Childminder in Knowsley

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 15/02/2013 Not Applicable

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: Not Applicable How well the early years provision meets the needs of the range of children who attend The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children 4 The effectiveness of the leadership and management of the early years provision 4

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This provision is inadequate

 Some records relating to the requirements of the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage are not in place. Some of the required documentation is not available for inspection and the childminder lacks knowledge and understanding of safeguarding procedures to ensure children's welfare is promoted.  Children are not making sufficient progress in their learning. This is because the childminder has insufficient knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. As a result, she is unable to assess children's abilities fully and extend their play through planned, purposeful and challenging experiences and resources for each child.  The childminder lacks understanding in relation to moving her practice forward to ensure that she meets the requirements of the revised Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result, she has not clearly identified the strengths and weaknesses of her practice

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This provision is inadequate

and this affects her ability to make improvements for the benefit of the children, who attend.  The childminder has yet to establish partnerships with other settings that children attend, as a result they are not provided with continuity in their education and care. Parents are also not fully involved in sharing information in relation to how they can support their children's learning at home.

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It has the following strengths

 Children are settled and comfortable because the childminder provides a caring, responsive approach to them.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections of registered early years provision are:  scheduled at least once in every inspection cycle – the current cycle ends on 31 July

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Information about this inspection

 scheduled more frequently where Ofsted identifies a need to do so, for example where provision was previously judged inadequate  brought forward in the inspection cycle where Ofsted has received information that suggests the provision may not be meeting the legal requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or where assessment of the provision identifies a need for early inspection  prioritised where we have received information that the provision is not meeting the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage and which suggests children may not be safe  scheduled at the completion of an investigation into failure to comply with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Information about this inspection

The provision is also registered on the voluntary and compulsory parts of the Childcare Register. This report includes a judgment about compliance with the requirements of that register.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector held discussions with the childminder at appropriate times and observed her interactions with the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the children's individual portfolios and a selection of policies and a range of supporting documentation, including the safeguarding procedure.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with parents and looked at evidence that showed partnership working.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2012. She lives with her husband and their children aged one, six and 13 years. They live in the Kirby area of Liverpool. The local area offers a children's centre, schools, library and parks. The whole of the ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding. The bathroom is located on the first floor. There is an enclosed rear garden for outdoor play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and on both the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. There are four children on roll, of whom two are in the early years age group. She also offers care to children aged over five years to 11 years. The childminder operates all year round, from 8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the National Childminding Association.

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must:

 increase knowledge and understanding of the procedures set out by the Local Safeguarding Children Board, in order to identify, understand and respond appropriately to safeguarding concerns

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must:

 develop effective methods for assessing children's progress in all areas of learning. Use this information to identify each child's level of achievement, including starting points and use information from their parents and guidance, such as 'Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage' to support children's progress

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must:

 develop the educational programmes to include the appropriate use of stimulating resources to ensure the seven areas of learning and development are implemented through planned and purposeful play experiences that are suitably resourced and tailored to challenge children's individual needs

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must:

 promote continuity in children's learning by enabling a two-way flow of information with parents and other settings where children attend

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must:

 develop a culture of continuous improvement by introducing a process of self- evaluation to identify areas of weakness, in order to drive improvement and promote positive outcomes for children

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must:

 ensure that documentation relating to childminding is in place, this includes; evidence of public liability insurance on-site and ensure a written record of accidents or injuries and first aid treatment given is in place.

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who attend

The childminder has insufficient knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements and she is not fulfilling her role in supporting children's learning and development. She has recently introduced learning journals for some of the children, who attend her provision. These contain a small number of observations that show the activities, which children take part in. She has recently carried out assessments on some of the children, who attend. However, her lack of understanding in carrying out effective assessments means that initial starting points are not obtained, in order to assess how children make progress during their time in her provision. As a result, she is not able to effectively identify gaps in children's learning and areas in which to challenge them further. This adversely impacts on the progress children are able to make while in the childminder's care.

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who attend

While the childminder is not yet planning activities to ensure children are sufficiently challenged, they do interact with a few resources in the living room. She supports children as she responds to their needs by helping them to access these available resources. However, few of these sufficiently challenge children and extend their learning. However, children do enjoy sharing their chosen books together with the childminder. Children are interested in turning the pages and they listen to the childminder as she changes her voice to create different sounds that capture their interest. They visit local parks, where the older children use outdoor play equipment to develop their physical skills.

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who attend

The childminder keeps parents informed of children's daily experiences through informal discussions. They are encouraged to complete an 'All about me' sheet before children start at the provision. The information gathered focuses on individual care routines, their likes and dislikes. However, the childminder does not use this information to assess children's initial starting points on entry to enable her to plan and support their learning effectively. Parents are allowed to view their children's files at anytime. However, the childminder does not effectively share information on how children are progressing across the areas of learning, or provide suggestions on how they can help their children to learn at home. Information, with regards to children's learning, is not shared with other settings that they attend. Consequently, this impacts on both her own and the other settings' ability to promote continuity in children's learning and development.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children have access to a limited range of resources, many of which are not developmentally appropriate to engage them or support their play and learning in the prime areas. The youngest children have access to resources that predominately support stimulation through cause and effect. However, older children have limited opportunities to access developmentally appropriate resources to support their overall development. For example, older children quickly lose interest in those available to them, which restricts their enjoyment and learning potential. This means that not all children are progressing as well as they could because they are not suitably challenged or their learning extended.

