Flowerpots Childcare Ltd.
Day Care of Children
Pavilion 2
Kingseat Business Park
Newmachar
Aberdeen
AB21 0AZ
Telephone: 01651 869078
Inspected by: Frances Smith
Melanie Stone
Type of inspection: Unannounced
Inspection completed on: 24 July 2013
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Contents
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Summary
About the service we inspected
How we inspected this service
The inspection
Other information
Summary of grades
Inspection and grading history
Service provided by:
Alison King Trading as Flowerpots Childcare Ltd
Service provider number:
SP2009010588
Care service number:
CS2009232725
Contact details for the inspector who inspected this service:
Frances Smith
Telephone 01224 793870
Email [email protected]
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 2 of 29
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Summary
This report and grades represent our assessment of the quality of the areas of
performance which were examined during this inspection.
Grades for this care service may change after this inspection following other
regulatory activity. For example, if we have to take enforcement action to make the
service improve, or if we investigate and agree with a complaint someone makes
about the service.
We gave the service these grades
Quality of Care and Support 4
Good
Quality of Environment 5
Very Good
Quality of Staffing 5
Very Good
Quality of Management and Leadership 5
Very Good
What the service does well
The staff team at Flowerpots Nursery have built very good relationships with parents,
which contribute to positive outcomes for children. They are professional and
knowledgeable about their role in the delivery of quality care.
Children in the nursery were observed to be happy, content and sociable individuals.
The nursery environment, indoors and out, provides children with a quality learning
environment that allows them to be creative in their play.
What the service could do better
The manager and staff need to develop their procedures for supporting children with
additional support needs and produce care plans/IEPs (Individual Education Plans) .
These should be developed in full consultation with parents, carers and any others
involved in the care of the child.
The manager and staff need to review and update their procedure for recording
medication stored in the nursery.
What the service has done since the last inspection
The manager had continued to develop the service's approach to self evaluation and
monitoring of staff practice.
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 3 of 29
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Support and supervision sessions were now more purposeful and effective.
The nursery is now providing meals freshly cooked on the premises.
Conclusion
Overall, the nursery provided a very good quality of service to the children and their
families. This was confirmed by parents and carers, both in discussion on the day of
the inspection and in the responses received from themin the Care Standards
Questionnaires.
Staff had considered children's care and learning needs in their planning and
provision of the service. They gave children a range of interesting experiences. The
experienced and enthusiastic management and staff worked well as a team, and
were committed to continue to provide a quality service to families using the nursery.
Who did this inspection
Frances Smith
Melanie Stone
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 4 of 29
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1 About the service we inspected
The Care Inspectorate regulates care services in Scotland. Information about all care
services is available on our website at www.careinspectorate.com. This service was
previously registered with the Care Commission and transferred its registration to the
Care Inspectorate on 1 April 2011.
Requirements and Recommendations
If we are concerned about some aspect of a service, or think it could do more to
improve, we may make a Recommendation or Requirement.
- A Recommendation is a statement that sets out actions the care service provider
should take to improve or develop the quality of the service, but where failure to do
so will not directly result in enforcement. Recommendations are based on the
National Care Standards, relevant codes of practice and recognised good practice.
- A Requirement is a statement which sets out what is required of a care service to
comply with the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 and Regulations or Orders
made under the Act or a condition of registration. Where there are breaches of
Regulations, Orders or Conditions, a Requirement must be made. Requirements are
legally enforceable at the discretion of the Care Inspectorate.
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd provides day care for up to 73 children from birth to those
not yet attending primary school, and operates from 7.30am to 6.00pm Monday to
Friday, 50 weeks a year.
The service operates within a recently constructed pavilion unit. The interior of the
premises has been designed to provide 3 separate areas to accommodate children 0
to 2 years and 2 to 3 and 3 to not yet attending primary school.
The service has produced a set of aims which commits them to:
• Provide wonderful experience for our children whilst excelling in parent/carer
service as encapsulated in our mission statement.
• Create a fun and friendly environment for all our families.
• Ensure that we are all learning every day from each other in stimulating
surroundings.
• Seek the views and opinions of our parents, carers, children, staff and
stakeholders and use these to improve our service provision.
