Childminder in Waltham Forest

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/10/2013 14/01/2009

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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

 The childminder has an insufficient knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Consequently, children's safety is not prioritised.  The childminder does not effectively safeguard children as she allows an assistant to have sole charge of large numbers of children, knowing that she is yet to have her suitability checks cleared.  The childminder leaves children unsupervised with assistants who do not have suitable skills, knowledge or a current paediatric first aid training. This compromises children's safety in the event of an accident.  The childminder leaves children unsupervised with an assistant who is not familiar with them. Consequently children's individual needs are not fully safeguarded.  Children's safety is put at risk as the childminder does not maintain required adult to child ratios. Equally, parents are not kept informed of who is caring for their children on

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This provision is inadequate

a daily basis and are not requested to give consent for their children to be cared for by assistants.  Although there are some positive systems to share aspects of children's progression with parents, this is not fully developed so that all parents are involved in contributing to their children's ongoing learning in the setting.

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It has the following strengths

 Children benefit from positive play experiences which help them to enjoy and achieve satisfactory skills to support their next stages in learning.

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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 children at play in the childminder's home and out in the garden.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector talked with the childminder, her assistants and with the children present.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documentation, including children's individual contracts and suitability records for staff.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector reviewed recent parental communications and spoke to parents during the inspection.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2008. She lives with her husband, two adult children and one school-aged child. The family live in Waltham Cross in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. The home is close to local shops and schools. The ground floor living room and a separate playroom are available to children. There is a fully enclosed garden available for outside play.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She is currently caring for 15 children with the help of her co-childminder and her assistants. Children attending are in both the early years and later years age groups, with the youngest child aged two years and the oldest aged 10 years. All children attend on a part-time basis. The childminder drives to local schools to take and collect children. The childminder currently supports a number of children who speak English as an additional language and children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder holds a formal childcare qualification.

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enforcement action:

ensure that any other person who is likely to have regular contact with children (including those living or working on the premises) are suitable to do so

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enforcement action:

ensure that people whose suitability has not been checked, including through the criminal records bureau, do not have unsupervised contact with children being cared for

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enforcement action:

ensure that at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate is on the premises at all times

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enforcement action:

ensure that you obtain parents and/or carers permission to leave children with an assistant, including for very short periods of time

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enforcement action:

ensure that the adult: child ratio is maintained at all times

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enforcement action:

ensure that staffing arrangements meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety; make sure that children are adequately supervised and staff are deployed effectively to ensure children's needs are met.

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must:

 ensure that assistants have appropriate training, skills and knowledge and a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in caring for children

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must:

 ensure that each child is assigned a key person to help ensure that every child's care is tailored to meet their individual needs

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must:

 strengthen partnerships with all parents by encouraging them to be more involved in contributing towards their children's ongoing learning within the provision.

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who attend

The childminder has a competent knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. She provides some positive play experiences for children to help them to develop skills to support their next steps in learning. However, her failings in not meeting fundamental safeguarding and welfare requirements impacts on children receiving consistent and safe learning opportunities. There are times when children do not have the support of their key person, and when they are not appropriately supervised. This means that their individual learning needs are not always being met.

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who attend

Children access an appropriate range of activities and experiences which support them to develop skills across the areas of learning. The childminder works in partnership with parents and outside professionals to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities so that a continuous approach can be established to support their care and learning in the provision. Equally, she works with parents to support children who speak English as an additional language. The childminder has developed positive planning and assessment systems to track children's progress and set clear targets to support their continued progression. She has successfully implemented the two-year-old progress check and is sharing these summaries with parents. However, the childminder is yet to involve all parents in sharing their comments and suggestions to support their children's ongoing learning. Therefore, positive practices are not consistently implemented across the

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who attend

Children are developing appropriate communication; language and literacy skills. They are confident to share with the inspector their name, age and their interests. They are keen to show the inspector their drawings that are on display in the childminder's home. This supports children's self-esteem as they are proud that their work has been valued. There are positive opportunities for children to access drawing and writing materials to support their independent mark-making. Older children show due care and consideration to younger children. It is evident that they have established positive relationships as younger children welcome cuddles and attention from their older peers. Children are developing confidence and independence as they move freely around their indoor and outdoor environments. Although this positive practice is only implemented when sufficient assistants are present.

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who attend

Children are developing sound physical skills they enjoy playing in the garden where they have the opportunity to run and play energetically. Children practise ball skills, such as kicking, throwing and catching which is supported by the childminder and her assistants. Other children enjoy exploring how to use hoops in a variety of ways. For example, they practise rolling these along the garden and then trying to swirl them around their tummies. Children inform the inspector that they like to play in the garden; and they say they also enjoy regular visits to the local park with the childminder. Children enjoy imaginative role-play; they are keen to dress up and pretend to be an assortment of characters. They play purposefully within their play when the childminder is available to support them.

