Todd, Kylie Child Minding Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 25 August 2016 Service provided by: Service provider number: SP2010977387 Care service number: CS2010238261
The service Introduction Kylie Todd (referred to as the childminder in this report) provides a childminding service from her home in the Bonnyrigg area of Midlothian close to the local school, local shops, parks and other amenities. The childminder can provide a care service to a maximum of six children under 16 years, of whom no more than three are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than one is under 12 months. Numbers are inclusive of children of the childminder's family. During the periods Mrs Todd is supported by one assistant, a care service may be provided to a maximum of ten children under 16 years, of whom no more than six are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than two are under 12 months. Numbers are inclusive of children of the childminder's family. During the periods Mrs Todd is supported by two assistants, a care service may be provided to a maximum of ten children under 16 years, of whom no more than eight are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than two are under 12 months. Numbers are inclusive of children of the childminder's family. From 15 August 2016 until a school aged child leaves the service Monday to Wednesday between the times of 8.15am and 8.50am and 3pm and 4pm, Mrs Todd when supported by one assistant may provide a care service to a maximum of 12 children of whom no more than six are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than two are under 12 months. If any of the children leave the service or the variation is no longer required registered numbers will revert to those stated in condition. Only during specific periods when all the assistants are not available at the one time, Mrs Todd may provide a care service up to a maximum of eight children under 16 years, of whom no more than three are not yet attending primary school and of whom no more than one is under 12 months. Numbers are inclusive of children of the childminder's family. Steven Todd, Gwen Harkins and David Harkins are employed as assistants. Children have access to a separate playroom, a lounge area, a toilet and a safe enclosed garden to the back of the house. On the day of the inspection, five minded children aged from one and a half to three years were present. The childminder also provided a service to another 22 children aged between eight months and 10 years. The Care Inspectorate is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of all children receiving a care service. We want to ensure they have the best start in life, are ready to succeed and live longer, healthier lives. We check services are meeting the principles of Getting it right for every child (also known as GIRFEC). Set up by Scottish Government, GIRFEC is a national approach to working in a consistent way with all children and young people. It is underpinned by the principles of prevention and early intervention. The approach helps services focus on what makes a positive difference for children and young people - and what they can do to improve. Getting it right for every child is being woven into all policy, practice, strategy and legislation that affect children, young people and their families. There are eight wellbeing indicators at the heart of Getting it right for every child. They are: safe, healthy, for Todd, Kylie page 2 of 12
achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, and included. They are often referred to as the SHANARRI indicators. We use these indicators at inspection, to assess how services are making a positive difference for children. What we did during our inspection We wrote this report following an unannounced inspection carried on Thursday 25 August 2016 between 9.15am and 10.30am. Feedback was given to the childminder at the end of the inspection. We sent the childminder four questionnaires to give to parents and carers of the children who use the service. Four were returned to the Care Inspectorate before the unannounced inspection took place. During this inspection process we looked around the areas of the childminder's home used by the minded children and we gathered evidence from various sources, including the following: - The childminder's self assessment and annual return. - The childminder's records. - Children's personal plans. - Policies and procedures. - Registration certificate. - Service questionnaires. - Children's learning journeys. - Parents information. - Notice board. - Various communications with parents. - Children's all about me questionnaires. - A wide range of photographs. - Medication records. Views of people using the service The children present were very happy in the care of the childminder and assistant and received lots of cuddles and reassurance from the childminder. We watched them enjoy drawing pictures and playing with the wide range of small world toys. We could see that they were very settled and relaxed in the setting and familiar with the environment. Parents who returned our questionnaires told us: "My childminder runs a fantastic service. My childminder totally changed my mind. My children love attending and moan on the days they do not attend. I would recommend my childminder to anyone she is fantastic." "This is a great service which I think is way more child centred than a nursery could ever be. Everyday when I drop off I feel completely at ease and know they are delighted to be there." "Kylie is a superb childminder who my children adore. She is very flexible and has been available for last minute changes in contract, such as extra dates." for Todd, Kylie page 3 of 12
Self assessment Every year all care services complete a 'self assessment' telling us how their service is performing. We check to make sure this is accurate. We received a completed self-assessment document from the childminder. We were satisfied with the way she had completed this and with the relevant information she had given us for each of the headings that we grade her service under. What the service did well The childminder provided a warm, well equipped environment where children could grow, develop and play safely. The children had access to a wide range of resources that they were seen to enjoy. In addition we saw the childminder was very friendly, nurturing and professional towards to the children. What the service could do better The childminder should make herself familiar with the new 'My World Outdoors' document. She should update her training in Child Protection and continue to monitor the assistants practice. From this inspection we graded this service as: Quality of care and support Quality of environment Quality of staffing Quality of management and leadership 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good 5 - Very Good Quality of care and support Findings from the inspection Families wishes were respected as the childminder and her assistant knew the importance of welcoming and encouraging parents to contribute productively to and engage in their children's care, learning and development. She used a variety of strategies to achieve this, for example: - Before families took up a place they were invited into her home and were given clear, written information about the service. - All about me and registration records were completed to support the childminder to care for children in line with their routines and their parents wishes. This information then formed the basis of children's personal plans. - The childminder understood that families had their individual preferences for how they exchanged information. To take account of this she had developed a number of ways to communicate and get families views. They included daily chats and text messages. Parents who returned our questionnaire told us: for Todd, Kylie page 4 of 12