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 5 of 29
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Based on the findings of this inspection this service has been awarded the following
grades:
Quality of Care and Support - Grade 4 - Good
Quality of Environment - Grade 5 - Very Good
Quality of Staffing - Grade 5 - Very Good
Quality of Management and Leadership - Grade 5 - Very Good
This report and grades represent our assessment of the quality of the areas of
performance which were examined during this inspection.
Grades for this care service may change following other regulatory activity. You can
find the most up-to-date grades for this service by visiting our website
www.careinspectorate.com or by calling us on 0845 600 9527 or visiting one of our
offices.
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 6 of 29
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2 How we inspected this service
The level of inspection we carried out
In this service we carried out a low intensity inspection. We carry out these
inspections when we are satisfied that services are working hard to provide
consistently high standards of care.
What we did during the inspection
This report was written following an unannounced inspection, undertaken by
inspectors Frances Smith and Melanie Stone, on 22 July 2013 between 8.40am and
4.30pm, and on 24 July 2013 between 8.40am and 4.30pm. Feedback was given to
the manager following the inspection on 24 July 2013.
As part of the inspection we took account of the completed annual return and self
assessment that we asked the provider to submit to us. Twenty five Care Standards
Questionnaires were issued to parents and carers of children who used the
service. Twelve completed questionnaires were returned to us before the inspection
and during the inspection process.
In this inspection we gathered evidence from various sources, including the relevant
policies and procedures, records and other documents, including:
Registration certificate
Insurance certificate
Aims and values of the service
Parents' welcome information
Policy folder
Planning
Mind maps
Big floor books
Nursery improvement plan
Children's learning journeys
Parent notice boards
Newsletters
Menus
Care Standards Questionnaires
Service questionnaires
Cleaning and maintenance records
Risk assessments
Photographs.
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Discussion with various people, who included:
Manager
Manager's assistant
Staff team
Parents
Children.
Observation of interaction between staff and the children in each of the playrooms
Observation of practice in the nursery
Observation of toys, activities and resources available
Examination of the environment and equipment.
Grading the service against quality themes and statements
We inspect and grade elements of care that we call 'quality themes'. For example,
one of the quality themes we might look at is 'Quality of care and support'. Under
each quality theme are 'quality statements' which describe what a service should be
doing well for that theme. We grade how the service performs against the quality
themes and statements.
Details of what we found are in Section 3: The inspection
Inspection Focus Areas (IFAs)
In any year we may decide on specific aspects of care to focus on during our
inspections. These are extra checks we make on top of all the normal ones we make
during inspection. We do this to gather information about the quality of these aspects
of care on a national basis. Where we have examined an inspection focus area we will
clearly identify it under the relevant quality statement.
Fire safety issues
We do not regulate fire safety. Local fire and rescue services are responsible for
checking services. However, where significant fire safety issues become apparent, we
will alert the relevant fire and rescue services so they may consider what action to
take. You can find out more about care services' responsibilities for fire safety at
www.firelawscotland.org
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 8 of 29
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What the service has done to meet any recommendations we made
at our last inspection
The provider and manager should review the procedures in relation to the
management of medication within the nursery. In order to do this they should:
*Undertake regular audits of the medication records to ensure they clearly identify
the details of the medication stored by the service and details of the medication and
amount returned to parents
*Ensure medicines are stored in line with the guidance provided on the dispensing
information
*Maintain a record of the temperature within the medicine cupboard to ensure
temperatures are suitable for the storage of medicine. Where the temperature is
found to exceed the maximum, alternative arrangements should be made.
National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16, Standard 3
- Health and Wellbeing, and Standard 14 - Well-Managed Service.
At this inspection we saw that the medication policy had been reviewed and updated,
taking account of best practice. We noted that the temperature of the medication
cupboard was recorded and medicines were now stored in accordance with
dispensing information. We found, however, that the record of medication stored on
the premises was incomplete. The manager recognised that the procedure for
auditing medication stored on the premises needed to be more effective. This
Recommendation is considered not to have been met. Further information in relation
to this can be found under Quality Theme 1, Statement 3.
The annual return
Every year all care services must complete an 'annual return' form to make sure the
information we hold is up to date. We also use annual returns to decide how we will
inspect the service.
Annual Return Received: Yes - Electronic
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Comments on Self Assessment
Every year all care services must complete a 'self assessment' form telling us how
their service is performing. We check to make sure this assessment is accurate.
