The Sunshine Centre

Inspection of The Sunshine Centre Civic Square, TILBURY, Essex RM18 8AD

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This provision meets requirements

Children are extremely engaged and thoroughly enjoy their time at the centre. Staff expertly support the children to access the wide range of interesting activities on offer. Children learn how to make pizzas and cook them in the oven. Others set out tea parties and invite staff to join them as they discuss the different foods. Children thrive in the specially adapted outdoor area. They bounce on the trampoline and have space to express themselves as they pretend to be superheroes. Children play with flour and pasta on a tray, and paint with cars on rolls of paper on the floor, providing them opportunity to develop their sensory experiences.

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This provision meets requirements

Relationships between staff and children are exceptionally close. Staff are respectful and have a wonderful calming nature, which radiates throughout the centre. Staff are extremely attuned to the differing needs of the children. They underpin and support all the children's experiences and are constantly aware of what each child needs. As a result, children are happy and secure. They have positive attitudes and show high levels of curiosity and concentration.

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need to do better?

n Staff have high expectations for children's behaviour, and this is reflected in the children's conduct in the centre. Children are taught about a sense of right and wrong. Staff expertly support children to understand their own feelings and behaviour. They take appropriate action when children struggle with their emotions and adopt a range of strategies to help them. Their focus on working with children to take ownership of how they can manage their own behaviour gives children a sense of empowerment. n Staff obtain extensive information about the children when they first start, which allows them to plan accordingly. Activities are considered and underpin the needs of the children, which are continually reviewed. Staff provide children with rich experiences, such as swimming and bowling, for them to develop skills in the community. Activities in the provision allow children to follow their interests.

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need to do better?

For example, children draw road maps on paper then extend this to draw maps on the floor in the outdoor area. n Staff are reflective of the environment and make changes to support and benefit the children's experiences. They are extremely aware of the children's needs and adapt the environment to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children. For example, the interior colours of the centre have recently been changed to more neutral colours and staff have added some natural resources. This has resulted in the children responding more positively to their environment. n Parents speak extremely highly of the service. They talk about the excellent

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need to do better?

13 April 2022 service their children receive and the emotional support they receive from staff. There is a strong focus on helping the family as a whole. Staff recognise the difficulties and stresses that parenting a child with disabilities can bring and provide immeasurable emotional support to cope with this. Providing coping strategies to families and invaluable respite for them and their children. Parents comment that they would 'feel lost' without the service and how the centre 'has been exceptionally helpful to us as a family'. Staff assist families to help them access further support. They work closely with other professionals that support the family, allowing a cohesive approach to providing care for the children. n Management and staff have regular opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills with further training. There is a positive culture of sharing this knowledge, once learned, with the rest of the team, allowing all the team to

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need to do better?

benefit from the information. As a result, the team are skilled with various techniques to enhance their practice with the children and provide the high- quality care they require.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

All staff demonstrate excellent awareness of the signs and symptoms of abuse or neglect, and what steps to take if they had any safeguarding concerns. Leadership and management have clear expectations of staff, and this is followed up with regular training and discussions to ensure staff are fully aware of their responsibilities to protect children. There are comprehensive policies detailing information for staff to access, when required. Staff regularly review the centre's risk assessments and amend their practice to ensure children are always safe, particularly for trips out, such as swimming and bowling.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY368685 Local authority Thurrock Inspection number 10137487 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Out-of-school day care

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inspection

Total number of places 20 Number of children on roll 0 Name of registered person Thurrock Council

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reference number

Telephone number 01375 652200 Date of previous inspection 14 August 2014

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Information about this early years setting

The Sunshine Centre registered in 2008. The centre serves families in Thurrock and is accessible to all children with a diagnosed disability. The centre employs 16 childcare staff. Of these, 11 hold appropriate qualifications at level 2 and above. The centre opens Monday to Saturday, all year round. Sessions run at different times during the year and the summer holiday playscheme provides daily sessions from 10am until 3pm for four weeks.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the setting received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the manager and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the setting. n The manager joined the inspector on a learning walk to find out how they organise the provision with the range of activities both indoor and outdoor. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation. This included evidence of staff suitability, the complaints record and safeguarding documents. n The inspector took account of written views from parents. n The inspector held regular meetings throughout the inspection to keep the provider up to date.

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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

13 April 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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