Childminder in Liverpool

Inspection date

Previous inspection date 08/01/2015 25/07/2012

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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

 Some hazards are not effectively minimised and not all of the required records are effectively maintained or available for inspection to ensure that children are protected. These include required information about each child and their attendance. In addition, he has no current paediatric first-aid certificate.  Safeguarding is not robust because a failure to notify Ofsted of a person working on the premises means checks on their suitability have not been completed by Ofsted.  Partnership working is not strong enough to ensure that the childminder complements the learning that takes place at home and in the school nursery.  The childminder does not gather sufficient information through observation and assessment of children to provide a clear view of their progress. His knowledge of the learning and development requirements, understanding of the ways in which children learn and his teaching are all weak, so that he does not engage children in learning or

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This provision is inadequate

sufficiently challenge them to make good progress.

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It has the following strengths

 Children have developed secure relationships with the friendly childminder and co- childminder.  Children who are learning English as an additional language are supported through repetition of words to make sound progress in English.

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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 ground floor rooms and garden and conducted a joint observation with the childminder.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector spoke with the childminder, co-childminder and children at appropriate times throughout the observations.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at a range of documents, including verifying some qualifications, checking the suitability of household members and viewing the policies, procedures and the children's records that were available.

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Inspection activities

 The inspector looked at the childminder's self-evaluation form and discussed his improvement plan.

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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. He lives with his wife, who is his co-childminder, and three children in a house in Fazakerley, Liverpool. The whole of the ground floor, the bathroom on the first floor and the rear garden are used for childminding. The childminder attends a toddler group and activities at the local children's centre. He visits the shops and park on a regular basis. He collects children from the local schools and pre-schools. Sometimes, an assistant works with the co-childminders. There are currently nine children on roll, of whom six are in the early years age group and attend for a variety of sessions. The childminder supports children who speak English is an additional language The childminder operates all year round from 7am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, except family holidays. He is a member of the Professional Association for

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The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take the following

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

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The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take the following

take all reasonable steps to ensure that children are not exposed to risks through a process of risk assessment that demonstrates how risks are managed and identifies how risks will be removed or diminished

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The provision is inadequate and Ofsted intends to take the following

ensure that children are adequately supervised to meet their needs and ensure their safety; children must usually be within sight and hearing.

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must:

 ensure that children are adequately supervised to meet their needs and are usually within sight and hearing to ensure their safety

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must:

 complete training in paediatric first aid and ensure that a current paediatric first aid certificate is maintained

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must:

 put systems in place to ensure that any person looking after children is suitable to do so, including informing Ofsted of changes to persons aged over 16 living or working on the premises, which will allow Ofsted to obtain an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check for them

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must:

 ensure all required records are accessible and available for inspection

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must:

 keep a daily record of the names of the children being cared for on the premises, their hours of attendance and the name of each child's key person

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must:

 improve the planning of challenging and enjoyable experiences by gathering sufficient information about children's starting points and from ongoing observation and assessment to identify children's next steps in learning and use this information to help them make progress.

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must:

 develop a knowledge of effective teaching methods and an understanding of how children learn and develop in order to provide a quality learning experience for all children.

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who attend

The childminder does not purposefully obtain information about what children know and can do at home from parents. As a result, children's starting points are not clear. This limits the childminder's ability to build on each child's skills, and continue their learning. Children generally occupy themselves, choosing toys from a simple range in each room. Some incidental learning takes place due to the type of toys available. For example, children develop their hand-to-eye coordination as they join pieces of a construction set. Crayons and paper are freely available, which enables children to refine their drawing and early writing skills. However, for much of the time, children are not effectively challenged and little learning takes place, because teaching is weak. Observations and assessment are not frequent or accurate enough to build on children's progress and what children need to learn next or what resources are required are not sufficiently considered when

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who attend

organising activities. As a result, not all children are engaged or challenged during group activities, children do not make good progress, and children are not acquiring the key skills to promote their next stage of learning in readiness for school.

