| According to the latest results released by the Office | | | | standards improve. |
| for Standards in Education, Children's Services and | | | | The fact is most childcare facilities are run extremely |
| Skills (or OFSTED) 4% of childminders, nurseries and | | | | well with hard working, dedicated and totally |
| creche facilities were deemed as inadequate for | | | | professional staff who love what they do and are |
| inspections carried out between April 2006 and March | | | | good at their job. For the 4% of nurseries, |
| 2007. | | | | childminders and crèches who remain |
| The good news of course is that 96% of childcare | | | | unsatisfactory lessons could certainly be learnt from |
| providers inspected were deemed as adequate or | | | | the vast majority who do such an excellent job in |
| better with 3% rated as outstanding, 54% good and | | | | educating and looking after our children. |
| 39% satisfactory. | | | | And for the good of our society as a whole it is |
| However for the 4% of childcare providers in the | | | | imperative that standards amongst carers and |
| Getting on Well: Enjoying, Achieving and Contributing | | | | educators of children continue to improve. This is |
| report who were judged to provide inadequate | | | | because research shows that there is in many cases |
| childcare some of the reasons citied for their rating | | | | a direct link between high quality early years learning |
| included: | | | | and care and improved intellectual, social and |
| 1. Insufficient range of toys and activities, so that | | | | behavioural development in the future. |
| children wander aimlessly | | | | Mark Burdett, Marketing Manager of The UK Nursery |
| 2. Adults with lack of knowledge of how to guide | | | | Insurance Brokers Northern Counties had this to say |
| children's learning | | | | about OFSTED's latest results, "We provide Nursery |
| 3. Lack of regular observation | | | | Insurance and other types of Business Insurance to |
| 4. Lack of opportunities to engage children's interest | | | | many different types of childcare providers and what |
| 5. Poorly-organised environment | | | | strikes me most is how hard people in the childcare |
| Another piece of good news from the report seems | | | | industry actually work. It is clear that if 4% of |
| to be that once a childcare facility has been rated as | | | | childcare providers aren't meeting certain standards |
| inadequate steps are often put in place to bring it up | | | | then improvements will need to be made but I don't |
| to a satisfactory standard. This is highlighted by the | | | | think the vast majority of parents should feel the |
| fact that inspectors returned to almost 300 childcare | | | | need to unduly worry as the childcare facilities in the |
| providers who were previously deemed as | | | | UK are amongst, if not the, best in the world." |
| unsatisfactory and upon re-inspection 85% of these | | | | Mark went on to add, "Northern Counties provide |
| had improved. | | | | protection and peace of mind in the form of Nursery |
| Clearly however the bad news is that 4% is 4% too | | | | Insurance and I know the vast majority of childcare |
| many when it comes to inadequate childcare and | | | | providers are also doing all they can to make sure |
| therefore OFSTED, the Government and Childcare | | | | the children in their care are happy, safe and develop |
| providers are working together to make sure | | | | in the right way. |