Childminder in Lincolnshire

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 03/12/2013 23/02/2012

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early years provision

This inspection: 4 Previous inspection: 3 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 does not use her knowledge effectively to observe and assess children's learning and to provide them with purposeful learning experiences that ensure all children make consistent progress in the learning and development.  The childminder does not have a good enough knowledge and understanding of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, as a result there are a number of breaches in requirements that mean she is not promoting the health and safety of children in her care.  Children are not fully safeguarded because security and safety measures are not implemented effectively.  The poor organisation of the setting and of required documentation does not meet the needs of the children or promote their welfare, learning and development.

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It has the following strengths

 Some partnerships help to support certain aspects of learning and development for several of the children who receive shared care.

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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 lounge.  The inspector conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector discussed how the childminder uses assessment records and planning documentation.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector checked evidence of suitability and qualifications, discussed self- evaluation and improvement plans.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector took account of the views of parents through discussions with the childminder.

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Information about the setting

The childminder was registered in 2007 and is on the Early Years Register and the compulsory and voluntary parts of the Childcare Register. She lives with her partner and two children aged 13 and seven years in a house in Lincoln. The whole house except for the main bedroom on the second floor are used for minding. The rear garden is used for childminding. The family has a dog, cat and a hamster as pets.

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Information about the setting

The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. She visits the shops and park on a regular basis. She collects children from the local schools and pre-schools.

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Information about the setting

There are currently seven children on roll of whom two are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder operates all year round from 7.30am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, except for Christmas, bank holidays and family holidays. She is a member of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years.

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enforcement action:

We will issue a Welfare Requirements Notice with a completion date of 24 February 2014 requiring the provider to:

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enforcement action:

comply with the no smoking policy by not smoking when children are present, or about to be present, including in outside play area

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enforcement action:

ensure the premises, including outdoor spaces are fit for purpose, safe, clean, secure and comply with health and safety legislation, including hygiene requirements

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enforcement action:

undertake risk assessments, including for outings, to identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom these are checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised

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enforcement action:

maintain a daily register of the names of the children being cared for on the premises and their hours of attendance

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enforcement action:

take all reasonable steps to prevent unauthorised persons entering the premises.

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must:

 apply the indoor space measurements and demonstrate how these are met when the maximum number of children are in attendance at the same time

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must:

 provide Ofsted with a copy of your public liability insurance for 2013

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must:

 implement and deliver planned, purposeful play experiences in the setting for all children through a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activity

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must:

 develop a consistent system of observation and assessment to understand children's level of achievement, interests and learning styles, and to then shape learning experiences for each child reflecting those observations

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must:

 display the certificate of registration at the setting.

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

 develop a culture of reflective practice through self-evaluation to identify the setting's strengths and priorities for development that will improve the quality of provision for all children.

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who attend

The childminder has achieved an early years qualification at level 3 and has sufficient knowledge of the seven areas of learning. However, she does not translate this knowledge effectively into her teaching practice. A recommendation was raised at the last inspection for the childminder to develop her observations and assessments to ensure that children are provided with purposeful learning that meets their individual needs. There is no evidence to demonstrate that the childminder has made these improvements. While there is no requirement that observations, assessments and planning have to be completed in written form, the childminder said that she does this. However, she is unable to provide any observations, assessments or planning for any child she cares for. Through discussions that took place with the childminder, the observations that were made of the of the childminder's interactions and engagement and the assessment that was made of

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who attend

the quality of the activity that was seen, the childminder is not able to demonstrate how she plans learning experiences accurately for each child's individual level of achievement to help them to make good, consistent progress in their learning and development. Very little learning occurred during this inspection and, the limited interaction that the childminder had, lacked purpose and meaning to children and children quickly lost interest.

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who attend

Due to the absence of any observational assessment reports and planning records, and from the observations made of the childminder's poor organisation of learning experiences for children, it is unclear how the childminder actively involves parents in their child's learning and ensures that they are aware of the progress their child is making. It is also unclear how parents are given information about how they can support their child's continued learning at home. The childminder is unable to do this successfully because she has not yet implemented the fundamental characteristics and principles of teaching and learning that are necessary to identify how to plan purposefully for each child. She lacks focus and does not plan stimulating activities that provide children with a balance of adult- led learning and child-initiated learning. She is therefore, unable to follow children's interests and build on these. The poor organisation of space also has a negative impact on

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who attend

children's learning and development as children are unable to maximise their experiences through exploration, investigation and outdoor play.