A self assessment form was submitted by the nursery prior to this inspection. It gave
us relevant information for each of the Quality Themes and Statements. The nursery
identified the strengths of the service and areas for further development.
Taking the views of people using the care service into account
Children were happy and settled, and were familiar with their surroundings. Staff were
observed meeting the children's care needs in a caring, supportive manner.
During the inspection the inspector spoke to and interacted with a number of the
children, who were happy to chat about what they were doing. Groups of children
playing outdoors, one group having made a pirate ship with crates, told us:
"We're pirates and we've found more treasure. That's the anchor. Oh no, we've left
the treasure on the island. We need the anchor up. It's not long enough. Do you want
to see our treasure?".
Another group were in their planting area of the garden and told us:
"You can eat those coz they're mint. Would you like to try some?"
"We got to plant peas"
"I'm going to dig a big, big, giant hole. We've got water over there".
"I found a beastie. Why do spiders eat little beasties?"
"We are making hay. Cows would like to eat it".
Taking carers' views into account
Twenty five Care Standards Questionnaires were sent to the service to be distributed
to parents. Twelve were returned to the Care Inspectorate prior to the inspection
taking place. All twelve parents 'strongly agreed' and 'agreed' that they were happy
with the quality of care provided by the nursery. Specific comments which we fed
back to the manager included:
"The staff at Flowerpots have made putting my little boy into day care easy. They
obviously genuinely care about my child. He is given age appropriate, stimulating
activities which I am informed of when I pick him up".
"I am extremely impressed with all aspects of my child's day care service".
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 10 of 29
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"Our child really enjoys nursery, such that on days he doesn't attend he keeps asking
how long it is till he is back at nursery".
We also spoke to a number of parents who told us they were very happy with the
nursery and the quality of care provided to their children. They found the staff to be
friendly and approachable, and felt they were provided with plenty of information.
They told us:
"Love nursery. Staff are very helpful and listen to us. The room offers variety. A baby
garden is planned and the parent committee would be involved in getting the new
equipment".
"Child has been here since th nursery opened. It's brilliant and child loves it. The
learning journey is very much how we see our child and it's nice to see what he does
at nursery, all written and dated and a bit for comments".
"Nursery fine, they keep us well informed. Food is good, the variety is great, good
balance with healthy options".
"Communication is fine. kept up to date with what child is doing. Good handover
about food and sleeps. They are outside plenty".
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 11 of 29
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3 The inspection
We looked at how the service performs against the following quality themes and
statements. Here are the details of what we found.
Quality Theme 1: Quality of Care and Support
Grade awarded for this theme: 4 - Good
Statement 1
We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the
quality of the care and support provided by the service.
Service strengths
The nursery was found to have a very good approach to involving children and
families in assessing and influencing the quality of care and support.
We saw that the nursery had a well-developed participation strategy that was
embedded into nursery practice. The strategy illustrated the nursery's focus on the
participation of parents and children in the development and improvement of the
nursery. As a result of this participation, the nursery had made changes based on the
ideas of parents and children. For example, the design of the nursery garden was
based on the ideas of the children and comments from parents. Parents also told us
that their views had been sought about food choices, and that their children had a lot
of input into the daily routine and activities.
Parents were kept up to date and invited to participate in the life of the nursery by
means of:
* the nursery website
* consultation through questionnaires
* newsletters
* parents' notice boards
* family advisory group
* informal daily contact with staff
* children's learning journeys.
Across the age range, there was a variety of formal and informal opportunities for
exchanging information between parents and the nursery. We found that this helped
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the staff to meet the individual needs of the children and promoted continuity of care.
Prospective parents were provided with a comprehensive handbook, which gave them
information about all aspects of the nursery and highlighted the nursery's
commitment to working closely with parents in the care of their children. We saw that
parents received detailed feedback on each day's activities and regular information
about their child's development.
We saw that photographs on display around the nursery informed parents about the
role of each staff member, which children they were the key worker for, and who was
working in the room each day. This kept parents well informed about who was caring
for their child and their level of qualification. Parents spoken with told us:
"Staff very helpful and always listen. The key worker is particularly excellent and
really knows my child. The communication is good, we get daily feedback, quarterly
newsletters, there's the website and emails".
"Really happy with the communication, newsletters, Facebook, emails and very
detailed daily updates. Really seems to bond with that person".
