Childminder in Hertfordshire

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Requires improvement Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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The provision is inadequate

The childminder is failing to meet all requirements of her registration. There are breaches of requirements that undermine children's safety. Additionally, she is not meeting the requirement to complete a progress check between the ages of two and three years for all children in her care.

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The provision is inadequate

Nevertheless, children settle well in the care of the childminder and enjoy their time in her home. They enjoy exploring interesting activities that help them to investigate and solve problems. The childminder uses music to support children's development. Children point to song cards to request their favourite song. Children stamp their feet and wave their arms as they pretend to be dinosaurs, and join in enthusiastically with 'head, shoulders, knees and toes'. They copy the actions to 'baby shark' and request their favourites again and again. Young children are starting to use recognisable sounds to represent a word, and the childminder replies to them with the whole word, such as 'dinosaur'. This helps to support children's speaking skills. However, the childminder has not yet ensured that her assistant is confident to extend children's development. This means some children's experiences vary depending on which adult is working with them. Babies, including

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The provision is inadequate

those who are new the setting, settle well and are cuddled warmly if they become upset.

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need to do better?

n The childminder has not ensured that all persons who work with children fully understand their role and responsibilities. For example, she has not completed a thorough and effective induction with her new assistant and there are some gaps in her assistant's knowledge and training. This includes their knowledge of how to evacuate children from the building in an emergency, which undermines children's safety. n The childminder has failed to ensure that either of her registered assistants have completed paediatric first-aid training as required, to ensure they can manage any health needs that children may have in their care. This is despite the childminder needing to leave her assistant alone with children for short periods of time. The childminder has not considered the impact of this on children's well- being when organising her childminding. n The childminder provides a welcoming home, where children can play and learn.

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need to do better?

She supports their overall development appropriately, providing open-ended activities that help children make connections and solve problems. Children hear and repeat mathematical words, such as 'bigger' and 'smaller', as they work out which objects will fit inside different containers. They fill and empty jugs and trays as they explore the different ways they can transport things around the room.

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need to do better?

17 January 2022 n Children develop their physical skills as they roll, throw and catch a ball. The childminder fetches ramps to help them find out how fast a ball can roll when they put them at the top of a ramp. They enjoy finding out where the ball has gone and thinking about where it will go next. Babies hold a glittery ball in their hands as they cuddle into the childminder's lap. They examine the ball and copy the childminder as she shows them how to drop it and pick it up again. n The childminder has established positive partnerships with parents. While parents no longer come into the childminder's home because of COVID-19 pandemic measures, the childminder ensures that they have time to exchange information with her. Parents state that they are pleased with the care and education their children receive. n Children behave well and are developing an understanding of what is expected of them as the childminder remains calm and positive with them. She is an

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need to do better?

effective role model and shows them how to behave towards others. Children are developing an understanding of how to care for things around them as they help to tidy-up toys. The childminder encourages children to take responsibility for simple tasks, including feeding themselves. She praises them for their achievements to support their self-esteem.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

While the childminder has a secure knowledge of signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect and knows the procedure to report concerns, she has not ensured that children's safety is well catered for. She leaves children in sole charge for short times with an assistant who does not hold a valid paediatric first-aid qualification. This includes times when the childminder is settling children to sleep in a part of the building that is separate to the minding area. Additionally, she has failed to train assistants in basic safety procedures, such as emergency evacuations. This undermines children's safety.

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Due date

ensure that any person, including any assistant who may be in sole charge of children for any period of time, holds a valid paediatric first-aid qualification, to ensure children's safety 15/02/2022

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Due date

17 January 2022 ensure that all adults working with children on the premises understand, and can follow, emergency evacuation procedures 15/02/2022

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Due date

implement effective induction training for any person who works as an assistant, to ensure that they understand their role and responsibilities 15/02/2022

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Due date

ensure that you complete a progress check at age two for all children aged between two and three in your care, this must be a short-written summary of the child's development in the prime areas and must be shared with their parents, this progress check must identify the child's strengths, and any areas where the child's progress is less than expected. 15/02/2022

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should:

n help assistants to engage with children more successfully to support their development.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY347591 Local authority Hertfordshire Inspection number 10220076 Type of provision Childminder

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childminder

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inspection

Total number of places 12 Number of children on roll 9 Date of previous inspection 14 October 2019

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder registered in 2007 and lives in Ware, Hertfordshire. She operates on Monday to Thursday all year round, except for bank holidays and family holidays. Sessions are from 8am to 5.30pm on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 8am to 6pm on Wednesdays . She works on a daily basis with a full-time assistant. The childminder holds a childcare qualification at level 3. She provides funded early education for three- and four-year-old children.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the childminder received since the COVID- 19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the childminder and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provision. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection. n The inspector observed the interactions between the childminder, their assistant and children. n Parents shared their views of the setting with the inspector. n The childminder provided the inspector with a sample of key documentation on request. n The childminder showed the inspector most areas of their premises and discussed how they ensure that they are safe and suitable. n The childminder and the inspector held a discussion about the childminder's intentions for children's learning.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection 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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Inspection activities

17 January 2022 regulates and inspects to 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 and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, 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, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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