"My childminder gives us in depth forms to fill in when we started with her." "Day to day communication is through speaking, text, use of the daily diary and Facebook which allows for continuous dialogue about my views. The childminder told us how she offered each child a time to settle in and supported children to settle in at their own pace. A procedure on this was available to parents to show them the process of her settling in procedure. Active, healthy lifestyles were promoted and encouraged well by the childminder. Examples that lead us to this evaluation were: - She adhered to policy and procedures in relation to illness, first aid and infection control which contributed to children's health and wellbeing. - Regular outdoor play in the garden provided children with a range of experiences that enabled them to be active, explore, experiment, negotiate, problem solve and be creative. - Participation in exercise groups, visits to local parks and soft plays meant children were able to be active and included in the local community. - Children developed an understanding of personal hygiene as they were reminded to wash their hands after going to the toilet and before meals. Parents in our questionnaires told us: "Kylie is keen to check out new classes and activities which she thinks the kids will enjoy. My child knows exactly the routine and is happy with that. They are always at different activities which is fab and there is a wide variety for different ages." It was clear from the interactions with the childminder that the children were very familiar with the home. They approached her and the assistant easily for reassurance and cuddles. This helped to make the children feel safe, nurtured and at home within the service. Some of the children attend a local nursery and primary school. The childminder provides a drop off and pick up service for this. The childminder told us when taking the children, they talk about road safety. This enabled children to learn about their own safety whilst receiving appropriate protection, care and guidance from the childminder. The childminder told us what steps she would take if she had a concern about a child's welfare. We found that she had included a statement on her Child Protection Procedures in her policies given to parents. This included the appropriate local Social Work Department details As the childminder provided the children with lunch and snacks she told us she had started using the 'Setting the Table' guidance when planning meals. She told us she encourages children to make healthy choices regarding food. We could see the menu displayed provided healthy options. Parents in our questionnaires told us: "Kylie offers healthy meals and snacks. There is always a choice of healthy cereals and toast at breakfast time." "Good variety and choice offered to the children." for Todd, Kylie page 5 of 12
The childminder told us she was aware of Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC). (GIRFEC is the national approach to reforming children's services to improve outcomes for children). She had started to include the 'Shanarri Indicators' which underpin GIRFEC into her information she shares with parents to inform them how she follows this whilst caring for their child. We could see the records she kept to address this and the observations of child's development she shared with parents. During our inspection we saw that no children were currently receiving medication. The childminder explained what she would do if a child attending her service required medication. She was aware that parents must give their child the first dose of any medication. In our questionnaires, all parents confirmed that: - The childminder asks for my views about how I want my child to be cared for. - The childminder provides a healthy and well-balanced diet which meets my child's dietary and cultural needs. - The childminder regularly involves me in reviewing the information they have about my child. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 0 Grade: 5 - very good Quality of environment Findings from the inspection The childminder provided a welcoming, homely, clean environment where hazards had been minimised to enable children to move safely and independently whether in the home or on outings. To minimise the spread of infection and common illnesses, the childminder promoted sensible arrangements. Her procedures asked parents to keep ill children off for 48 hours. She told us she understood the importance of good hygiene and would encourage the children to follow good hygiene practices, such as washing hands, after toileting and before meals. A procedure for recording accidents and incidents was in place and shared with parents. The childminder told us she recorded any accidents and would share these with the parents when they collected their child. Children had daily access to fresh air and energetic play. We found that the back garden of the home was safe and secure, offering a very good range of toys and equipment. The childminder used outdoor play to encourage children to be active and to develop their physical co-ordination. We found this promoted children's general health, well-being, confidence and risk taking. There was a good range of well-balanced toys and resources available; we found these to be clean, in good for Todd, Kylie page 6 of 12
condition, accessible and appropriate for children's' individual age and stage of development. On the day of inspection, we saw the children choosing toys they wanted to play with, allowing them to make choices and to promote their independence. We could see a number of themes and topics the children were involved in such as the recent Olympic games. She told us how this helped children to learn about different flags, sporting events and countries people came from. In our questionnaire parents told us: "A great variety of toys and play equipment is on offer which is regularly changed." "The house is well kept and the pictures of the kids playing shows the suitability of the environment, equipment and toys." "My childminders home is very safe and toys in the playroom are suitable." To ensure the safety of the children within the service, the childminder told us how she checked her home daily to make sure her home was hazard free, safe and child friendly. She told us that she was vigilant in her care of the minded children. A procedure for recording accidents and incidents was in place and shared with parents. The childminder told us she recorded any accidents and would share these with the parents when they collected their child. In our questionnaires, all parents confirmed the following: - The childminder's home was safe, secure, hygienic, smoke free, pleasant and stimulating environment. - There is enough space for my child to play and get involved in a range of activities. - The childminder provides a suitable range of equipment, toys and materials for the children. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 0 Grade: 5 - very good Quality of staffing Findings from the inspection The childminders mother and father are employed to assist her on different days of the week. This enables her to care for more children to accommodate families. The childminder told us that both her assistants are up to date with their Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme. This ensures that the appropriate checks had been carried out to ensure they are safe to work with children. for Todd, Kylie page 7 of 12