"Kept well informed, newsletters, posters and daily updates. Kept well informed on
the parents' advisory group, opportunity to raise any issues and have an input into
planning activities".
Each child had a 'learning journey'. We saw that these celebrated children's
achievements and provided written and pictorial notes of activities they had
undertaken. We found that staff working with the children aged 3-5 were linking their
observations to the "Curriculum for Excellence", and those caring for the younger
children were beginning to use the "Pre-Birth to Three" guidance to measure
progress. Both are Ecuation Scotland guidance. We also saw that parents were
encouraged to access their children's learning journeys to view and to add
achievements and items of interest from home.
We noted that the nursery staff observed what different children liked to play with,
and took their lead from the children's interests to create a variety of play and
learning experiences. Mind maps and floor books were used to develop the children's
thoughts and interests on subjects such as caterpillars, Silly Soup, snails and castles.
'Responsive planning' was used to document how staff identified and took forward
activities focused on individual children's particular skills, developmental needs or
interests, e.g. doing puzzles or using scissors.
We saw that the children, having been involved in planning the nursery garden,
clearly felt a strong sense of ownership of the space. There was a diverse range of
activities to be involved in and they used the whole garden very creatively. Children
spoke confidently and with great enthusiasm about what they had been doing and
what they liked to do in the garden. They told us:
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 13 of 29
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"My favourite thing in the garden is the beastie house!"
"We're pirates, and we've found treasure!"
"This is a pirate ship and I am the captain!"
"Do you want to see the bit where we anchor it? Look, it's there and look, the end is
sharp - it has to be to hook on. Do you want to see our treasure?".
Observation of practice noted that children were very keen to attend the service, and
that their enthusiasm was acknowledged and used to best effect. Children also had
the opportunity of choosing what toys and activities they wished to interact with
during their time at nursery.
Care Standards Questionnaires told us that all respondents strongly agreed and
agreed with the statement 'the service has involved me and my child in developing
the service, for example asking for ideas and feedback'.
Areas for improvement
Having collated the responses to the parents' questionnaires, the manager identified
that parents felt they did not have enough information about the Curriculum for
Excellence. We suggested that the nursery provide information for parents in a way
that linked the children's daily activities and projects to the Curriculum for Excellence
outcomes. This would make the curriculum more meaningful for parents of three to
five year old children.
We noted that the nursery was making use of floor books to plan projects and take
areas of interest forward with the children. We suggested that this practice could be
improved by focusing on what the children already knew about a subject and
then supporting them to think about what they want to find out. This would
strengthen the children's experience of project planning. We discussed the possibility
of viewing floor books in other nurseries to look at examples of good practice, and
also training for staff.
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 0
Statement 3
We ensure that service users' health and wellbeing needs are met.
Service strengths
We saw that children's health and wellbeing was given priority and high standards
were maintained. Staff were beginning to use the Pre-Birth to Three guidance and
the Curriculum for Excellence to ensure that they delivered appropriate experiences,
activities and resources for each child.
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Working with parents to gather detailed information about each child when they
joined the service, and promoting regular communication with them thereafter,
helped staff plan for each child on an individual basis and adjust planning to take
account of their changing needs.
We saw evidence that parents and children were offered settling in sessions so that
they could become familiar with the nursery and the staff. A key worker system was
in place so that children could form vital relationships with their carers. We observed
that staff knew the children and their individual personalities. They encouraged a very
open approach which fostered an environment where participation was an integral
part of the children's and families' experience of the nursery. Children were
encouraged to express themselves and were seen to have the confidence to do so
throughout the inspection.
Learning activities and routines throughout the service helped children learn habits
for good health, including healthy eating, hand washing, tooth brushing and
balancing indoor and outdoor activity, quiet play and rest.
An infection control policy and procedures were in place and these were available for
parents to read. As with other policies, these were regularly updated by the
manager, who was proactive in ensuring up-to-date guidance was given to staff and
parents.
Most staff were following an appropriate procedure for nappy changing of the
younger children. Supplies of aprons and gloves were available, and most staff were
observed to be using these appropriately.
We saw that the children's food was now freshly prepared within the nursery
premises by a cook who had produced menus and recipes which appeared consistent
with national guidance. Meal and snack times in each room were observed to be
calm, sociable occasions. We saw that staff encouraged the children to eat whilst
ensuring that individual children could take the necessary time they needed to eat
their food. The older children benefited from a rolling snack, where they had
opportunities to be independent and make choices.