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

Children appear settled and comfortable and relate well with the childminder. They interact together and enjoy each other's company. The childminder promotes positive behaviour through distraction and intervention. For example, she reads stories to young children as others are falling asleep. She takes children to school with her to collect their siblings and this familiarity helps to begin to prepare them for the transition to school. They are beginning to develop an awareness of appropriate safety precautions when out walking, as they talk about how they stop, look and listen before crossing the road. The childminder involves parents during the settling-in period with their children. She uses the information gathered from parents on the 'All about me' sheet to support the care routines of individual children. For example, when children do not settle to sleep in the buggy, she holds them close and gently sings, which helps them to settle. The childminder

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The contribution of the early years provision to the well-being of children

demonstrates adequate hygiene practices when giving meals to the children. Opportunities for children to share mealtimes together depend on the care routines of individual children. For example, older children have their packed lunch when they return from nursery. The childminder provides snacks throughout the day, such as fruit and yoghurt, and parents provide lunch for their children, which ensures that their preferences are met.

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provision

Leadership and management is inadequate. The childminder's limited knowledge of the safeguarding and welfare requirements impacts upon the provision. She has failed to ensure that she is meeting all requirements of both the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and the requirements of the Childcare Register. There is no documentation relating to keeping a written record of accidents or injuries and first aid treatment given to children. In addition, there is no complaints procedure in place that is made available to parents. The childminder confirmed that public liability insurance is in place. However, there was no evidence available on the day of inspection to demonstrate this. Children's welfare is not promoted because the childminder has a limited understanding of the procedures to follow if safeguarding concerns arise. However, she can demonstrate an awareness of the possible signs and symptoms of abuse and a

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provision

safeguarding policy is in place. The childminder undertakes regular risk assessments in the home environment to minimise potential hazards to the children in her care. She also assesses potential risks while on outings. The childminder has provided care for more children than the usual ratios allow. Exceptions to this requirement were made, as the childminder demonstrated that the individual care routines of all children, including sibling children were met. However, improvements are required to ensure that the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage are met and maintained.

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provision

The childminder does not have adequate knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. Consequently, she does not have an adequate ability to implement the framework and to support children in making sufficient progress across all the areas of learning and development. Although, the childminder knows and responds to individual children, assessments are not effective in gaining an accurate understanding of their initial starting points upon entry, upon which to build on and capture their ongoing progress. Therefore, educational programmes are not adequately implemented to support individual children in making sufficient progress or according to their individual needs and stage of development. Even though the childminder listens to parents' views in meeting the care routines of children, she does not effectively share information about their progress with parents, including how they can support their child at home. Children, who

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provision

also receive care in another provision are not supported effectively. This is because the childminder has not yet developed links with other providers, in order to ensure that children receive continuity in their care and learning experiences.

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provision

Methods for evaluating the childminder's practice are limited. The views from some parents have recently been obtained through questionnaires. However, these do not support the childminder with the identification of areas for further improvement. She receives support from the local authority and this provides her with some support for improving her practice. However, her lack of understanding and knowledge of the revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, along with weaknesses in self- evaluation, has resulted in the childminder failing to identify how to help children make as much progress as they can.

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The Childcare Register

The requirements for the compulsory part of the Childcare Register are

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actions)

The requirements for the voluntary part of the Childcare Register are

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To meet the requirements of the Childcare Register the provider must:

 provide a written statement of procedures to be followed in relation to complaints which relate to the requirements of the Childcare Register (Procedures for dealing with complaints)  keep records of accidents which occur on the premises where childcare is provided (Records to be kept).  take action as specified in the compulsory section of the report (Records to be kept) (Procedures for dealing with complaints).

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding Outstanding provision is highly effective in meeting the needs of all children exceptionally well. This ensures that children are very well prepared for the next stage of their learning. Grade 2 Good Good provision is effective in delivering provision that meets the needs of all children well. This ensures children are ready for the next stage of their learning. Grade 3 Satisfactory Satisfactory provision is performing less well than expectations in one or more of the key areas. It requires improvement in order to be good. Grade 4 Inadequate Provision that is inadequate requires significant improvement and/or enforcement action. The provision is failing to give children an acceptable standard of early years education and/or is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be inspected again within 12 months of the date of this inspection.

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Grade Judgement Description

Met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met The provision has no children on roll. The inspection judgement is that the provider does not meet the requirements for registration.

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Inspection

This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children’s learning, development and care, known as the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY449730 Local authority Knowsley Inspection number 882038 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 4 Number of children on roll 4

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Name of provider

Date of previous inspection not applicable

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Telephone number

set out in the guidance ‘Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted’, which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk. If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.

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Type of provision

For the purposes of this inspection the following definitions apply:

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Type of provision

Full-time provision is that which operates for more than three hours. These are usually known as nurseries, nursery schools and pre-schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the higher fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Sessional provision operates for more than two hours but does not exceed three hours in any one day. These are usually known as pre-schools, kindergartens or nursery schools and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. They are registered on the Early Years Register and pay the lower fee for registration.

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Type of provision

Childminders care for one or more children where individual children attend for a period of more than two hours in any one day. They operate from domestic premises, which are usually the childminder’s own home. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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Type of provision

Out of school provision may be sessional or full-time provision and is delivered before or after school and/or in the summer holidays. They are registered on the Early Years Register and must deliver the Early Years Foundation Stage. Where children receive their Early Years Foundation Stage in school these providers do not have to deliver the learning and development requirements in full but should complement the experiences children receive in school. 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,

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Type of provision

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, 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. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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Type of provision

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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