One of the assistants attends training through the Scottish Childminding Association(SCMA) to ensure she is up to date with Child Protection and First Aid. A parent in our questionnaires told us: "The assistants are great additions to the service. Its more flexible and child centred as the children don't need to be taken out en masse if its more appropriate to stay at the house as there are additional people to help out. My children love the assistants." A recommendation was made at the last inspection to ensure the childminder obtained a copy of the Scottish Social Services Council Codes Of Practice for the assistants to adhere to. A copy was now in place therefore this recommendation has been met. A recommendation was made at the last inspection to ensure the childminder put a procedure in place to monitor staff practice. This should include identifying staff development. We could see the childminder had addressed this therefore this recommendation has been met. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 0 Grade: 5 - very good Quality of management and leadership Findings from the inspection Throughout the inspection the childminder demonstrated a very good knowledge of childcare and child development. She kept up to date with best practice in child care through a wide variety of ways such as reading the Care Inspectorate Care News and obtaining information sent through the Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA). The childminder provided opportunities for children and parents to be involved in the continued development of the service. We saw that children and their families are routinely involved, listened to and offered choices. This was done in a number of ways including: - Daily verbal feedback. - Text messages to reassure parents that their child had settled. - Sharing photographs of activities the children took part in. - Questionnaires for parents to gain their ideas and feedback. Parents in our questionnaires told us: for Todd, Kylie page 8 of 12
"Daily routine is well structured and constant. Facebook updates show the children enjoying a variety of activities." "The childminder asks for my views directly. She regularly updates her closed Facebook page including holiday dates and reminders about bringing appropriate clothing. It includes the meal planner and any activities and trips planned during the holidays. I really like this way of communication. " "She uses the Facebook page to gather views and asks questions when she wants to check things out with us." The childminder told us how she uses a 'Spider web Mind Map' to gain children's views of the service. this helped her to plan for the children during the school holidays. Keeping children safe, healthy and protected from abuse was important to the childminder. She continued to be enthusiastic and motivated and kept her core training up to date. She was aware she had to attend up to date training in First aid, Child Protection. (See recommendation one). She had completed courses in Food Hygiene and Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC). This was beneficial as it helped keep her practice and knowledge up to date whilst increasing her knowledge of new and current best practice. The childminder gave parents the Care Inspectorate contact details and made it clear to them that they could contact us without her knowledge should they wish to do so. In our questionnaire, parents confirmed they had confidence that the childminder would deal effectively with any concern or complaint they may have. This was a recommendation made at the last inspection which has now been met. The childminder should make herself familiar with the new 'My World Outdoors' document to further improve children's experiences outdoors. This can be found at www.hub.careinspectorate.com. In our questionnaires, all parents confirmed that the childminder involves me and my child when making improvements or changes to the service. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 1 1. To ensure she is up to date with Child Protection and First Aid, we recommend the childminder attend training on these when they next become available. National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16 Standard: 12 Confidence in staff. Grade: 5 - very good for Todd, Kylie page 9 of 12
What the service has done to meet any requirements we made at or since the last inspection Previous requirements There are no outstanding requirements. What the service has done to meet any recommendations we made at or since the last inspection Previous recommendations There are no outstanding recommendations. Complaints There have been no complaints upheld since the last inspection. Details of any older upheld complaints are published at www.careinspectorate.com. Enforcement No enforcement action has been taken against this care service since the last inspection. Inspection and grading history Date Type Gradings 19 Aug 2014 Unannounced Care and support 5 - Very good Environment 5 - Very good Staffing 4 - Good Management and leadership 5 - Very good for Todd, Kylie page 10 of 12
Date Type Gradings 21 Aug 2012 Announced (short notice) Care and support 5 - Very good Environment 4 - Good Staffing 5 - Very good Management and leadership Not assessed 9 May 2011 Announced (short notice) Care and support 4 - Good Environment 4 - Good Staffing 3 - Adequate Management and leadership Not assessed for Todd, Kylie page 11 of 12
To find out more This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can download this report and others from our website. Care services in Scotland cannot operate unless they are registered with the Care Inspectorate. We inspect, award grades and help services to improve. We also investigate complaints about care services and can take action when things aren't good enough. Please get in touch with us if you would like more information or have any concerns about a care service. You can also read more about our work online at www.careinspectorate.com Contact us Care Inspectorate Compass House 11 Riverside Drive Dundee DD1 4NY enquiries@careinspectorate.com 0345 600 9527 Find us on Facebook Twitter: @careinspect Other languages and formats This report is available in other languages and formats on request. Tha am foillseachadh seo ri fhaighinn ann an cruthannan is cànain eile ma nithear iarrtas. for Todd, Kylie page 12 of 12