Childminder wins rave reviews in report

An Ayrshire childminder has been given the thumbs up in a report from the Care Inspectorate.

Nicola’s Childminding, based in Girvan, was rated‘good’across the board following an unannounced inspection.

The service has been run by Nicola McCutcheon since July 2018 and the recent inspection was the first one to be carried out.

Care Inspectorate chiefs said this was a“focused inspection”to evaluate how well children were supported during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The report states:“We evaluated the service based on key areas that are vital to the support and wellbeing of children experiencing care during the pandemic.”

Kids were“observed to be happy and relaxed,”there was“good interaction” between them and the childminder and one parent who sent feedback indicated they were“very happy”with the service.

The report goes on:“They told us how the childminder communicated with them during lockdown which included messaging, phone calls, garden visits and emailing her policies and procedures.”

Service was rated‘good’across all the Care Inspectorate’s quality indicators and Ms McCutcheon had policies and procedures“in place”in relation to

Covid-19 and hygiene and she was“up to date”with current guidance.

The report goes on:“The childminder was caring and responsive to the children’s needs. She provided comfort and reassurance when required and the children were happy and relaxed in her care.

“She had kept in contact with families during lockdown using messaging and WhatsApp to keep them up to date with government Covid-19 guidance and sharing her reviewed policies and procedures.

“Changes to her daily practices were communicated to parents ensuring they were aware of her drop-off/ pick-up procedures and that entry to her home was not allowed.

“Social distancing meetings also took place, providing parents with activities for their children to enjoy at home. This enabled relationships to be maintained at this time.

“Regular contact enabled the childminder to keep up to date with the children’s new interests and assist in planning to meet their individual needs.”

The report adds:“Children were given the opportunity to regularly play outdoors in the fresh air to help reduce the risk of spreading the virus. They enjoyed varied activities in the garden and the wider community, exploring the natural environment.”