Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales
Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010
Child Minding and Day Care (Inspection and Information for Local
Authorities) (Wales) Regulations 2010
The Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations 2010
Inspection Report
Westwood Centre Buckley Penguin Playgroup
Westwood Infants
Tabernacle Street
Buckley
CH7 2JT
Type of Inspection – Focused
Date(s) of inspection –18 March 2015
Date of publication – 21 April 2015
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Summary
About the service
Buckley Penguin Play Group, Westwood Centre is based in a building attached to a local
primary school in Buckley. The service is registered to provide care for a maximum of 25
children under the age of eight years. The registered providers are also the Persons in
Charge (PIC) and are Lynnette Hope, Delyth Parry and Christina Sutherland. The
playgroup has access to a large room and a small outside play area.
What type of inspection was carried out?
The Care and Social Service Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW) carried out a scheduled,
unannounced, focussed inspection between 10:15am and 12:00pm. We concentrated on
the quality of life theme for children using the service, although we also discussed issues
with regards to communication with parents, hygiene and recording of children’s
developmental progress. Prior to the inspection we read and analysed information held by
CSSIW about the setting. Present at the inspection were ten children, Christina
Sutherland, Delyth Parry and a member of staff who came in to provide lunch time cover.
What does the service do well?
We did not identify any specific areas of excellence within the focus of this inspection.
What has improved since the last inspection?
There were no significant areas of improvement noted.
What needs to be done to improve the service?
We notified the registered provider that the service was non-compliant with Regulation 15
which says that a statement of purpose must be compiled which includes all of the matters
stated in the regulation. The statement of purpose should also include the matters stated
in Standard 1 of the National Minimum Standards. We have not issued a non-compliance
notice on this occasion as the provider agreed to revise the statement of purpose without
delay and provide a copy to CSSIW.
We notified the provider that the service was not compliant with Regulation 14 which says
that the registered person must have regard to the national minimum standards which
relate to the type of care provided. We have not issued a non-compliance notice on this
occasion as the registered provider agreed to access a copy straight away. The registered
providers should familiarise themselves with the document and review their policies and
practices in line with the standards.
Practice recommendations:
a system to monitor and record children’s developmental progress should be
implemented and used to plan for the next steps in children’s play and learning
the choice of activities and toys available for children should be reviewed to ensure
there are good play and learning opportunities in line with requirements of the
Foundation Phase
the Westwood Centre should be approached regarding the outdoor space to ensure
gutters are cleared and the area cleaned to ensure the health and well-being of
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children attending the playgroup
the registered providers should plan to repair or replace broken outdoor toys as
soon as funds permit to promote the development of children’s physical skills.
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Quality Of Life
Overall, we (CSSIW) found that the outcomes for children were positive. The children
present played happily and appeared at ease with staff.
Children have choice. This is because staff provide opportunities for children to take
control and make decisions. We observed that during music time staff asked children
which action songs they wanted to sing and we also heard staff offer children a choice of
drinks. We saw that children could choose whatever they wanted to play with and moved
freely between toys and activities. There were a range of resources for children to pick,
including continuous provision of painting, tray jigsaws, dressing up clothes, a train set,
books and a small slide.
Children’s needs are not met through appropriate observations and planning. The
playgroup does not have a formal system to observe, monitor and record children’s
progress. We followed up on this issue and discussed it with one of the PICs as the issue
had also been noted in the previous inspection report in November 2013. We were also
told that staff do not apply the principles of the Foundation Phase for children’s learning,
as children do this at the nursery next door that they attend. The PIC said that funding
had not been available to staff for them to enable them to access training relating to the
Foundation Phase learning framework. From discussion it was clear that staff had a
good understanding of how children learn, grow and develop and we examined children’s
files and saw a few instances where staff had recorded and dated appropriate
observations of a child, though there were no ‘next steps’ planned.
Children have opportunities to develop skills by participating in physical activities indoors
and outside. Staff provide children with the chance to play outdoors as well as inside.
