Childminder in Kent

Inspection report for early years provision

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Unique reference number EY375896 Inspection date 12/01/2011 Inspector Liz Caluori

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Type of setting Childminder to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk. You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way.

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T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under Sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of the registered early years provision. ‘Early years provision’ refers to provision regulated by Ofsted for children from birth to 31 August following their fifth birthday (the early years age group). The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and welfare, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Introduction

The provider must provide a copy of this report to all parents with children at the setting where reasonably practicable. The provider must provide a copy of the report to any other person who asks for one, but may charge a fee for this service (The Childcare (Inspection) Regulations 2008 regulations 9 and 10).

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Introduction

The setting also makes provision for children older than the early years age group which is registered on the voluntary and/or compulsory part(s) of the Childcare Register. This report does not include an evaluation of that provision, but a comment about compliance with the requirements of the Childcare Register is included in Annex B.

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Introduction

Please see our website for more information about each childcare provider. We publish inspection reports, conditions of registration and details of complaints we receive where we or the provider take action to meet the requirements of registration. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Description of the childminding

The childminder has been registered since 2008. She lives with her partner and three children aged eight years, five years and 17 months, in Maidstone, Kent. Childminding generally takes place on the ground floor and there is also an enclosed garden for outdoor play.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She may care for no more than four children under eight years; of these, not more than two may be in the early years age group, and of these, not more than one may be under one year at any one time. She is currently caring for one child under one year of age.

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Description of the childminding

The childminder receives support from the Local Authority Advisors. The family have a pet cat.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Overall the quality of the provision is satisfactory.

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The overall effectiveness of the early years provision

Children enjoy their time in the childminder's warm, caring home environment. They take part in activities that are generally successful in promoting their all round development, although there are weaknesses in the arrangements in place to ensure that all children are being sufficiently challenged in all areas. Safety precautions are effective in most respects; however, the childminder has breached the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) by not maintaining a current first aid certificate. Children benefit from the friendly and positive relationships that the childminder has in place with their parents and carers, and with the other early years providers involved in delivering the EYFS. However, these relationships have not been fully extended to ensure that parents and carers are involved in the self-evaluation process, or to share information with the other professionals, specifically about children's progress towards the Early Learning

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further?

To meet the specific requirements of the EYFS, the registered person must:

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further?

 complete an approved paediatric first aid course. (Suitability of adults) (also applies to both parts of the Childcare Register) 25/02/2011

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further?

To further improve the early years provision the registered person should: This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006  improve the clarity of the records of attendance to ensure that information about the attendance of all children can be easily obtained if required  improve the clarity of information given to parents and carers, specifically to ensure that they are fully informed about the process to be followed should they wish to make a complaint and to ensure that written information is reviewed to reflect current practices  extend the systems in place to assess and monitor children's progress to clearly identify their next steps and to ensure that they are being offered an appropriate level of challenge  improve the arrangements to work in partnership with other early years providers by sharing information about childrern's learning and development in order to ensure consistent and coordinated care.

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the early years provision

The childminder understands her responsibility to protect children and is confident in her ability to detect the potential signs and symptoms of abuse. She has the contact telephone numbers in order to make a child protection referral if necessary. The childminder undertakes risk assessments of her home and outings in order to identify any potential hazards. As a result of this she has put in place a number of safety precautions, including the use of gates, to restrict children's access to the stairs and the kitchen. Appropriate procedures are in place to care for sick children and to administer medication, and the childminder maintains the required records. The childminder has previously attended first aid training but her certificate, valid for three years, has recently lapsed. This is a breach of the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage, as childminder's must maintain a valid certificate at all times. She has secured a place on a forthcoming paediatric

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the early years provision

The childminder has begun a process of self-evaluation that is supporting her to identify areas for improvement in her service; for example, she feels that children would benefit from more opportunities to take part in art and craft activities. However, she has yet to extend this evaluation process to include the views of parents and carers. The childminder is committed to providing the best possible service to children and their families, although there are some weaknesses in the systems in place to support her in this aim. Some of her documentation lacks clarity, for example, details of the dates and times of attendance of children who attend on an ad hoc basis are recorded, but not entered into the main register. This does not support the childminder to quickly and easily access information, should this be required.

