Childminder in Cornwall

Overall effectiveness Inadequate

The quality of education Inadequate Behaviour and attitudes Inadequate Personal development Inadequate Leadership and management Inadequate Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Not applicable

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The provision is inadequate

Children's health and safety is not assured. Weaknesses relating to safeguarding children, safety in the home, record-keeping and health and hygiene practices compromise children's well-being. Although the childminder has completed training on safeguarding and child protection, she does not understand the procedures to follow or keep sufficient records to help her protect children from harm. She does not ensure that Ofsted can check the suitability of those adults working at her home. The childminder does not ensure children can play in a safe environment or follow effective hygiene routines.

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The provision is inadequate

There are weaknesses in the childminder's curriculum that impact negatively on how well she promotes children's learning. The childminder is unclear about what she wants children to learn and how to support them through providing engaging and exciting activities. Children lack motivation and quickly lose interest and focus during activities because the childminder does not provide the support they need. She does not support or encourage them to try out their ideas to develop their knowledge and understanding. Younger children, in particular, wander around aimlessly most of the time. As a result, children do not make the progress they are capable of, particularly in their communication and language. Nevertheless, the childminder is kind and gentle and children form warm bonds with her.

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need to do better?

n The childminder lacks sufficient safeguarding knowledge to enable her to promote children's welfare. Procedures for recording safeguarding concerns are poor and the childminder does not understand the importance of monitoring all concerns to ensure the welfare of children. The childminder does not follow her mobile phone policy. Older children have access to and use their mobile phones and the childminder fails to notice this. n Weak risk assessment procedures place children at risk. The family dog is allowed to roam freely around the children and dig in their sandpit. On occasion, it growls at children when they go near or climb on him. The childminder has not considered the potential risk the dog poses to children. n The childminder does not know about the requirement to notify Ofsted of changes to adults working on her premises. She has failed to ensure that checks to assure the suitability of adults working with her are completed. This puts

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need to do better?

children's safety at risk. n The childminder does not implement good hygiene routines to reduce the risk of children becoming unwell and spreading infections to others. She does not notice when her dog plays with the children's toys which the children then play with. She does not ensure that the children wash their hands after touching the dog. The lunch table is not cleaned before serving food. The childminder attends

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need to do better?

2 May 2023 to some personal needs of the children. For example, she wipes their noses and applies sun cream. However, when babies have their nappy changed on a mat in the back garden, the changing mat is not cleaned before and after use. n The childminder's curriculum is poorly designed and is not suitably challenging. This is because she does not have a sufficient understanding of how young children learn and develop. Activities are not planned well enough to ensure they successfully target what the children need to learn next. For example, to teach the children about tadpoles and frogs, the childminder added chocolate cereal to the tray without thinking about how children would react and what they would learn from this. The children grabbed handfuls of the cereal to eat, racing between this activity and the sandpit, paying little attention to the toy tadpoles and frogs. n The childminder does not place enough emphasis on developing children's

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need to do better?

communication and language or introducing them to new vocabulary. She does not recognise the importance of sharing songs and rhymes with children to support their language development. For example, she tells young children that some nursery rhymes are 'boring' and chooses not to sing them with the children. n Care of the older children has a detrimental impact on younger children. For example, older children frequently interrupt the childminder when she is with the younger ones. She leaves the younger children to attend to the older children's requests and, as a result, younger children are not getting the support they need. Interactions between the childminder and young children often lack purpose, direction and challenge. n The childminder works closely with parents to settle children in. She communicates with them daily when they drop off and collect their children.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are not effective.

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Safeguarding

The childminder does not ensure that children are safe and that hazards in her home are reduced. She does not know what to do in the event of an allegation being made against herself or a household member or which agency to contact. Her understanding of the role of the local authority designated officer is poor. In addition, the childminder is not doing enough to monitor safeguarding concerns to ensure children are not at risk of harm. The childminder does not ensure children are safe when others use their mobile phones around them.

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Due date

ensure that your safeguarding policy includes the procedure to follow in the event of an allegation being made against yourself or a household member 04/05/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure sufficient records are kept and followed up in relation to a child's welfare in order to effectively safeguard children 04/05/2023

p.4

Due date

provide Ofsted with necessary information about any adults working on the premises to enable appropriate checks to be completed 12/05/2023

p.4

Due date

ensure risks are sufficiently assessed and hazards to children are minimised, including those associated with the care of your dog 12/05/2023

p.4

Due date

promote good hygiene procedures, with particular regard to handwashing and nappy changing 12/05/2023

p.4

Due date

implement the safeguarding policy and procedures in relation to the safe use of mobile phones and cameras. 04/05/2023

p.4

Due date

develop and implement an effective curriculum that focuses on what children already know and can do and what they need to learn next 29/05/2023

p.4

Due date

improve opportunities for children to develop their language skills through strong adult interactions. 29/05/2023

p.4

Setting details

Unique reference number 2623189 Local authority Cornwall Inspection number 10285700 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 5 Number of children on roll 12 Date of previous inspection Not applicable

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Information about this early years setting

The childminder lives in Helston, Cornwall, and registered in 2021. She offers care Monday to Friday from 7.30am to 6pm. She holds an appropriate level 3 qualification.

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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 childminder. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of an activity with the childminder and, together, they evaluated the impact on children's learning. n The childminder provided some relevant documentation, which was reviewed by the inspector. n The childminder discussed the curriculum she provides for the children. n The inspector observed the quality of interactions between the childminder and the children. n Parents' views were taken into account by the inspector.

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Inspection activities

2 May 2023 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

2 May 2023 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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