Inspection of 22 March 2023 — Inspection Report
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- (3) The registered provider did not take appropriate measures to ensure that all employees were suitable to work in an early years service prior to their commencement as outlined below: • The registered provider did not ensure that nine references were validated for four staff members prior to them commencing work in the service as follows: - One staff member commenced working in the service on 01 February 2021 and two references for this staff member were validated on 05 February 2021. - One staff member commenced working in the service on 04 October 2021 and two references for this staff member were validated on 05 November and 15 November 2021 respectively. - One staff member commenced working in the service on 18 May 2022 and two references for this staff member were validated on 18 May 2022. - One staff member commenced working in the service on 07 June 2022 and two references for this staff member were validated on 07 June 2022. (4) There was no evidence available to show that five of the adults who had been employed since the last inspection and who were working directly with the children in the service held a relevant major award in Early Childhood Care and Education on the National Framework of Qualifications. The registered provider and four of the adults stated that applications had been submitted to the DCEDIY for recognition of their qualifications, but these applications had been unsuccessful. Documentation was available to demonstrate that a fifth adult has enrolled in a relevant course on the National Framework of Qualifications
Provider's corrective action:
- (3) References were validated already for current employees. A meeting was held with recruitment team explaining the importance of references being validated prior to employees commencing employment. (4) This is an ongoing matter where our funding body (Department of Education) does not meet the same requirements as our regulatory body, Tusla. Letters have been sent to all relevant parties to try and rectify this matter. Awaiting responses from relevant bodies to rectify the issues facing Early Intervention Preschools funded under the Home Tuition Scheme, Group Providers. Meanwhile, we have reduced numbers and capacity whilst trying a big recruitment drive; to only employ level 8 Irish citizens or those who have studied and worked in an English speaking country for 3 years, to recruit for 30 staff across school
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (h) Details of the attendance of each child were not recorded at the time of entering the service. At 10:15 none of the six children present had been signed in on the attendance record. This posed a risk to the safe evacuation of children in the event of a fire
Provider's corrective action:
- All children will be marked in as they arrive. All staff were reminded of the importance of marking children in immediately upon arrival and agree this is the way it will happen moving forward
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- The inspector observed a number of practices which posed a risk of transmission of infection within the service: Infection Control: 1. An open bowl containing two rice cakes was observed stored on top of the hand dryer in one of the sanitary accommodation areas. 2. There was no paper towel dispenser in both sanitary areas used by the service. There were no paper towels for hand drying in one of the sanitary areas. A roll of kitchen towel was observed in the other sanitary area, staff and children were observed using this to dry their hands on the day of inspection posing a risk of cross contamination. 3. There was no pedal bin in the preschool rooms, two open lidded bins were observed in these rooms. The bin used for disposing of nappies in the sanitary accommodation did not have a lid. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- Infection Control: 1. The rice cakes have since been removed and placed in a plastic bag outside of bathroom for the remaining time of toilet training. 2. A paper towel dispenser is available in the main bathroom. There is a hand dryer available in the smaller bathroom. 3. Pedal bins have been placed in the bathroom and the classrooms. Staff were reminded that no food should be left in toilets/sanitary areas and we have had a refresher on the infection control policy in place
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 19, 25, 26.