Discovery Childcare

Summary of outcome

All early years providers must meet the legal requirements in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. If we find that a provider is not meeting the requirements, we can take action to ensure they put matters right.

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Summary of outcome

On 20 July 2021 and 13 August 2021, we received concerns that this provider was not meeting some of these requirements. On 1 September 2021 we carried out a regulatory call and found that the provider had failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event as soon as is reasonably practicable. They then subsequently failed to notify Ofsted of a separate significant event. We also found the provider was not meeting some of the other requirements. We served a welfare requirements notice. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff are able to identify signs of possible abuse and neglect at the earliest opportunity and can respond in a timely and appropriate way and demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken with regards to recent and existing concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff understand and can follow local safeguarding children partnership procedures with regards to notifying the local authority designated officer of any concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff are alert to any issues of concern in a child's life at home or elsewhere

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that records are appropriately maintained, with sufficient detail, to support information sharing with other professionals and to help ensure the needs of all children are met

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Summary of outcome

On 28 September 2021, we carried out a welfare requirements notice monitoring visit. We found that the provider had met one of the safeguarding and welfare actions but not the others. We found the provider had ensured staff are able to identify different types of abuse. We served a welfare requirements notice. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff are alert to any issues of concern in a child's life at home or elsewhere, that they understand and can follow the setting procedures and demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken with regards to recent concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff understand and can follow local safeguarding children partnership procedures

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that records are appropriately maintained, with sufficient detail, to support information sharing with other professionals and to help ensure the needs of all children are met

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Summary of outcome

On 13 October 2021, we carried out an inspection. We found that the provider had met two of the safeguarding and welfare actions but not the other. We found the provider had ensured staff understand local safeguarding children partnership procedures with regards to referring concerns. Staff are recording sufficient information to support children's needs and information sharing with other professionals. We also found new areas of concern. This means that the provider was not meeting other requirements as set out in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. We served two more welfare requirements notices. These are legal notices that require the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff are alert to any issues of concern in a child's life at home or elsewhere, that they understand and can follow the setting procedures and demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken with regards to recent concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that the performance management of staff identifies weaknesses in practice and provide appropriate support to help them to improve their knowledge and skills

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff understand their roles and responsibilities in order to consistently meet the needs of children, particularly during the transition between activities and routines

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Summary of outcome

On 1 November 2021, we carried out a welfare requirements notice monitoring visit. We found that the provider had not met the action due by 27 October 2021. We also found new areas of concern. This means that the provider was not meeting other requirements as set out in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. We served a welfare requirements notice. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff are alert to any issues of concern in a child's life at home or elsewhere, that they understand and can follow the setting procedures and demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken with regards to recent concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that records are appropriately maintained, with sufficient detail, to support information sharing with other professionals and to help ensure the needs of all children are met

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Summary of outcome

On 15 November 2021, we carried out a welfare requirements notice monitoring visit. We found that the provider had met one of the safeguarding and welfare actions due by 12 November 2021 but not the other three. We found the provider had reviewed staff roles and responsibilities to ensure a smooth transition between activities and routines. We served two more welfare requirements notices. These are legal notices that require the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n demonstrate how you are going to ensure that you and your staff can recognise and manage any aspect of concern in a child's life

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that there are effective supervision arrangements in place which provides support, coaching and training for staff specifically in relation to child protection matters

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Summary of outcome

n monitor the effectiveness of training, support and coaching and the ongoing suitability of staff to fulfil their roles and responsibilities specifically in relation to child protection matters

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that staff are alert to any issues of concern in a child's life at home or elsewhere, that they understand and can follow the setting procedures and respond in a timely and appropriate way

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Summary of outcome

n take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well and demonstrate that appropriate action has been taken with regards to all existing concerns about children

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that records are appropriately maintained, with sufficient detail, to support information sharing with other professionals and to help ensure the needs of all children are met

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that the performance management of staff identifies weaknesses in practice and provides appropriate support to help them to improve their knowledge and skills

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Summary of outcome

We suspended the provider's registration on 16 November 2021 because we believed children may be at risk of harm. Suspension allows time for the provider to take steps to reduce or eliminate the risk of harm to children. The provider has a right to appeal against a suspension. The provider may not provide childcare for which registration is required while the suspension is in place and may commit an offence if they do so.