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who attend

The childminder takes some steps to provide some variety in the experiences children have to promote their learning and development. She does this by taking children to mix with other children at another childminder's setting and to join in with some activities at the local children's centre. They learn to socialise and develop their confidence in different situations. This contributes to their future transitions as they move on to other settings and to school in the future. They develop an understanding of the environment in which they live and of nature when they visit the local nature reserve and are taken on walks around the local area. At the childminder's house, young children play with small world characters, such as a farm and garage set with some cars. On other occasions, they enjoy some crafts and activities through which they can express themselves creatively, such as icing cupcakes. Young children sing songs and use some musical instruments, which helps

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who attend

to develop their language, physical skills and coordination as they learn about rhythm and beat. Musical instruments are also used to tap out numbers into a sequence to help young children learn to count through repetition. However at the inspection, this was too advanced for the very young children it was being done with and the child quickly lost interest. Children learn simple problem solving techniques about shapes and similarities by using puzzles in their play. They learn to play cooperatively and as a larger group when all the children are cared for together, developing an understanding of taking turns and sharing.

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

Children are settled in the childminder's care. The childminder has discussions with new parents to find out about their child's care needs and routines and provides parents with forms to complete about these so that the childminder can follow their wishes. As children's full care needs take place in one room, the childminder is able to provide children with reassurance, especially when they awake from sleeping. Children sleep on the sofa, which the childminder says parents are happy with. Children form attachments with the childminder and show a sense of security in their surroundings, because they are familiar with their routines. The childminder understands that promoting the prime areas of learning are important to young children to equip them emotionally for their future transitions.

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

Children's good behaviour is promoted through the use of praise and encouragement. The childminder has a suitable behaviour management policy, detailing the appropriate strategies she uses to manage any unwanted behaviour. For example, she consistently reinforces guidance to young toddlers about not climbing on a toy garage. This helps to develop children's understanding of safety and how to manage risks safely. The childminder works closely with parents to meet any medical needs children have, for example, the administration of medicines. She undertakes training when needed to enable her to administer specialised medicines, but she previously did not record when she did this and an action was raised at the last inspection for her to do so. Appropriate alternative arrangements are now in place with parents, which avoid the chilmdinder giving specialised medication. The childminder has a better understanding of why she

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

must record all medications that she gives to children. Medication records and accident records are accurately maintained at this inspection to ensure children are safe and their welfare is promoted. Additionally the childminder has a current first-aid certificate and can deal with minor accidents and injuries when these occur. However, the childminder does not undertake risk assessments that identify how robust hygiene procedures are implemented to protect children's good health. This particularly applies to the dog walking on the lounge floor where young children and babies play after it has been walking outside in urine and faeces.

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

Children are encouraged to develop healthy lifestyles through being taken out to other settings and to local parks where they have fresh air and some exercise. Children are provided with morning and afternoon snacks and a light lunch each day. They have continuous access to water to keep them hydrated. Children are encouraged to develop their independence with toileting and are supported by the childminder until they can do this confidently for themselves. This encourages children to recognise their own needs and helps them to prepare for school.

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provision

This inspection took place as a result of a concern Ofsted received about the chilmdinder smoking outside in the garden while she is minding children and that the garden is full of rubbish, cigarette ends and dog faeces. The concern also raises issues about hygiene as the dog and the cat are then in the house where young children are minded, the house being too small for the amount of children being cared for, the house being untidy and unwashed dishes in the kitchen.

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provision

At the time of the inspection the childminder was smoking in the garden and the cigarette smoke could be detected from the front door, because it was wafting indoors. The childminder was minding at the time. Although she had vision to the lounge and could hear, the young child was unattended. This does not fully ensure children' s safety and welfare or meet their needs, because the childminder is putting her needs before those of children. The dog was in the house at first and subsequently put out in the garden. The garden was covered in dog faeces of more than several days' worth, and is also where the dog urinates. The dog had been walking on the lounge floor where the children play with their toys. Cigarette ends are extinguished and left floating in a couple of tubs in the garden or on the ground, but the garden was free from other rubbish at this time. However, the childminder said that she only occasionally uses the garden for outdoor play

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provision

because the dog uses it, but instead often takes the children out. This in itself disadvantages children as the house is very small and the childminder does not provide a full range of learning experiences at her setting. The maximum number of children the chilmdinder cares for at any one time is seven and she has not referred to the spacing requirements in the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage to make an accurate assessment of the space she has available. The childminder says that she only uses the small lounge for children to play in during term time, but during the holidays the children can do crafts at the table in the conservatory. She firstly said that children do not play upstairs, however, when this was discussed further, she said that, on occasions, some children sometimes play upstairs in one of the bedrooms. Every step on the stairs was covered in loose clothes, which are trip hazards for children. This was the same in the

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provision

bedrooms where the childminder said children play on occasions. The cat was asleep upstairs throughout the inspection and the dog remained outdoors. There were some unwashed dishes in the kitchen, but these were not excessive and did not pose a health or safety risk to children.

