Dawn Elizabeth Wilson Cochrane

1. The childminder should embed their policies and procedures on safe sleep within the service to align practice with safer sleep best practice guidance. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the health and social care standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I experience high quality care and support based on relevant evidence, guidance and best practice' (HSCS 4.11) and 'My care and support is provided in a planned and safe way, including if there is an emergency or unexpected event' (HSCS 4.14).

2. The childminder should review care inspectorate best practice guidance ‘management of medication in daycare of children and childminding services July 2025’ to ensure their procedures in managing and administering medication in the service fully align with best practice guidance. This would ensure all children are kept safe from harm by ensuring their medication and health needs are fully understood, considered and planned for. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the health and social care standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I experience high quality care and support based on relevant evidence, guidance and best practice' (HSCS 4.11) and ‘ I experience high quality care and support because people have the necessary information and resources’ (HSCS 4.27)

1. To ensure play experiences sufficiently challenge children and meet their interests and development needs the childminder should develop their processes for planning for, observing and recording children’s progress and learning through play. The childminder should use their observations of children to reflect on and plan new learning opportunities, demonstrating how children’s views and interests have been considered. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the health and Social care standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘As a child, my social and physical skills, confidence and self esteem and creativity are developed through a balance of organised and freely chosen extended play, including using open ended and natural materials’ (HSCS 1.31).

2. The childminder should implement their screen time policy in consultation with families. The childminder should ensure the time the television is on is restricted in line with their policy and best practice guidance. This would ensure opportunities to promote communication, language, play and learning within the service are developed. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: 'I am supported to achieve my potential in education and employment if this is right for me' (HSCS 1.27).

1. To improve outcomes for children and support ongoing improvement, the childminder should develop self-evaluation and quality assurance processes. These should identify what is working well in the service and what needs developed. The childminder should become familiar with best practice guidance and use this to support them to reflect and plan for continuous improvement. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘I benefit from a culture of continuous improvement, with the organisation having robust and transparent quality assurance processes’ (HSCS 4.19).

1. To support an approach that ensures children receive consistent, high-quality care and learning opportunities, the childminder should support the assistant to develop the skills, knowledge, and values required to deliver a high-quality service. This is to ensure care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘I experience high quality care and support based on relevant evidence, guidance and best practice’ (HSCS 4.11).

1. The childminder should further develop policies, procedures, permissions and risk assessments to include but not limited to; when children walk from school unsupervised or play out with the childminders home unsupervised. These should include written permissions, boundaries and contingency plans if a child does not appear at the childminders home to ensure their ongoing safety. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent w ith the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘I experience high quality care and support because people have the necessary information and resources’ (HSCS 4.27 ) and ‘If I go missing, people take urgent action, including looking for me and liaising with the police, other agencies and people who are important to me’ (HSCS 3.23).

2. To ensure children are kept safe from the spread of infection, the childminder should ensure children carry out handwashing at regular intervals throughout the day. This includes before and after eating or after any personal care or visiting the toilet. When undertaking personal care of young children, the childminder should ensure the appropriate use of personal protective equipment such as gloves and ensure changing mats are cleaned after each use. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘I experience high quality care and support based on relevant evidence, guidance and best practice’ (HSCS 4.11).

3. To ensure children’s health, safety and wellbeing, the childminder should record information about accidents, incidents and ensure these records are shared with families. They childminder should update their knowledge and understanding on the records they must keep and the notifications they must make by referring to guidance such as care inspectorate (2025) ‘Early Learning and Childcare Services: Guidance on records you must keep and the notifications you must make’. This is to ensure that care and support is consistent with the Health and Social Care Standards (HSCS) which state that: ‘ My care and support is consistent and stable because people work together well’ (HSCS 3.19).