Melissas Magical Years

Our reference 5214196/2619037

All early years providers must meet the legal requirements in the Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, which you can find at www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2.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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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 24 June 2022, we carried out an inspection and found the provider was not meeting some of these requirements. The overall effectiveness of the provision was judged to be inadequate. The inspection report sets out the actions the provider was required to take to meet the requirements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 22 September 2022, we carried out a regulatory visit. The focus of the visit was to check whether the provider had met the safeguarding and welfare actions and learning, and development actions raised at their last inspection. We found that the provider had not met all the actions. We also found new concerns. 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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Our reference 5214196/2619037

n comply with requirements of health and safety legislation, in particular hygiene requirements to ensure health and safety of the babies

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

n provide adequate supply of clean bedding to keep children safe and healthy and ensure there is an adequate number of hand basins available to use, particularly in a baby room.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 14 October 2022, we conducted an interview with the provider. The purpose of the interview was to the discuss the persistent failure to comply with safeguarding and welfare requirements and another new area of concern.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 21 October 2022, we carried out an inspection, which judged the overall effectiveness of the provision to be requires improvement. The inspection report sets out the actions the provider was required to take to meet the requirements. At the inspection, we found that the provider had taken steps to meet the safeguarding and welfare actions. We found that arrangements for babies had improved. The provider took action to provide clean and suitable bedding and improved arrangements for handwashing. We served actions in relation to the learning and development requirements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 28 and 29 November 2022, we received further concerns that the provider was not meeting some of the requirements. We liaised with other agencies regarding some of the new areas of concern.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 16 December 2022, we conducted a telephone regulatory event with the provider. We found that the provider was not complying with all the requirements of registration. The provider acknowledged the failures to comply and informed us of the steps they intended to take to meet requirements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 16 March 2023, we received further concerns that the provider was not meeting some of the requirements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 5 April 2023, we conducted a regulatory visit. We found that the provider had improved their knowledge and understanding of safeguarding in relation to safe practice.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 19 April 2023, we took steps to cancel the provider's registration, due to concerns about continued suitability and ability to meet requirements. On 3 May 2023, the provider objected to us taking this step.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 27 June 2023, we carried out an inspection and found the provider was not meeting some of the requirements. The overall effectiveness of the provision was judged to be inadequate. The inspection report sets out the actions the provider was required to take to meet the requirements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

We suspended the provider's registration on 28 June 2023 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 was not able to provide childcare for which registration is required while the suspension was in place and may commit an offence if they do so.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 3 July 2023, we considered the providers reasons for objecting to taking steps to cancel, we did not uphold the objection and decided to proceed with cancellation.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 18 July 2023, we carried out a regulatory visit. The purpose of the visit was to monitor compliance with the welfare requirements notice issued at the inspection and to assess the steps taken during the suspension period. We found that the provider had taken some action to put matters right. The provider took steps to improve designated safeguarding lead's knowledge and understanding of child protection policies and procedure. They provided training to the staff, which lead to improvements in some staff's ability to identify and report allegations and when children may be at risk of harm. They took steps to ensure that staff updated their knowledge of first aid procedures. They improved their risk assessment and made available to parents and/or carers details about how to contact Ofsted, if they believe the provider is not meeting the EYFS requirements. We found an improved understanding of procedures to follow to identify and report child's protection

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

concerns in line with local safeguarding partnership procedures. However, the provider was still unable to demonstrate an adequate understanding and knowledge of managing children's behaviour, key person arrangements, staff supervision and deployment arrangements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 18 July 2023, we lifted the suspension because the provider took appropriate action to deal with the matter that led to the suspension. We were satisfied that the identified risk of harm to children had been removed.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 1 August 2023, we carried out a regulatory monitoring visit. The focus of the visit was to check whether the provider had met all the safeguarding and welfare actions raised at their last inspection. We found that that the provider had not met the actions set in the welfare requirement notice in relation to managing children's behaviour, key person arrangements, staff supervision and deployment arrangements.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

On 5 October 2023, we carried out a regulatory visit to monitor the provider's compliance with the actions set. We found that the provider had temporarily closed and were not able to fully assess compliance with the actions set as the provider was not operating.

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Our reference 5214196/2619037

We continued to take steps to cancel the provider's registration. The provider appealed against our decision to take this step to an independent external tribunal, the Health, Education and Social Care First-tier Tribunal. On 5 December 2023, the Health, Education and Social Care First-tier Tribunal informed us that the provider had withdrawn their appeal. The provider's registration is therefore cancelled.

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