The nursery had a system in place to obtain details of children's allergies and food
intolerances. Details were shared with the staff, and we saw that a good system had
been implemented to ensure all staff were alerted on a daily basis to children's
dietary needs and allergies.
All parents who returned the Care Standards Questionnaires strongly agreed/agreed
that the service provided a healthy and well balanced diet which met their child's
dietary and cultural needs. Parents spoken with thought the menus were healthy and
that their children were offered a good variety. They told us:
Flowerpots Childcare Ltd., page 15 of 29
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"Children pick the snack. The menu is varied and balanced".
"The menus are healthy and they take account of my requests".
"My child's appetite is so good because of the variety they have. They ask us for
suggestions for the menu".
Younger children were given the opportunity to sleep in cots. There was a designated
sleep room. We saw staff respond to the children's needs by ensuring they slept when
tired. This ensured staff were taking into account the children's individual needs and
preferences.
We saw that children of all ages benefited from the support of attentive and engaged
adults, who were enthusiastic about the outdoors and understood the importance of
outdoor learning. We found that the children had very good opportunities to spend
time outdoors, in the large outdoor play area and the woods close to the nursery.
This enabled the children to enjoy the natural environment, exercise, fresh air and
activity. We saw that the children could move freely between the playrooms and
outdoors. These daily outdoor sessions provided safe and supervised opportunities
for children to experience new challenges, which provided opportunities for being
inventive and developing their creativity and imagination. Parents told us:
"The nursery is very good at all outdoor activities and encouraging children to do
things independently, especially using tools and implements outdoors. Play also
seems to involve plenty of problem solving, collaboration and teamwork".
"They are outside loads, it's a plus side of the nursery. Happy that they are out in all
weathers and they make sure the children have suitable clothing. Children can
choose to stay in or out. They go to the woods and have built a den there".
In discussion, the staff and manager evidenced a sensitive approach to working with
families to identify and meet the needs of children who required additional support.
Systems were in place to take care of children's medical or support needs, and the
manager was aware of the need to obtain appropriate information and access
training to enable staff to support children's specific conditions, if required.
Through discussion, staff demonstrated their knowledge and understanding of their
training in child protection, and explained where this would be implemented in
practice. A child protection policy and procedures were found to be in place to support
practice.
We saw that the nursery had a positive approach to transition, where they supported
children through the process of moving into, through and on from the setting. Staff
told us that they worked with parents to support their children to be ready and
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confident about the changes they face. Parents told us they were kept up to date
about the transition process.
Areas for improvement
We saw that the child protection policy made reference to the North East of Scotland
Child Protection Committee (NESCPC) guidelines. Aberdeenshire Child and Family
Protection Committee was now in place, and the service should update the policy to
clearly state these guidelines will be followed.
We noted that staff were familiar with the support needs of children; however, this
information was not always recorded in enough detail to give clear direction to staff.
The manager and staff team should now implement chronologies and develop care/
support plans for children with food intolerances, allergies and additional support
needs. They need to take account of the following when developing care/support
plans:
* parents and children to be involved in the agreeing and setting of areas for
development/targets whenever possible
* details of strategies, with details of who will deliver them, when and where
* details of necessary resources
* details of a date for review, and the names of people involved in reviewing.
See Requirement 1
We noted that the medication policy had recently been updated, taking account of
best practice guidance. We found, however, that the log of medicines stored on the
premises was incomplete the time of the inspection. The manager assured the
inspectors that medication would be reviewed on a regular basis as part of their
auditing system within the nursery. See Recommendation 1
We saw that the nursery nappy changing procedures and hand washing procedures
did not always reflect best practice. We noted that the manager and her assistant
had carried out an audit of staff's competence and also found inconsistencies in
practice. They had issued all staff with clear step by step procedures and planned to
undertake observations of staff practice in relation to nappy changing and hand
washing practices. See Recommendation 2
Grade awarded for this statement: 4 - Good
Number of requirements: 1
Number of recommendations: 2
Requirements
1. The provider and manager must ensure that the additional support needs of the
children are provided for.
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In order to achieve this they must:
a) Ensure staff implement best practice guidance and advice given by professionals
in relation to meeting children's additional support needs
b) Implement individual developmental plans for children with additional support
needs, in consultation with parents and other professionals.