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

Children are generally settled and happy in the childminder's care. However, the childminder does not always deploy herself or her assistants appropriately to ensure that children's safety and well-being is prioritised. For example, children are left alone with an unqualified assistant who does not know all of their names. It is evident that the assistant is unsure of her role and responsibilities to the children. She is not their key person and therefore, is unable to establish strong and secure relationships with them. When children request that they would like some food, the assistant provides them with some bananas; and informs them that they will need to wait until the childminder returns as she is not sure of where the food is kept. Although no children were at risk as they are not allergic to bananas, the fact that the assistant did not know all of the children meant that she was unable to meet all of their individual requirements. This means that children's overall well-

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

being is compromised and their requests for food are not entirely fulfilled.

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

Children behave well; they are polite and respectful to one another. They are learning to play cooperatively, as the childminder when she is present, promotes sharing and taking turns. Children are developing a basic understanding of risks as the childminder reminds them of taking care on the large step that leads from the house to the garden. Children are provided with healthy snacks; the childminder encourages them to eat as she informs them that fruit is good for their bodies. Children have opportunities to get fresh air and exercise as the garden is accessible to them when there are sufficient staff to supervise both the indoor and outdoor environments. Children are learning basic self-care skills as they visit the bathroom independently and wash their hands when they are reminded of this hygiene rule. Children enjoy playing in their designated playroom. There are a wide range of developmentally appropriate resources to support all children's learning across

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

The childminder has established suitable transition arrangements with the schools that older children attend. She knows the teachers and shares the information that she receives from them with parents.

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provision

The childminder's inspection was brought forward following concerns that she was leaving children with unregistered assistants and failing to gain parental permission for children to be left in the care of assistants. This inspection found that the childminder is failing to safeguard children's welfare. She is in breach of a number of requirements on both the Early Years Register and the Childcare Register. Although she has an appropriate knowledge of vetting procedures, she does not follow these stringently. For example, she has allowed children to be cared for unsupervised by an assistant who does not have suitability checks in place. Coupled with this unsafe practice, the assistant was left alone with six children under the age of five years and she has no current first aid training. This means that children are put further at risk as not only are their insufficient adults to care for them; there is no one present to administer first aid should they have an accident. The

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provision

childminder has also failed to ensure that all parents' consent is obtained to demonstrate that they agree for their children to be left in sole charge of assistants for short periods of time. Therefore, it is unclear if parents are aware of these arrangements; this is unacceptable practice. The childminder acknowledges that her judgement to allow this scenario to happen put both the assistant and children at risk. This clearly demonstrates her weak knowledge and understanding of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Ofsted will take enforcement action, which the childminder must take in order to improve.

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provision

The childminder has risk assessments in place to monitor the safety of her home environment and to monitor safety on outings with children. However, her risk assessment is ineffective in identifying the risks associated with appropriate deployment of her assistants in order to keep children safe. The childminder demonstrates that there are generally three adults, of whom she is one, working with children at any one time. However, evidence gathered on inspection shows that on occasion there are four adults working with children. This constitutes childcare on domestic premises; the childminder is not registered to provide this type of care and is therefore not meeting specific requirements for this type of registration. These unclear practices also impact on the childminder's ability to reflect on and self-evaluate all aspects of her provision. For example, although the childminder is able to demonstrate a sound knowledge and

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provision

understanding of child protection matters; she is not implementing fundamental procedures to keep children safe in her own provision.

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provision

The childminder has a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. She provides children with a designated playroom which provides suitable space and a wide range of resources to support them to make choices about their play. The childminder has appropriate observations, assessments and planning systems in place to support her in helping children to make progress across the areas of learning. This aspect of her practice is evolving and she is meeting assessment requirements for the two-year-olds attending her setting. The childminder has some positive practices in place to work in partnership with schools that children attend and with parents. However, she is yet to fully engage all parents in supporting children's learning and progression within the provision. Coupled with this, are her failings in meeting safeguarding and welfare requirements. The impact is that the quality of the

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provision

provision overall is ineffective as it is not embedded in robust practices to promote consistent and safe care and learning outcomes for children. The childminder does however demonstrate a positive attitude to wanting to implement necessary actions to meet requirements.

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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:

 ensure that at least one person who is caring for children has an appropriate first aid qualification (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with, children is suitable to work with children which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that there are arrangements with other childcare providers or with parents for occasions on which the registered person is not able to provide childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that at least one person who is caring for children has an appropriate first aid qualification (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that any person caring for, or in regular contact with, children is suitable to work with children which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)

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

 ensure that there are arrangements with other childcare providers or with parents for occasions on which the registered person is not able to provide childcare (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 EY373430 Local authority Waltham Forest Inspection number 934448 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 15

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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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