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who attend

The childminder has some suitable ways, ready to use, for planning and tracking children's progress. However, these are not consistently implemented, and therefore they are not yet effective. Some of the children have a learning journal, which contains some photographs of them playing and some of their art work. However, observations of children's learning are not consistently made. This together with the childminder's poor knowledge of the progress the children are making limits the childminder's ability to identify children who require additional support. The childminder's knowledge and understanding of the learning and development requirements and the ways in which children learn are weak, resulting in weak teaching. Parents are warmly welcomed each day, and both childminders talk to parents about their children's care and daily activities. However, insufficient information is available to keep parents well informed about their

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who attend

child's progress or to actively encourage them to share information about their children's learning and development at home.

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who attend

The childminder makes sound use of everyday experiences to promote some aspects of children's learning and development. While changing nappies, he sings songs and talks to children and encourages them to respond, therefore, developing their speaking and listening skills. Returning down the stairs, he counts each step raising baby's awareness of numbers and counting. He also leads activities, such as completing jigsaw puzzles, which raise younger children's awareness of shape as they fit pieces in to the tray. The childminder sits with small groups of children to look at books. He speaks clearly and repeats words, which supports children with English as an additional language to learn and correctly pronounce new words in English. Children gain an awareness of features in the local community as they walk to toddler groups. Photographs show that children have opportunities to learn about the natural world on visits to the zoo and museum. The

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who attend

childminder is aware of the requirement to review children's progress, and provide parents and/or carers with a written summary of their child's development in the prime areas between the ages of two and three years. He shares what he knows with his co- childminder who takes the responsibility to complete the progress check.

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

Children's safety and well-being are compromised due to weaknesses in safeguarding and record keeping. For example, the childminder is not able to demonstrate that he holds a current paediatric first-aid certificate to help him take appropriate action in the event of an accident to a child. Also, information provided by parents about their children including health details and allergies, is not readily accessible for use. The childminder provides a childminding service with his wife. He works alongside her to provide a welcoming home in which children and parents are valued. The weaknesses in the way they organise their time and share responsibility for the children leads to a lack of continuity in the quality of children's care. However, the childminder is kind and caring, relating warmly with children when he is present. Children readily approach both childminders for cuddles to express their feelings, which demonstrate they feel emotionally secure. The childminder supports

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

children individually as they play. For example, he shows children how to use scissors safely when they are cutting paper.

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

When he returns from the school run at lunchtime, the childminder sits with children and effectively supports them to use their cutlery to feed themselves. This successfully develops their self-help skills and independence. Children enjoy a wide variety of snacks and meals planned and cooked by his co-childminder. She prepares meals to provide a balanced diet and builds in opportunities for children to choose healthy options. However, the childminder has not considered the risks associated with some of the foods on the menu, such as chicken wings and whole grapes. These present choking hazards, particularly when neither childminder is supervising the children closely. Sometimes, both childminders work closely to support children's emotional needs. For example, young children sit with the childminder where they feel secure while the co-childminder leads group singing sessions. This enables children to watch group activities, such as singing

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

and moving to action songs while they develop the confidence to join in. Children begin to learn about how their body works as they move different body parts to follow the instructions in the song. Children maintain a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise, such as balancing on scooters in the garden and using equipment, such as the swings at the park.

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

Children demonstrate a good ability to concentrate and follow instructions during planned experiences, such as looking at books and during music sessions. The childminder encourages polite, courteous behaviour and children become competent at managing their personal needs relative to their ages. On the whole, children behave fairly well. The childminder, with his co-childminder, regularly takes children to toddler groups so they are used to socialising with a wider group of people. This helps children to be emotionally prepared for school when the time comes.

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provision

The inspection was prioritised by Ofsted due to concerns being raised about the numbers of children being minded and the childminder's ability to supervise children and keep them safe. The inspection found significant breaches in the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. There are also breaches of the requirements of the Childcare Register. Together, the childminder and his co-childminder care for six children under the age of five years. However, at the start of the inspection, the childminder was not at the home, which meant his co-childminder was caring for the children on her own. The childminder carries out various school runs during the day, which limits his interaction with the children. Children's attendance is not consistently recorded. As a consequence, there is not an accurate record of children's hours of attendance and the name of their key person. Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks are

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provision

available for the childminder and co-childminder. However, the childminder has failed to notify Ofsted that he sometimes employs an assistant. As a result, the necessary checks on the assistant's suitability have not been carried out through Ofsted. Records are not clear enough to evidence how the childminder has assessed the suitability of the assistant to work with children. However, the childminder has sent his assistant to attend workshops on safeguarding and to gain a paediatric first-aid certificate so that she is able to protect children. The childminder also demonstrates a clear knowledge of the indicators of abuse, who to contact and how to work with other agencies if he has any safeguarding concerns. Therefore, this aspect of safeguarding is sufficient to protect children.