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provision

The childminder has failed to ensure she is meeting all requirements of the Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure children are fully safeguarded and their welfare maintained. This is because she does not ensure that the premises, including the garden are fit for purpose, clean and safe. The childminder does not comply with the requirement, or her policy, about no smoking and she has not measured the amount of available space children have to use. She does not ensure that she can provide for the full range of needs that children have, including when she minds the maximum number of children she cares for at any one time. The childminder has an appropriate understanding of child protection. However, she does not ensure children's safety because she does not undertake robust risk assessments of her premises. She does not identify risks to children and demonstrate how these have been removed or minimised, including

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provision

hygiene procedures, which is particularly important with pets in the house when minding babies or young toddlers. Implementing risk assessments was raised as a recommendation at the last inspection and has not been successfully addressed. She has taken some steps to meet the action that was raised at the last inspection to make the premises secure by fitting a chain to the front door and a bolt to the garden gate. However, at the time of this inspection neither were being used and the premises was not secure, which does not ensure that children are safe from intruders. She has an adequate understanding of her role and responsibilities with regard to ensuring children are supervised well and remain in her care at all times. She ensures that persons who have close and regular contact with children are vetted for their suitability.

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provision

The childminder has a range of policies and procedures in place to share with new parents. However, she is unable to demonstrate how she maintains and organises other required documentation, because she is unable to produce this at inspection. For example, her registration certificate is not on display, her public liability insurance is not available and she is unable to produce a register of the names of the children she minds and their times of attendance. The childminder is also in breach of both parts of the Childcare Register requirements. Self-evaluation is not completed and the childminder shows little commitment to driving improvements, because she does not reflect on the strengths and weakness in her setting to identify where improvements are needed that benefit the children she cares for. This was raised as a recommendation at the last inspection and appropriate steps have not been taken to introduce this. She does not monitor the quality

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provision

of the educational programme she provides sufficiently well through observation and assessment, or use the knowledge she has gained from achieving her early years level 3 qualification to deliver effective teaching. This does not ensure that children are receiving high quality learning experiences that help them to make progress and prepare them for school. She is unable to demonstrate how she plans purposeful learning experiences for children that are based on her secure understanding of their individual abilities, needs and interests. She does not, therefore, ensure that children make the best possible progress they can in their learning and development.

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provision

Partnerships with parents are adequately established by the childminder through the daily discussions she has with them. For example, that some parents are happy for their toddlers to sleep on the sofa as this is what they do at home. She holds daily discussions with parents to advise them of their children's daily care routines and of some things they have done that day. She is starting to work with outside agencies, seeking appropriate support and guidance when needed, to ensure the identification and support of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The childminder liaises well with other providers when the care of children is shared, to promote an integrated approach to their care and learning. In doing so, she is also able to support parents to help ensure that children receive some continuity in the learning and development.

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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 no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of the person who is caring for the children on the premises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no person smokes on the premises at any time while childcare is provided, or in the presence of a child receiving childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  provide Ofsted with a copy of public liability insurance for 2013 (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks by undertaking a risk assessment of the premises and equipment at least once in each calendar year, and immediately, where the need for assessment arises (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  maintain a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  display the certificate of registration on the premises on which childcare is provided

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

(compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  demonstrate how information about the activities the children will undertake is made available to parents (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purpose of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register).  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purpose of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no one can enter the premises without the knowledge of the person who is caring for the children on the premises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that no person smokes on the premises at any time while childcare is provided, or in the presence of a child receiving childcare (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  provide Ofsted with a copy of public liability insurance for 2013 (voluntary part of

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

the Childcare Register)  ensure that all necessary measures are taken to minimise any identified risks by undertaking a risk assessment of the premises and equipment at least once in each calendar year, and immediately, where the need for assessment arises (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  maintain a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises and their hours of attendance (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)  demonstrate how information about the activities the children will undertake is made available to parents (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 EY362669 Local authority Lincolnshire Inspection number 943450 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 5 Number of children on roll 7

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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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