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the early years provision

The childminder undertakes observations of the children which she uses to monitor their achievements. However, whilst she speaks knowledgeably about their individual interests and preferences, she does not routinely plan for their next steps in each area of learning. As a result, she provides activities that she is confident they will enjoy, but this does not support her to monitor that she is This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 always offering an appropriate amount of challenge. Children learn about diversity through discussions and playing with resources such as multi-cultural puzzles and books, which include characters from the local community and wider world. They also take part in activities and celebrations to mark a variety of festivals and special days, for example Diwali, Halloween, Christmas and American Thanks Giving. Children have access to a good range of toys, most of which are stored at

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the early years provision

a low level, making them easily accessible to the children. Resources are well maintained and appropriate for the ages and stages of development of the children attending.

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the early years provision

The friendly relationships the childminder maintains with parents, carers and other professionals support children to feel settled and secure. Parent and carers are provided with written information about the childminder's service, including a range of policies and procedures that outline her aims and objectives. The quality of these documents is inconsistent as there are a few details that do not reflect the childminder's current practices. In addition, the information provided regarding the procedure for making a complaint lacks clarity. The childminder provides contact diaries for the younger children in order to record specific details, such as their sleep patterns, food intake and toileting. The childminder maintains friendly relationships with the other childcare providers involved in delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage to the children, but does not routinely share information about children's developmental progress.

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and outcomes for children

Children make satisfactory progress in their development and have access to activities aimed at addressing all areas of their learning. They play with toys at the childminder's home, including construction bricks, train sets, puzzles, books and role play equipment. In addition, younger children are provided with a good range of cause and effect toys, in order to develop their problem solving and reasoning skills, as well as their hand to eye coordination. The childminder also plans a range of more adult directed activities in order to extend children's experiences. She organises regular outings, during which children learn about their local community and look at nature. The childminder encourages children to make choices and decisions, for example, asking them for ideas of activities for the next day. This supports them to develop independence in their learning which, along with more practical skills such as operating programmable electronic equipment, helps to

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and outcomes for children

Children's physical development is promoted through regular outdoor play, both in local parks and in the childminder's garden. Babies also receive support and encouragement to develop their physical skills, being provided with a good amount of clear floor space in the dining room. Appropriate nappy changing procedures are in place, and older children are encouraged to develop their self-care skills, for example understanding the importance of washing their hands after using the toilet. The areas used to prepare and serve food are hygienically maintained, and This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 the childminder ensures that children's dietary requirements are respected. She promotes healthy eating, planning menus which include fruit and vegetables and ensuring that drinks are constantly available.

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and outcomes for children

Children are extremely settled in the warm, caring environment, and their sense of security is evident in their response to the childminder. Babies enjoy a cuddle when they first wake up and have time to take in their surroundings. Older children are supported to develop skills in order to protect themselves. They take part in discussions about safety in the home, for example they are taught about the need to be cautious in the kitchen and are shown the emergency evacuation procedure. Children also learn about road safety as they go out and about in the local community. This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

The key inspection judgements and what they mean

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Annex A: record of inspection judgements

Grade 1 is Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Grade 2 is Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Grade 3 is Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Grade 4 is Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough

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children in the Early Years Foundation Stage?

The capacity of the provision to maintain continuous improvement

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Early Years Foundation Stage

The effectiveness of leadership and management in embedding ambition and driving improvement The effectiveness with which the setting deploys resources 2 The effectiveness with which the setting promotes equality and diversity The effectiveness of safeguarding 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s self-evaluation, including the steps taken to promote improvement The effectiveness of partnerships 3 The effectiveness of the setting’s engagement with parents and carers

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Stage

The quality of the provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 3

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Stage

The extent to which children achieve and enjoy their learning 3 The extent to which children feel safe 2 The extent to which children adopt healthy lifestyles 3 The extent to which children make a positive contribution 3 The extent to which children develop skills for the future 3

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Stage

procedures set out in the guidance available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk This inspection was carried out under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The provider confirms that the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are: Not Met (with actions)

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

The registered provider does not meet the requirements of the compulsory and or voluntary part/s of the Childcare Register.

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Qualifications and training) 25/02/2011

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

To comply with the requirements of the voluntary part of the Childcare Register, the registered person must take the following action/s by the specified date:

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Annex B: the Childcare Register

 take action as specified in the early years section of the report (Qualifications and training) 25/02/2011

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