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Summary of outcome

On 22 November 2021, we received concerns that this provider was not meeting some of the requirements. On 1 December 2021, we carried out a welfare requirements notice monitoring call. We found that the provider had met the action due by 29 November 2021. We found that the provider had failed to notify Ofsted of a significant event. We also found that the provider was not meeting some of the other requirements and had taken action to put this right. The provider has developed their knowledge of the procedures to manage allegations against staff. They have improved the procedures for recording accidents or injuries. They have improved the procedures for managing and recording complaints. They have improved systems to record information regarding concerns about children.

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Summary of outcome

On 17 December 2021, we carried out a welfare requirements notice monitoring visit. We found that the provider had met five of the safeguarding and welfare actions due by 13 December 2021, but not the other one. We found the provider had undertaken supervision to identify appropriate support, coaching and training for staff with regards to child protection. The provider had provided training for staff to improve their knowledge and understanding of how to recognise and manage any issues of concern in a child's life at home or elsewhere. The provider had monitored the effectiveness of this training to test staff understanding. They had reviewed all existing concerns to establish that appropriate action has been taken. The provider had improved staff knowledge and skills of maintaining appropriate records. We served another welfare requirements notice. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the action below within the timescales set out. The

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Summary of outcome

provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that the performance management of staff identifies weaknesses in practice and provides appropriate support to help them to improve their knowledge and skills of how to fulfil their roles and responsibilities and support children's learning and development

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Summary of outcome

On 20 December 2021, we lifted the suspension because the provider took appropriate action to deal with the matter that led to the suspension. We are satisfied that the identified risk of harm to children has been removed.

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Summary of outcome

On 3 February 2022, we carried out an inspection. We found that the provider had not met the action due by 1 February 2022. We also found new areas of concern. This means that the provider was not meeting other requirements as set out in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage. We served two more welfare requirements notices. These are legal notices that require the provider to take the actions below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that appropriate action is taken regarding the ongoing suitability of staff and referrals to appropriate agencies

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that there are effective systems in place to establish the ongoing suitability of staff and identify and manage any concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that records are appropriately maintained with regards to any concerns, including information sharing with other agencies and professionals

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that the performance management of staff identifies weaknesses in practice and provide appropriate support to help them to improve their knowledge and skills of how to support children's learning and development

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that the special educational needs coordinator provides appropriate support and guidance to staff to help children at risk of delay in their development or with special educational needs and/or disabilities

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Summary of outcome

n enable a regular two way flow of information between parents and carers to ensure they are kept up to date on their child's learning and development

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Summary of outcome

On 16 and 21 February 2022, we carried out welfare requirements notice monitoring calls. We found that the provider had not met two of the three actions due by 8 February 2022. The provider had improved their knowledge and understanding of managing the ongoing suitability of staff with regards to referrals to appropriate agencies. We served another welfare requirements notice. This is a legal notice that requires the provider to take the action below within the timescales set out. The provider will be able to give parents further information about this.

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Summary of outcome

Actions needed by 4 March 2022: n ensure that there are effective systems in place to establish the ongoing suitability of staff and identify and manage any concerns

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Summary of outcome

n ensure that records are appropriately maintained with regards to any concerns, including information sharing with other agencies and professionals

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Summary of outcome

We took steps to cancel the provider's registration. On 9 December 2021, the provider objected to us taking this step. Having reviewed the provider's reasons for objecting to this step we proceeded with steps to cancel the provider's registration. On 13 January 2022, the provider appealed to an independent external tribunal, the Health, Education and Social Care First-tier Tribunal. On 8 March 2022, the provider closed this setting. The provider withdrew their appeal to the Health, Education and Social Care First-tier Tribunal on 2 April 2022. The provider's registration is now cancelled.

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Publication of compliance action

We aim to ensure that the welfare of children and young people is protected in the services we regulate. The Childcare Act 2006 and accompanying regulations set out our responsibilities to regulate childminders and childcare providers. This includes the enforcement powers we have in relation to those registered providers who do not comply with the requirements for registration.

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Publication of compliance action

We publish details of any actions we take, or the childminder or childcare provider takes to bring about compliance with requirements on our website for a period of five years.

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Publication of compliance action

For further information please read the Early years compliance handbook which can be found here at www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-provider-non-compliance- action-by-ofsted .

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