Childminder in Wolverhampton

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 24/05/2013 06/07/2010

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 2 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

 Risk assessments are ineffective in fully identifying and minimising hazards and relevant information is not available to ensure children's needs can be fully met, particularly in an emergency.  Parental permission for leaving children in sole charge of an assistant has not been sought for all children in the childminder's care, compromising their safety and welfare.  Insufficient information is sought from parents about children's home languages, to value this in supporting the development of English.  The registration certificate is not displayed on the premises to inform parents fully of the arrangements for the care of their children.  Self-evaluation is not wholly reflective of the practice and does not fully identify the areas for further improvement, including planning to complement children's learning in other settings.

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It has the following strengths

 Children relate positively to the childminder and her assistants, nurturing their confidence and self-esteem.  Children behave well with a strong emphasis on displaying good manners, being polite and recognising the needs of others as they play and form friendships.

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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 observed interaction and practice with the childminder and her assistants and the children.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the children, the childminder and some of her assistants during the course of the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector carried out safety checks on both premises the childminder is registered to operate from.  The inspector took account of brief comments from a parent at the inspection.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector examined some documentation including children's files, information about the suitability of the childminder and other adults in the household and some policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2002 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her teenage son and another child in Bilston, West Midlands. She is registered to operate as a childminder at two addresses in the local area and works, at times, with assistants. One setting is based in a first floor flat, using the lounge and a playroom for the childcare. The second setting is a mid-terraced property, with two main rooms for use and toilet facilities on the ground floor. This inspection was conducted mainly at the second premises. The childminder is also registered to offer overnight care at either property.

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Information about the setting

The childminder visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from a number of local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently 37 children on roll, seven of whom are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm.

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must:

 ensure that the required information is recorded for each child; this includes their full name, date of birth, name and address of each parent/carer, who has parental responsibility, and emergency contact details

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must:

 obtain parents' and/or carers' permission to leave children with an assistant

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must:

 ensure children's safety on the premises by conducting thorough risk assessments that effectively identify and minimise hazards to children; this is with regard to broken fencing, nails protruding and insecure shelving

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must:

 display the registration certificate to ensure parents are informed about the childcare arrangements

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must:

 ensure that records are easily accessible and available for inspection

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must:

 take reasonable steps to provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language and obtain key words in children's home languages where possible, valuing this as a support for the development of spoken English.

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 devise and implement a thorough self-evaluation process, which includes the views of parents and children, identifying strengths and areas for development, drawing up an action plan to overcome weaknesses that have been highlighted as a result of the process

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To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

 make better use of information about what children are learning elsewhere to complement and consolidate their progress towards the early learning goals.

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who attend

Weaknesses in leadership and management have an impact on how the needs of the range of children attending are fully met. Children's needs are not fully known as the childminder has not ensured that a full range of information is consistently sought from parents. For example, home languages are not known for all children, which means that the childminder cannot use practical terms in the children's home language to support children as they settle into the setting or use this to promote their communication and language more effectively.. Notwithstanding that, the childminder is aware of how to implement some of the learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage through some activities and opportunities she offers, along with her assistants. Generally, teaching and learning is of a satisfactory quality and children make steady progress in most aspects of their learning and development. Children's maths and

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who attend

number concepts are promoted through activities, such as cookery. They weigh the ingredients, compare dry and wet measurements and note the changes that take place when ingredients are combined. Further learning is promoted as they observe the cooking process.

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who attend

Children's personal, social and emotional development is supported through the friendly approach the childminder uses to settle children and encourage caring and sharing as inherent in the day to day practice. Children talk about their day at school and at home, relating family celebrations and activities. They explore their feelings of apprehension during a game of hide and seek in the park, noting the close proximity of the childminder and her assistant for reassurance.

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who attend

The educational programmes cover the areas of learning and development over time as children explore their environment and community. Observations and assessments are carried out with reference to appropriate ages and stages of development noted. The childminder and her assistants record and track children's progress and are in the process of involving parents in the progress check at age two for some children. There is some work done to involve parents more actively in their children's learning and development. For instance, the childminder provides parents with some phonic flash cards to promote letters and sounds at home. Children are being prepared for their transition to school as they see the various school uniforms on the older children and visit the schools during collection time.