This is in order to comply with: The Social Care and Social Work Improvement
Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011, 4(1)(a) - Requirements
to make proper provision for the health and welfare of service users.
National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 3 - Health and Wellbeing, Standard 6 - Support and Development,
and Standard 14 - Well-Managed Service.
Timescale for implementation: Within 4 weeks of of receipt of this report.
Recommendations
1. Management of medication should be reviewed, making reference to best practice.
The following documents may help when reviewing medication practice: The Royal
Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, 'The Handling of Medicines in Social Care';
and The Care Inspectorate health guidance, 'The Management of Medication in
Daycare and Childminding Services'.
The manager and staff should review the procedures in relation to the
management of medication within the nursery. In order to do this they should:
(a) Undertake regular audits of the medication records to ensure they clearly
identify the details of the medication stored by the service, and of the medication
and amount returned to parents
(b) Ensure medicines are stored in line with the guidance provided on the
dispensing information.
National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 3 - Health and Wellbeing, and Standard 14 - Well-Managed Service.
2. The manager should continue to review and improve the practice in relation to
nappy changing and hand washing to ensure the health and welfare of service
users.
National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 3 - Health and Wellbeing, and Standard 12 - Confidence in Staff.
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Quality Theme 2: Quality of Environment
Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good
Statement 1
We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the
quality of the environment within the service.
Service strengths
Information recorded under Quality Theme 1, Quality Statement 1 also applies to this
Statement.
Areas for improvement
Comments made in Areas for Improvement in Quality Theme 1, Quality Statement 1
also apply to this Quality Statement.
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 0
Statement 2
We make sure that the environment is safe and service users are protected.
Service strengths
The building and outside environment were maintained to a very good standard.
Nursery staff were aware of how to report building faults and any repairs needed.
Attention had been given to fire safety matters. This helped to maintain a safe
environment for the children attending.
We found that there were systems in place which contributed to ensuring the
children's safety within the building. We saw that access to the nursery was
monitored by staff with the help of secure door entry systems, to minimise the risk of
children coming into contact with people not authorised to be in the service. Visitors
were asked to sign the visitors' book when entering and leaving the nursery.
We found that there were risk assessments in place for all areas of the building,
garden walks and outings. Staff spoken with understood their responsibility in
ensuring that risk assessment was an ongoing process, and the need to make daily
checks on the playrooms and garden.
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All established staff had completed first aid as part of core training and were aware of
the procedures for dealing with accidents and incidents. Accidents and incidents had
been recorded appropriately and shared with parents. New staff had been made
aware of these procedures as part of their induction. An audit system had been
implemented to help identify whether accidents were related to particular activities or
resources.
Recording formats for the cleaning and maintenance of toys and equipment were in
place. All toys and resources were observed to be clean and in good condition.
The information detailed in Quality Theme 1, Statement 3 in respect of infection
control and child protection is also relevant to this Statement.
We saw that the manager took an active role in observing practice and carrying out
routine checks to promote safe standards being maintained. The monitoring she had
delegated to staff in their own areas promoted safety being everyone's responsibility.
The nursery was participating in the Eco-Schools scheme and had recently received
their silver award. Parents, children and staff were part of their Eco committee and
we saw that they had all contributed to taking the project forward. We saw that the
children had been learning about saving energy, recycling, and keeping the
environment clean and tidy.
The activities that staff had carried out with children, particularly outdoors, helped
them to understand safe use of their surroundings.
All respondents to the Care Standards Questionnaire strongly agreed and agreed that
the environment was safe, secure and stimulating. They also strongly agreed that
there was enough space and a suitable range of equipment and play materials.
Areas for improvement
We acknowledged that the provider, manager and staff undertook regular cleaning
regimes to ensure the environment was clean and hygienic. We have asked
the manager to review and update their approach to cleaning toys and equipment,
making reference to best practice guidance, 'Infection Prevention and Control in
Childcare Settings (Daycare and Childminding Settings)'.
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 0
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Quality Theme 3: Quality of Staffing
Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good
Statement 1
We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the
quality of staffing in the service.
Service strengths
Information recorded under Quality Theme 1, Quality Statement 1 also applies to this
Statement.
Areas for improvement
Comments made in Areas for Improvement in Quality Theme 1, Quality Statement 1
also apply to this Quality Statement.
