Childminder in Bromley

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD Telephone: 0300 123 1231 Fax: 0300 123 3159 Minicom: 0161 618 8524 Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk Web: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Monitoring for provision judged as inadequate

An Ofsted inspector, Siobhan O'Callaghan, monitored your provision on 10/06/2014 following your inspection where the provision was judged to be inadequate.

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Outcome of monitoring

As a result of our inspection on 06/12/2013, we sent you a welfare requirements notice. If you were set actions at the inspection, or as a result of our subsequent monitoring or investigations, these are included at the end of this letter unless we have already verified that they have been completed.

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Outcome of monitoring

You were given a timescale for completion of 28 February 2014 which asked you to:

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Outcome of monitoring

- ensure that staffing arrangements are organised to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety at all times

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Outcome of monitoring

ensure that children are kept safe on outings; this is specifically in relation to the consideration of adult to child ratios.

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Outcome of monitoring

You were also issued with a Notice to Improve with a timescale for completion of 28 February 2014 which asked you to:

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Outcome of monitoring

- improve your understanding of the procedures to follow in the event of an allegation made against yourself or others living or working on the premises

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Outcome of monitoring

- ensure that children receiving childcare are kept safe from harm (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)

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Outcome of monitoring

- ensure that children receiving childcare are kept safe from harm (voluntary part of the Childcare Register).

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Outcome of monitoring

You were also issued with a Notice to Improve with a timescale for completion of 28 May 2014 which asked you to:

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Outcome of monitoring

-increase knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage and how to use observations and assessments to plan learning opportunities that are tailored to meet children's individual learning needs and interests.

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Outcome of monitoring

During the monitoring visit on 1 April 2014, the inspector found that you were continuing to fail to meet staffing arrangements, in order to meet the needs of all children and ensure their safety at all times. Although it was observed that you had made some improvements to your risk assessments and your safeguarding policies and procedures, you had allowed an un-vetted assistant to have sole charge of children during a short outing. Therefore, you were not effectively safeguarding children. As a result, you were issued with a further notice to improve which asked you to:

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Outcome of monitoring

ensure people whose suitability has not been checked, including through a criminal records check, do not have unsupervised contact with children being cared for.

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Outcome of monitoring

A second monitoring visit on 6 May 2014 was conducted to monitor your provision and to check your compliance with all previous Welfare Requirements Notices and Notices to improve. It was observed that you had made secure progress in managing the deployment of assistants and therefore were meeting ratio requirements. You were observed to be managing outings safely, and you had made steady progress in increasing your knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. However, during this visit the inspector observed that children were sleeping upstairs in your home and you did not have robust means of monitoring them. It was also observed that your smoke detector on the first floor was broken. Due to these new concerns a further two Notices to improve were raised as follows:

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Outcome of monitoring

ensure that children who are sleeping are always within your sight or hearing

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Outcome of monitoring

ensure that appropriate fire detection (for example, fire alarms/smoke detectors) are available and in working order.

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Outcome of monitoring

A further monitoring visit on the 10 June 2014 was completed to monitor your provision. This was to check that the action you have already taken continues to be maintained, and to observe how you have addressed notices to improve raised at your last visit on the 6 May 2014. It was observed that you continue to meet all previous notices to improve. You are now more diligent in your deployment of assistants. Your improved contingency arrangements for when assistants call in sick ensure that you are never left in a situation where you are over ratio requirements. You have also improved the recording of children’s and assistants attendance which further supports the better deployment of adults. This has improved outcomes for children as they are now safely supervised at all times and they have more support and attention from adults in meeting their individual needs. It was observed that you have continued to improve your organisation of outings. This has included ensuring

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Outcome of monitoring

that assistants have the required suitability checks in place to be left unsupervised with children for short periods of time including taking them to and from pre-school.

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Outcome of monitoring

It was observed that you continue to retain a secure understanding of appropriate procedures to follow to manage allegations against yourself or others living or working in the home. You have also developed a safeguarding policy and procedure that you share with parents which further supports your commitment to providing transparent and open partnerships with parents. You have continued to make steady progress in increasing your knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements. Your observations of children’s achievements and the discussions held with you demonstrate that you do know your children well. You are able to discuss where children are making progress and where they need additional support. Observations of children in your care show that they are confident and active learners. They enjoy initiating their own play and benefit from the well- resourced learning environment that you provide for them.

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Outcome of monitoring

You have made sound progress in addressing the notices that were raised at your visit on the 6 May 2014. You have invested in three baby monitors which are placed in each of the rooms where children sleep. This means that children are always either in your sight or hearing. You acknowledged that when you are downstairs you are now able to hear the children as soon as they wake up. This good practice supports children’s safety and also their well-being as you can respond to their needs as soon as you hear them. You have also invested in a new smoke detector for the first floor of your home. This again further supports the safety of children especially as they sleep upstairs.

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Outcome of monitoring

Having considered all the evidence, the inspector is of the opinion that the childminder has taken prompt and effective action to address the points for improvement.

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Next steps

The next step will be a full inspection.

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Next steps

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your childminding service. If you have any further queries please contact us on the number at the top of this letter.

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Next steps

Nick Hudson National Director, Early Education

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that children who are sleeping are always within your sight or hearing 22/05/2014 10/06/2014

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Action Due date Closed date

ensure that appropriate fire detection (for example, fire alarms/smoke detectors) are available and in working order. 22/05/2014 10/06/2014

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