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Press release: Overwhelming majority of children kept safe and healthy in registered childcare

New early years inspections have raised the bar and spurred on providers to do better

Early Years: Safe and sound, a new report published today by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted), reveals that the vast majority of registered childcare providers ensure that the children placed in their care are kept safe and well cared for. ‘Staying safe’ and ‘being healthy’ are two of the five outcomes which the Children Act 2004 identified as vital for every child. The report is intended to be used as a tool by childcare providers to further improve their practice with children.

Inspectors found that 97% of the 25,000 childcare providers inspected between April 2005 and March 2006 were satisfactory or better in keeping children in their care safe from harm. Very few (3%) were deemed inadequate. In the same period, 98% of providers were satisfactory or better at helping children to be healthy. Very few (2%) were inadequate.

Dorian Bradley, Ofsted’s Director of Early Years, said:

“Parents can be confident that the vast majority of childcare providers are meeting the National Standards and providing good quality care and a safe and healthy environment for their children. However, there is still some way to go to ensure that every child in every setting is safe and sound, all day, every day.”

Ofsted changed its early years inspection system in April 2005, and 2005-06 was the first year that nurseries, childminders and other day-care providers were able to achieve an outstanding grade. Overall 1 in 50 of the providers inspected between April 2005 and March 2006 were judged to be outstanding in delivering all outcomes for children.

One in 25 settings inspected (4%) were judged to be outstanding at keeping children safe. These settings are highly effective in making sure children learn how to keep themselves safe, have their concerns taken seriously and are cared for by well qualified adults who operate clear child safety procedures and share them with parents. In outstanding settings adults achieve an appropriate balance between safety and promoting children’s freedom to be adventurous, to explore and to make mistakes within safe limits.

One in 20 settings inspected (5%) were judged to be outstanding at helping children to be healthy. These exceptional settings are highly effective at promoting children’s health and their childcare practice is exemplary. They work closely with parents to ensure children eat healthily, and develop an excellent understanding of healthy eating and enjoy exceptional opportunities for physical exercise.

From April 2005, Ofsted raised the bar in recognition of the fact that the National Standards should now be fully embedded in childcare settings. Ofsted now no longer judges as satisfactory any setting where providers fail to meet any of the National Standards or regulations. As a result the proportion of settings found to be inadequate overall has risen, from 1% in the previous inspection cycle to 4% this year.

Where childcare was inadequate, Ofsted identified action the provider needed to take and then checked to see that the required improvement had been made. Ofsted also took enforcement action where necessary.

Despite the rise in the number of settings judged inadequate, almost nine out of 10 settings placed in this category earlier in this inspection year have since improved and were graded satisfactory or better following their re-inspection, which occurs within 12 months.

A clear indication of improved childcare is that the percentage of inspections where it was necessary for Ofsted to set actions for improvement has reduced. Ofsted set actions for 22% of all providers inspected during the last inspection cycle (April 2003 to March 2005), because they were not meeting one or more of the National Standards. However, this year it was necessary to set actions for only 4% of providers inspected.

All settings, including the very best, can improve, and Ofsted also made recommendations for further improvement in all settings judged to be good or satisfactory. This included 47% of settings that received recommendations relating to improving aspects of safety and 35% of settings that received recommendations about how the provider can further improve the way they help children to be healthy.

Dorian Bradley, Ofsted’s Director of Early Years, added:

“We will continue to monitor inadequate childcare providers closely and take enforcement action where necessary to ensure that all children are kept safe and well-cared for.”

Notes For Editors

1. The special mini-website www.ofsted.gov.uk/safeandsound features the Safe and sound report and other materials including a poster, leaflet, PowerPoint presentation and short article for providers’ associations and local authorities to use at meetings with providers and their staff.

2. The evidence in today’s report was based mainly on results of inspections of 25,000 providers between April 2005 to March 2006 and partly from small sample surveys which looked in more detail at nutrition, physical activity, accident prevention, child protection, early morning care and the Foundation Stage.

3. Ofsted is a non-ministerial government department established under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 to take responsibility for the inspection of all schools in England. Its role also includes the inspection of further education, local authority children’s services, teacher training institutions and some independent schools. During 2001, Ofsted became responsible for inspecting all 16-19 education and for the regulation of early years childcare, including childminders.

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