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 0
Statement 3
We have a professional, trained and motivated workforce which operates to National
Care Standards, legislation and best practice.
Service strengths
The nursery was performing to a very good standard in relation to this Statement. We
determined this after we looked at the staff handbook, staff files and training records,
talked to the manager and staff members and observed practice in the nursery.
We found that all of the nursery staff were either registered with the Scottish Social
Service Council (SSSC) or were working towards their registration in accordance with
the required timescales. The SSSC is the body that regulates care staff and decides
the level of qualification for each post. Furthermore, all staff were checked under the
Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme before starting work in the nursery.
We noted that all staff had been made aware of the SSSC Code of Practice. Before
starting work they read the staff handbook, which provided a comprehensive guide to
support them in their role and responsibilities.
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Over a twelve week trial period, new staff underwent a comprehensive induction
process during which time their competence was assessed. There was an extensive
range of policies and procedures, informed by national standards for childcare and
best practice guidance. The policy handbook determined nursery practice and ensured
a consistent professional approach. The nursery management expected each staff
member to undertake reading time each week to keep up to date with nursery
policies and new guidance. We observed that staff worked in a way that
demonstrated they were familiar with the policies that guided their work.
We found that each member of staff received regular structured supervision that
resulted in a personal action plan. Annual appraisal had been undertaken to monitor
performance, assess training needs and set targets for the coming year. We saw that
staff had contributed their views and any issues they wanted to address in advance.
Training records were kept by staff as part of their conditions of registration with the
SSSC. We saw that staff had access to required training. We also viewed the nursery's
training plan and a sample of the training records, which showed that the staff group
were well trained.
We noted that team meetings took place monthly, and senior staff meetings more
regularly. These ensured a regular exchange of information between staff members
and focused on the nursery's performance. We saw that an internal newsletter kept
the staff team informed. We observed that the staff team worked well together and
that the atmosphere in each of the nursery rooms was warm and welcoming. One
member of staff stated that "the whole staff team and morale is brill, and everyone
works in partnership with each other to make us the best!".
The manager of the service provided strong leadership and encouraged the staff team
to "work as though every day was an inspection day". There was a bonus scheme to
encourage staff to maintain high standards of performance.
In terms of management support, the following views from staff were noted:
"I know (the manager's) door is always open if I want assistance/support, and if I
have been to (the manager) for support she always comes back with assistance."
"I am quite happy with the help and support I have received when needed, and there
is always someone to assist me if I have a problem".
All respondents to the Care Standards Questionnaire strongly agreed and agreed that
there were always enough staff to provide good quality care, and they were skilled
and experienced to support their children's learning and development.
Areas for improvement
The manager was encouraged to continue supporting staff to access training. In
particular the manager should continue to support staff to develop their knowledge
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and understanding of GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child). This is an approach
which practitioners can use to help bring about the changes in their practice that will
assist them in continuing to help the children in their care to achieve their full
potential.
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 0
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Quality Theme 4: Quality of Management and Leadership
Grade awarded for this theme: 5 - Very Good
Statement 1
We ensure that service users and carers participate in assessing and improving the
quality of the management and leadership of the service.
Service strengths
Information recorded under Quality Theme 1, Quality Statement 1 also applies to this
Statement.
Areas for improvement
Comments made in Areas for Improvement in Quality Theme 1, Quality Statement 1
also apply to this Quality Statement.
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 0
Statement 4
We use quality assurance systems and processes which involve service users, carers,
staff and stakeholders to assess the quality of service we provide
Service strengths
The manager had overall responsibility for the nursery and provided managerial
support to her staff team. She was a visible daily presence in the nursery and this
ensured staff and parents could talk to her if they had a query. The manager carried
out the main quality assurance tasks within the nursery with support her assistant,
who took responsibility for the management of the kitchen and associated paperwork.
The nursery had complied with regulation by the Care Inspectorate. They had
completed annual returns and self assessments as they were asked to. All of this
showed us that they were committed to checking that they were performing to a high
standard and looking for ways to make improvements.
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The nursery had an appropriate range of policies and procedures, which reflected
current legislation and the aims of the service. 'Policy of the month' highlighted to
staff and parents the service's commitment to following best practice.
The nursery was very good at asking the children what they thought and what they
wanted. They involved the children with planning (see also Quality Theme 1,
Statement 1). We found that staff consulted the children continually during their
conversations. The children were becoming used to stating their views and making
suggestions.
