Grieve, Irene A Child Minding Type of inspection: Unannounced Inspection completed on: 23 May 2017 Service provided by: Irene A Grieve Service provider number: SP2003903867 Care service number: CS2003006561
The service Introduction The Care Inspectorate regulates care services in Scotland. Information in relation to all care services is available on our website at www.careinspectorate.com This service was previously registered with the Care Commission and transferred to the Care Inspectorate on 1 April 2011. The service is provided from the childminder's home in Carluke, South Lanarkshire. It is situated in a quiet residential area. The garden is to the rear of the property. The service is registered to provide a care service to a maximum of six children at any one time under the age of sixteen. During the inspection two children under five were cared for. We were satisfied the childminder adhered to the registration conditions. The aims and objective statement is available to people who use the service. What we did during our inspection We compiled this report following an unannounced inspection, which took place between 2:00pm and 3:30pm on the 23 May 2017. This inspection was carried out by a Care Inspectorate Early Years Inspector. During the inspection we spoke to the childminder and observed the care given by the childminder. We looked at a number of documents including health and safety records, planning tools and certificates of training. We check services are meeting the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child, Scotland's national approach to improving outcomes and wellbeing for children by offering the right help at the right time from the right people. It supports them and their parent(s) to work with services that can help them. There are eight wellbeing indicators at the heart of Getting it Right for Every Child: safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included. Views of people using the service We observed the two minded children present. We found them to be happy, confident and very familiar within the childminder's home and with their family members and pet. The children were enjoying playing with cars and they told us about being out in the garden playing and planting. Self assessment The Care Inspectorate received a completed self-assessment from the childminder. The childminder identified what they thought they did well and gave examples where they had made improvements since the last inspection. page 2 of 9
What the service did well The childminder knew the children and families very well and was supportive to their needs and wishes. The childminder planned and provided daily activities around the children's daily routines for example nursery timings. Since the last inspection the childminder had developed more meaningful personal plans that included how the childminder supported children's development and learning. What the service could do better The childminder should review the equipment used for nappy changing to ensure it follows good practice guidance and to reduce the possible spread of infection. The childminder should undertake training to keep their knowledge and awareness of child hood practices and guidance up to date including on the national framework 'Getting It Right For Every Child'. From this inspection we graded this service as: Quality of care and support Quality of environment Quality of staffing Quality of management and leadership not assessed Quality of care and support Findings from the inspection We asked the childminder about how they identified and support individual children's wellbeing needs and we looked at records held to support this. For example enrolment forms, all about me booklets and personal plans. We found that the childminder gathered relevant information about children's needs and personal preferences such as daily routine and used this to plan their daily care. The childminder demonstrated that she knew and understood each child's needs well and provided good care and support. The personal plans were dated on completion and were reviewed by parents. The childminder minded children in the afternoons. The daily routine was flexible and planned around children's individual daily routines for example meal and sleep times. The children regularly went to local parks and played at home including playing in the garden. The minded children enjoyed playing with the cars and small world toys. The childminder told us that they consulted with the children's nursery and planned play to support learning from the nursery. We observed the children to be happy playing and having formed positive relationships with each other, the childminder and their family. We asked the childminder about the policies and procedures in place to ensure the safe guarding of children. We were satisfied that the childminder was informed and confident in implementing the service child protection procedures. page 3 of 9
We looked at the service policies and procedures to ensure they were following good practice guidance, for example in administering medication and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices. We found the childminder to be following good practice. Areas were improvements could be made have been commented on under quality themes for environment and management. The childminder occasionally used 'time out' in agreement with parents, we have asked the childminder to review this to ensure that all behaviour management procedures have positive impacts on children's behaviours. We concluded the childminder was providing a good quality care and support for the children and their families. