Childminder in West Sussex

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 20/11/2013 01/10/2012

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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 places children at risk by not keeping them within her sight or hearing when they are sleeping.  The childminder does not keep the premises secure in order to prevent unauthorised people from entering them. This also places children at risk.  Although the childminder completes risk assessments, these do not identify all hazards, which places children's safety at risk.  The childminder does not monitor children sufficiently closely when they are sleeping in order to keep them safe.  The childminder does not plan a sufficiently wide range of activities and experiences that challenge children in the areas of learning so they make good developmental progress.

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It has the following strengths

 The childminder has affectionate relationships with the children so they are settled in her care and ready to learn.  The childminder encourages children to eat healthily and to enjoy being outdoors.

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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 activities in the childminder's lounge and kitchen.  The inspector had discussions with the childminder.  The inspector undertook a joint observation of the children with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector sampled a range of documentation including children's records, policies and procedures.

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Information about the setting

The childminder registered in 2010. She lives with her partner and two school-aged children in Angmering, West Sussex, close to shops, parks, schools and public transport links. The ground floor of the childminder's home is used for childminding. There is a garden for outdoor play and the family has a pet cat.

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Information about the setting

The childminder is currently minding four children in the early years age range. She is registered on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. The childminder collects children from the local school and pre-school, and attends several toddler groups in the locality.

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enforcement action:

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice requiring the provider to:

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enforcement action:

ensure children are always within sight or hearing, particularly when sleeping

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enforcement action:

ensure risk assessments fully identify risks to children and ensure action is taken to keep children safe at all times; this is particularly in relation to sleeping children and the security of the premises

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enforcement action:

ensure the premises are secure and take steps to prevent unauthorised people entering the premises.

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must:

 plan more interesting learning experiences for each child so they make good progress in their learning and development through a better balance of activities that they chose for themselves and those planned and led by the childminder.

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who attend

The childminder provides a suitable learning environment for children. Children spend lots of time choosing what they want to do and play happily. They pretend they are making food as they use cups to pour and stir, and serve the childminder pretend dishes of food. The childminder supports this play by joining in with children, asking questions and supporting their language development. The children enjoy looking at books together and with the childminder. They sit together, cosy and relaxed, pointing to the various creatures as the childminder names them. The childminder encourages children to count the ducks '1, 2, 3' in the pictures, and she readily gives praise for a new achievement.

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who attend

The childminder extends learning by asking children questions, such as 'Which one is bigger?' and 'Are they the same?' to encourage them to think and to provide some challenge to their thinking. The childminder records children's achievements in individual records called learning journeys with photographs as evidence. The parents contribute information about what the children like to do at home, so the childminder has an initial understanding of their development levels. This information is used to start the learning journey, which parents can see at any time so they know what the children have been doing. However, the childminder does not always use the learning journey information to identify and plan activities that will help move the children on in their individual learning and development more quickly. The childminder assesses children's developmental progress while they are two years old to identify any concerns with their development so

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who attend

The childminder provides resources each day that she knows the children like to play with. However, she does not plan any special activities. This means that children are not challenged through varied and interesting learning experiences, such as learning particular skills through engaging in crafts. Younger children miss out on exploring a variety of textures and expressing themselves creatively, as well as developing the physical skills of using tools and making marks because of this drawback.

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who attend

The childminder takes children out every morning to a variety of community groups and nearby parks so they see the local environment. This broadens children's experiences through helping them to meet other children to develop their social skills and to gain some understanding of the world around them.

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

The childminder develops caring relationships with the children. She is affectionate, and the children show they trust her and feel safe as they snuggle up to her. Children behave well, and the childminder calmly manages their behaviour in ways that are appropriate for their levels of understanding. She explains what they have done wrong and encourages them to care for each other. The childminder constantly comments on what the children are doing and praises when they do well. This approach boosts not only their self- confidence but their vocabulary development too. She uses kindness to get them to comply, such as by saying she would 'really love it' if they helped to tidy up and so they do. Children can only play with whatever resources the childminder has put out for them, but they can ask for others from the cupboard.

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

The childminder takes children out every day, either to local groups or the park so they can run around, splash in puddles and enjoy the outdoors. This helps them have a positive attitude to being out in the fresh air as part of healthy living. However, when children fall asleep in the childminder's car she leaves them locked in it at the end of her garden when they all get home rather than disturb them. The childminder does not check them sufficiently and, consequently, they are not safe.

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

The childminder helps children prepare for the time they will move on to school by making sure they can manage their own care needs. For example, that they can wash their hands, put on their shoes and do up fastenings on their clothes. The childminder provides children's food and drinks and they enjoy a healthy, balanced diet. For snacks, they happily eat fresh fruit, and vegetables are included in all meals. Combined with the regular outdoor trips, this ensures that children are learning to enjoy being healthy and active from an early age.

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provision

This inspection was brought forward following concerns raised to Ofsted about children left sleeping in the childminder's car unattended. This inspection has found that the childminder has not given sufficient thought to the possible consequences of this action. She has not risk assessed the situation to consider what could happen when children are not in her sight or hearing. The childminder admits she has not considered that photographs can be taken of sleeping children if her attention is diverted elsewhere even for a short period. The childminder has not made sure that her premises are secure so that no one can enter uninvited, which poses a further risk to children's safety. These are breaches of safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage that place children's well-being at risk. The requirements of the Childcare Register are also not met.

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provision

The childminder's home is well maintained and generally her risk assessments enable her to minimise risks to children within her home. She checks the places she takes children on outings to make sure they are safe, such as removing rubbish from the immediate vicinity in the park before children play. The childminder has a written safeguarding policy and has attended child protection training so she understands the signs that might indicate a child is at risk of harm. She has a clear procedure to record and report her concerns, in order to safeguard children's welfare in regard to this.

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provision

The childminder shares daily information with parents through discussion and a daily diary so they know what their children have been doing. She passes information between the schools and pre-schools from which she collects children to the parents, so they are all working in partnership. The childminder asks parents' opinion of her practice each year in order to help drive improvements. They state they are happy with her care of their children. The childminder attends an annual childminding conference to hear the latest news and keep up to date with developments her area of work.

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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 children receiving childcare are kept safe from harm (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  review the risk assessment of the premises and equipment and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks, in relation to sleeping children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that children receiving childcare are kept safe from harm (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of a person who is caring for children on the premises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  review the risk assessment of the premises and equipment and ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks, in relation to

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

sleeping children (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 Requires improvement The provision is not giving children a good standard of early years education and/or there are minor breaches of the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected within twelve months of the date of this inspection. 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

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Grade Judgement Description

the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. 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 EY411880 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 939745 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 8 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 4

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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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