The nursery was a partner provider for pre-school education with Aberdeenshire
Council. As such, visits were made to the nursery on a regular basis by the council's
development worker and Early Years Coordinating Teacher. Information provided from
these visits was also used for ongoing quality assurance purposes. The feedback from
parents was also reviewed as part of the quality assurance process, and changes
made to the service if appropriate.
We saw that staff were using the Curriculum for Excellence to measure the
performance in relation to progress of those children in the 3 to not yet attending
primary school category. Pre-Birth to Three guidance was used to guide and evaluate
planning in the playroom for the younger children.
We saw that the service was using a Quality Assurance tool (Monitor It). The manager
told us, and we saw, that this tool allowed the manager to develop improvement
plans which linked areas identified for improvement with the quality themes, National
Care Standards and the Scottish Government Child at the Centre 2 indicators. It also
allowed the manager to get an overview of individual staff members' progress in
taking forward tasks which they had been allocated.
We noted that the manager had supported the staff team to follow up on the areas
identified for improvement, and these included:
>integrating additional support needs into the service
>taking forward the Eco schools project
>children's participation in the tulips room
>developing literacy in the bluebells room
>looking at resources, a suggestion put forward within a recent parents' survey.
Complaints and confidentiality policies were in place. If parents or carers wished to
raise any concerns these policies informed them how to do so in confidence. They
also informed them of whom they could contact should they choose not to raise
concerns directly with the service. We saw that there was an open door policy in
place.
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Areas for improvement
The provider and the manager were clearly committed to the ongoing improvement of
the nursery, and discussion throughout inspection and at feedback demonstrated that
they were continually seeking new opportunities and ways to further develop the
service.
The staff, supported by the manager, should continue to bring about improvements in
the outcomes for children and families using the service. Continuing to use quality
assurance tools, continuous systematic evaluations of the service should be
undertaken to support the improvement agenda. See Recommendation 1
Grade awarded for this statement: 5 - Very Good
Number of requirements: 0
Number of recommendations: 1
Recommendations
1. The manager and senior staff should continue to make use of formal monitoring of
practice within each playroom to identify strengths and weaknesses in staff
practice. Information gained through monitoring of practice can then provide a
more complete picture of the service needs, which in turn should inform the
service development plan and assessment of staff training needs.
National Care Standards Early Education and Childcare up to the age of 16,
Standard 13 - Improving the Service, and Standard 14 - Well-Managed Service.
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4 Other information
Complaints
No complaints have been upheld, or partially upheld, since the last inspection.
Enforcements
We have taken no enforcement action against this care service since the last
inspection.
Additional Information
Action Plan
Failure to submit an appropriate action plan within the required timescale, including
any agreed extension, where requirements and recommendations have been made,
will result in the Care Inspectorate re-grading a Quality Statement within the Quality
of Management and Leadership Theme (or for childminders, Quality of Staffing
Theme) as unsatisfactory (1). This will result in the Quality Theme being re-graded as
unsatisfactory (1).
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5 Summary of grades
Quality of Care and Support - 4 - Good
Statement 1
5 - Very Good
Statement 3
4 - Good
Quality of Environment - 5 - Very Good
Statement 1
5 - Very Good
Statement 2
5 - Very Good
Quality of Staffing - 5 - Very Good
Statement 1
5 - Very Good
Statement 3
5 - Very Good
Quality of Management and Leadership - 5 - Very Good
Statement 1
5 - Very Good
Statement 4
5 - Very Good
6 Inspection and grading history
Date
Type
Gradings
28 Apr 2011
Unannounced
Care and support
Environment
Staffing
Management and Leadership
4 - Good
4 - Good
4 - Good
4 - Good
All inspections and grades before 1 April 2011 are those reported by the former
regulator of care services, the Care Commission.
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To find out more about our inspections and inspection reports
Read our leaflet 'How we inspect'. You can download it from our website or ask us to
send you a copy by telephoning us on 0845 600 9527.
This inspection report is published by the Care Inspectorate. You can get more copies
of this report and others by downloading it from our website:
www.careinspectorate.com or by telephoning 0845 600 9527.
Translations and alternative formats
This inspection report is available in other languages and formats on request.
Telephone: 0845 600 9527
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.careinspectorate.com
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