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provision

Children move freely around the ground floor, which includes a playroom, hall, kitchen, living space and conservatory. Even though the required ratios are met when the childminder works with his co-childminder, the children are not always within sight. This limits the childminder's ability to assess the level of risk to young children as they move around the rooms. While some hazards in the home are identified and safety measures put in place many are not taken into consideration.For example, two of the doors are fitted with finger guards, although one is not. The childminder uses rope to keep the patio door secure when opened as it is not attached to the runner. However, the childminder lacks a clear procedure for assessing risks in home and garden. Measures to minimise and/or remove some hazards are not sufficient. For example, there are several items in the garden presenting as hazards. Metal gates are a particular hazard as they are propped

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provision

against the fence on their sides, which means the spear finials are horizontal at children's eye height.

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provision

The childminder does not sufficiently demonstrate that he meets the safeguarding and welfare and learning and development requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Evaluation is not effective in driving forward improvements in order to raise the overall quality of care and learning children receive. An action set at the last inspection has not been met. As a result, the required details, including full contact details health and allergy records and attendance records, are not available for each child who attends. Also, a recommendation to develop the risk assessments to ensure that children are safe and secure in the outdoor play area has not been sufficiently addressed. Some of the required documents and records to ensure children are safe, protected and supported are not available for inspection. Toys are suitable for the age of the children attending. However, the childminder does not plan effectively enough to challenge children or help them make

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provision

the most of the resources. Planning and assessing the effectiveness of the educational programme and tracking children's progress are not securely established because the childminder's knowledge and understanding of the requirements and the ways in which children learn is weak.

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provision

Most information is exchanged with parents when they drop off and collect their children. Some information is available in writing, for example, a suitable set of policies and procedures are available to parents on request. These include procedures on safeguarding and how to make a complaint. Information displayed on the wall in the hall provides parents with some useful information. Daily verbal exchanges with parents help to support some aspects of children's well-being and enable some sharing of information about their learning to take place. However, the childminder does not gather sufficient information from which to identify any children who may need extra support to close gaps in learning. Similarly, the exchange of information with other settings some children attend is not strong enough to support children's 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:

 take all necessary measures to minimise any risks to the health or safety of the children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that an appropriate first-aid qualification is maintained (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  put effective systems in place to ensure that any person caring for children is suitable to work with children, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check through Ofsted (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of any person aged 16 or over working on the premises with children (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  keep records of the name, home address and date of birth of each child who is looked after on the premises and an accurate daily record of their hours of attendance (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are

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

safe and suitable for that childcare (compulsory part of the Childcare Register)  ensure the premises and equipment used for the purposes of the childcare are safe and suitable for that childcare. (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  take all necessary measures to minimise any risks to the health or safety of the children (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  ensure that an appropriate first-aid qualification is maintained (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  put effective systems in place to ensure that any person caring for children is suitable to work with children, which must include obtaining an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check through Ofsted (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)  inform Ofsted of the name, date of birth, address and telephone number of any person aged 16 or over working on the premises with children (voluntary part of the Childcare Register)

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

 keep records of the name, home address and date of birth of each child who is looked after on the premises and an accurate daily record of their hours of attendance (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. We re-inspect nurseries and pre-schools judged as requires improvement within 12 months of the date of 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

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Grade Judgement Description

is not meeting the safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. It will be monitored and inspected again within six months of the date of this inspection. Met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. The inspection judgement is that the provider continues to meet the requirements for registration. Not met There were no children present at the time of the inspection. 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 EY354538 Local authority Liverpool Inspection number 1001516 Type of provision Childminder Registration category Childminder Age range of children 0 - 17 Total number of places 6 Number of children on roll 9

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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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