and comfortable home. They are able to play freely throughout the ground floor of the home as the childminder has carried out a thorough risk assessment and been careful to minimise all hazards. There is a small playroom furnished with child size table and chairs, toys are attractively displayed in the room and many are in toy boxes where children can access them freely and in safety. Other toys are stored at a high level to maximise space. Children are developing independence as they select resources for themselves and as they take some toys into the more spacious lounge to play. The childminder ensures that all toys and resources are safe and suitable for children to use by routinely checking them as they are used. The childminder has made her back garden into a safe and child-friendly area for children to use. She has provided a decked area directly outside

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

the backdoor, a fenced grassed area and a paved area, the whole garden is securely fenced.

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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 On outings children learn about safety as the childminder talks to them about the importance of holding hands with her and about how to cross roads safely. Children were able to tell the inspector about holding hands and waiting at the kerb until it is safe to cross.

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

Children are not fully protected from the risk of harm or neglect because the childminder does not have a clear understanding of the Local Safeguarding Children Procedures. She is confident that she would be aware of the signs that a child was or could be at risk but is unclear about the referral process.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is good. Children are happy, confident, sociable and developing independence. They play together well and enjoy the range of activities and outings provided by the childminder and her assistant. For example on the day of inspection children enjoyed helping the childminder in her garden as they raked up the newly cut grass into piles using child size gardening tools and they were looking forward to planting spring bulbs in the garden tubs later that day.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Indoors children have a small play room where they enjoy a range of art and craft activities and examples of their work are displayed on the walls and children happily settled down to a drawing activity when they finished their gardening. They have access to a good range of toys and equipment and during the visit they enjoyed make believe games in the lounge using the dressing up box and doctors kit.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The childminder and her assistant arrange many outings for children. They attend a local toddler group twice each week and often visit local parks. During the summer holidays children have enjoyed a number of outings and photographs show them playing among the splash fountains at the local splash park, feeding the squirrels and pigeons at Greenwich Park and enjoying a picnic in the park. In addition they benefit from trips to the local swimming pool and occasional trips to the coast.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

Both the childminder and her assistant are warm and caring towards the children who relate well to them. They are aware of children's individual needs and children benefit from their good support and encouragement in their play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Because the childminder has a relaxed and positive attitude to issues of equality, children are learning to value and respect difference. The childminder cares for children from a range of cultural backgrounds and spends time discussing children's individual needs with parents so that children have appropriate care. The childminder has cared for children with disabilities during the last year and has worked in partnership with parents and other professionals to ensure that children have the support they needed. Both the childminder and her assistant have a very positive approach to working with children who have additional needs and they work hard to ensure that all children benefit from the activities and outings they offer.

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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 behave very well. They are polite and friendly to each other and to adults and they are learning to share and to take turns. The childminder encourages children to be well mannered by gently reminding them to say please and thank-you if they forget. The childminder has high expectations of children's behaviour and has put in place clear rules for children which she consistently applies. Consequently children know what is expected of them and usually behave well. Occasionally the childminder said that she may need to give time-out so that a child can calm down before returning to play.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The childminder works in partnership with parents to provide children with appropriate, consistent care. She uses contracts for each arrangements and has most required consent forms in place. She talks to parents on a regular basis about their child's care and keeps parents informed about all activities and outings. The childminder has letters in her file from all of the parents praising the care she provides to their children.

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Organisation

The organisation is satisfactory. The childminder meets the needs of the range of children for whom she provides. She protects children by ensuring that all adults are suitably vetted and by making sure that children are always directly supervised by her or her assistant. She is an experienced childminder who has carefully arranged her daily routines around the needs of the children she cares for helping them to feel settled and secure. The childminder's home is very well organised for childminding affording children the opportunity to play freely both indoors and in the garden.

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Organisation

Most required documentation is in place, shared with parents, stored confidentially and retained for the required period of time. However, the medication record is not signed by parents, the attendance register is not maintained for a minimum of two years and there is no written consent in place for teenage siblings to collect a child from the childminder at the end of the day.

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Improvements since the last inspection

Since the last inspection the childminder has ensured that her accident and medication records are maintained for a minimum of two years however she has not retained all of her attendance records.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since 1 April 2004. 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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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

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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 satisfactory. 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 that parents countersign each entry in the medication record • update knowledge and understanding of the Local Safeguarding Children procedures and make sure that own procedures are in line with those of the Local Safeguarding Children Board • make sure that children's records, including the attendance register, are kept for a minimum of two years and make sure that parents provide written consent if they wish a child's older sibling to collect them at the end of the day

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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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