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 0 Grade: 4 - good Quality of environment Findings from the inspection We observed and considered how well the childminder used and maintained the areas within their home used for childminding. The childminder used the living room, kitchen and garden. We found areas to be tidy and having appropriate safety measures in place for the age of the children present. The childminder had a dog, the childminder had procedures in place to monitor the children's contact with the dog. This included regular hand washing. The childminder told us that they vacuumed and washed rugs to maintain cleanliness and remove dog hairs. We asked the childminder to ensure this is maintained. During the inspection the childminder placed the dog in his cage as it can get excited when new visitors arrive. We observed one of the children to be talking to the dog throughout the visit as a result we concluded the minded child was comfortable and confident around the dog. We discussed with the childminder the nappy changing procedures and equipment. The childminder used a towel on the changing mat for one child. The towel was used more than once. We have asked the childminder to review the use of the towel to reduce the possible spread of infection. The childminder used their car to transport children. The car was insured for childminding and the childminder ensured they used appropriate car seats for the children. The childminder's home was welcoming and created a homely environment for the children. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 page 4 of 9
Recommendations Number of recommendations: 0 Grade: 4 - good Quality of staffing This quality theme was not assessed. Quality of management and leadership Findings from the inspection The childminder has been operating for many years and has continued to keep herself informed of good practice guidance and legislation. The childminder has been involved in a local childminding group which has provided good opportunities to share and source information on child care issues. We asked the childminder about how they kept their knowledge and skills up to date. The childminder told us they were a member of The Scottish Childminding Association (SCMA) and receives information from them including good practice guidance. The childminder had kept their first aid certificate up to date and had attended training in child protection. We have recommended they attend further training in 'Getting It Right For Every Child' to support them embedded the principles of this framework into their practice. The childminder told us that they listened to children and parents comments about the service. The childminder found feedback was positive. The childminder had taken action on the areas of recommendation addressed at the last inspection. Requirements Number of requirements: 0 Recommendations Number of recommendations: 1 1. The childminder should attend training and update her knowledge and awareness about the national framework 'getting it right for every child' (GIRFEC). This would enable her to demonstrate how this is embedded in practice. National care standards for early education and childcare up to the age of sixteen, Standard 14: well-managed service. Grade: 4 - good page 5 of 9
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 Recommendation 1 Questionnaires issued by the childminder should be dated to establish when they were issued to parents. This recommendation was made on 16 May 2016. Action taken on previous recommendation The service no longer used questionnaires, the service gather feedback through regular discussions, As a result we have removed this area of recommendation. Recommendation 2 The childminder should ensure that the environments the children access are better maintained. National care standards for early education and childcare up to the age of sixteen, Standard 2: safe environment and Standard 14: well-managed service. This recommendation was made on 16 May 2016. Action taken on previous recommendation We viewed the areas within the childminder's home used for minding. We found the area to be clean and tidy. The childminder told us they clean the area daily before children arrived. The childminder had a dog they informed us that they vacuumed regularly to keep area free of dog hairs. We did find that the area the children mostly played in at the back of the living room to have some dog hairs but not enough to have any concern. The childminder must maintain the cleanliness and ensure they keep maintaining the minding environment. This area of recommendation had been addressed. page 6 of 9
Recommendation 3 Personal plans should be effective and include reviews with parents, they should also demonstrate the next steps in relation to what the childminder is working on. National care standards for early education and childcare up to the age of sixteen, Standard 14: well-managed service. This recommendation was made on 16 May 2016. Action taken on previous recommendation Personal plans were in place for both minded children. They identified the children's development needs and how the childminder planned to support these. There was evidence that these had been regularly reviewed along with parents. This area of recommendation has been addressed. Recommendation 4 The childminder should attend training and update her knowledge and awareness about the national framework 'getting it right for every child' (GIRFEC). This would enable her to demonstrate how this is embedded in practice. National care standards for early education and childcare up to the age of sixteen, Standard 14: well-managed service. This recommendation was made on 16 May 2016. Action taken on previous recommendation The childminder had undertaken some reading and started to implement the GIRFEC wellbeing wheel into the service personal plans. To further support the implementation of the principle of GIRFEC the childminder should attend training to ensure they are embedded in practice. We have repeated this recommendation. 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. page 7 of 9
Inspection and grading history Date Type Gradings 25 Apr 2016 Announced (short notice) Care and support Not assessed Management and leadership 3 - Adequate 26 Apr 2012 Unannounced Care and support Not assessed Management and leadership Not assessed 9 Nov 2010 Unannounced Care and support Not assessed Not assessed Management and leadership Not assessed 15 Jul 2009 Unannounced Care and support Management and leadership Not assessed 29 Apr 2008 Announced (short notice) Care and support 3 - Adequate Management and leadership page 8 of 9
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. page 9 of 9