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

Children are generally settled and at ease with the childminder and her assistants. They seek out the familiar adults for support and reassurance, developing their self-confidence. However, their overall safety is not assured. Risk assessments are not effective in identifying and minimising hazards to children, particularly the outside play area at the terraced property. Fencing panels are damaged and nails protrude from pieces of wood left lying on the ground. Discarded batteries have not been noticed or removed from the bark chippings, leaving children at risk. Free-standing shelving adjacent to the bathroom is also unstable and heavy items stored on the shelves pose a hazard to children accessing the toilet. In the first floor flat property, there is a significant tripping hazard at the top of the internal steps as the metal carpet strip has become loose.

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

Children are supported in developing their awareness of following healthy and hygienic personal care routines. They have fresh fruit and vegetable sticks for snacks and their dietary needs and preferences are followed to promote their ongoing health. At times, children plan to have their lunch as a picnic in the nearby park, getting ample fresh air and exercise as part of their routine day. Children take responsibility for setting the table for lunch, and enjoy the social interaction that takes place during mealtimes. They are encouraged to say grace before meals and behave well, with good manners being an expectation of their behaviour. They take pride in helping with tasks and are rewarded with praise from the childminder and her assistants. This contributes to children being confident and prepared for their transition to school.

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provision

The childminder does not meet the legal requirements for the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, particularly the safeguarding and welfare requirements. She cares for a high number of children over time and information is not sought or recorded systematically to ensure children's welfare and safety. Some children's details are scant and do not contain the required information from parents. For example, some records do not have written parental permission to leave assistants in sole charge of the children and additional contact numbers for families in the case of an emergency are not always sought or recorded. This compromises children's overall safety and means that parents are not fully aware of exactly who is caring directly for their child at any given point in the day. The poor organisation also means that some required information is not readily available for inspection and risk assessments are not robust to assure children's safety. The

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provision

childminder's registration allows her to operate from two separate premises and although a registration certificate is displayed at one setting it is not displayed at the second setting. This hinders how parents are fully informed of the registration arrangements.

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provision

The childminder has drawn up some policies and procedures although parents' access to them is limited due to them not being readily available. This includes the safeguarding procedures and means that parents are not fully informed of the action that would be taken should the childminder have any child protection concerns. Nevertheless, she and her assistants do have a sound knowledge of the safeguarding procedures, and have recently attended training to update their awareness of child protection issues. The childminder retains all of the required information about her assistants, ensuring they undergo the required mandatory checks to reassure parents of their suitability to assist in the care of their children. The childminder also meets with her assistants regularly to discuss practice and to check on how they are observing and recording children's progress. This promotes some consistency for children's learning and development,

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provision

particularly as they prepare for the next steps in their education, such as the move to school.

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provision

The childminder is aware of working in partnership with other settings children may attend. However, the exchange of information is based mainly on care needs rather than seeking to complement children's learning at school and at the childminder's. For example, when a child arrives at the childminder's after a morning at nursery school, activities are planned around literacy and formal number work rather than working this into play activities after the rigour of the school day. The process of self-evaluation is not fully effective in identifying and planning for further improvement. The childminder is overly optimistic in the assessment of the quality, much of which is based on the flexibility of the services she offers to meet parents' needs. This contributes to the weaknesses within the practice and the number of legal requirements that are not fully met to ensure children's safety and welfare. This also impacts on some aspects of the Childcare Register not being

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provision

met with regard to children's safety and information.

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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:

 maintain records on every child who is looked after on the premises that include the name, home address and date of birth of each child; the name and address and telephone number of a parent/guardian/carer of each child (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  obtain consent from parents for the child to be left with the childminding assistant (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  display the certificate of registration on the premises on which childcare is provided. (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  maintain records on every child who is looked after on the premises that include the name, home address and date of birth of each child; the name and address and

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

telephone number of a parent/guardian/carer of each child (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks (voluntary part of the Childcare Register) )  obtain consent from parents for the child to be left with the childminding assistant (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  display the certificate of registration on the premises on which childcare is provided. (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)

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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 403397 Local authority Wolverhampton Inspection number 872213 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 37

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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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