The PIC said that in summer they take messy play outdoors, and have car mats and a
gazebo to provide shade, “In the winter we just come out for twenty minutes for some
exercise and fresh air.” We observed that children went out to play, using ride-on toys
and bikes and a play petrol pump. However, we found that toys were tired looking and in
poor condition. One child failed trying to ride a bike as a pedal was missing and when
they fetched another bike that also had a missing pedal. The PIC explained that they do
not have the funds to replace bikes but that they have applied for a grant. The outdoor
space was small and unstimulating. Staff told us that the space belongs to the
Westwood Centre so they are unable to decorate it as they would like to. We found that
the space and equipment was grubby from dirt splashing up and staff told us that the
gutters get blocked and overflow, and although the caretaker brushes the area it does
not get cleaned. Staff have offered to come in during the summer holidays to clean it.
Children experience warmth, attachment and belonging. There is good staff interaction
with children. Communication is positive and staff encourages children to be friends.
We observed a child spontaneously approach a staff member and give them a hug.
Children were generally well behaved and played nicely with each other. We heard staff
praising children and sit children on their laps for a cuddle during story time.
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Quality Of Staffing
This inspection focussed on quality of life. CSSIW did not consider it necessary to look
at the quality of staffing on this occasion. This theme will be considered at future
inspections.
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Quality Of Leadership and Management
This inspection focussed on quality of life. CSSIW did not consider it necessary to look
in any detail at the quality of leadership and management on this occasion. This theme
will be considered at future inspections.
However, we followed up on some issue because they had been noted in the previous
inspection report in November 2013:
that parents should be provided with more information, including an updated
statement of purpose. We found that this matter had been partially addressed.
We examined a copy of the statement of purpose and found it still required
improvements
that staff roles should be clearly defined. We found that this matter had resolved
itself as the playgroup no longer joins the nursery next door for sessions.
However, parents cannot be fully confident the provision is well run as insufficient care
and attention is paid to the National Minimum Standards and Regulations. We found that
the registered provider does not have a copy of the National Minimum Standards for
Regulated Child Care (Revised version March 2012).
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Quality Of The Environment
This inspection focussed on quality of life. CSSIW did not consider it necessary to look
in any detail at the quality of environment on this occasion. This theme will be
considered at future inspections.
However, we followed up on one issue because it had been noted in the previous
inspection report in November 2013 that children should wash their hands before snack
and not use wet wipes. We found that this matter had been addressed. We saw children
supported to go and wash their hands before being served food.
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How we inspect and report on services
We conduct two types of inspection; baseline and focussed. Both consider the experience
of people using services.
Baseline inspections assess whether the registration of a service is justified and
whether the conditions of registration are appropriate. For most services, we carry out
these inspections every three years. Exceptions are registered child minders, out of
school care, sessional care, crèches and open access provision, which are every four
years.
At these inspections we check whether the service has a clear, effective Statement of
Purpose and whether the service delivers on the commitments set out in its Statement
of Purpose. In assessing whether registration is justified inspectors check that the
service can demonstrate a history of compliance with regulations.
Focused inspections consider the experience of people using services and we will look
at compliance with regulations when poor outcomes for people using services are
identified. We carry out these inspections in between baseline inspections. Focussed
inspections will always consider the quality of life of people using services and may look
at other areas.
Baseline and focused inspections may be scheduled or carried out in response to concerns.
Inspectors use a variety of methods to gather information during inspections. These may
include;
Talking with people who use services and their representatives
Talking to staff and the manager
Looking at documentation
Observation of staff interactions with people and of the environment
Comments made within questionnaires returned from people who use services, staff and
health and social care professionals
We inspect and report our findings under ‘Quality Themes’. Those relevant to each type of
service are referred to within our inspection reports.
Further information about what we do can be found in our leaflet ‘Improving Care and
Social Services in Wales’. You can download this from our website, Improving Care and
Social Services in Wales or ask us to send you a copy by telephoning your local CSSIW
regional office.
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