(b) The designated person in charge and the deputy person in charge were not present when the inspector arrived unannounced in the service. Through conversation with staff members and a review of the roster, it was established that the designated person in charge was not scheduled to arrive in the service until 12pm on the day of the inspection and the deputy person in charge was not scheduled to be on the premises. (3) The registered provider did not ensure that information required under section (2) was available prior to commencement of two staff
Provider's corrective action:
(b) Management have reviewed and amended the service’s roster to ensure that a designated person in charge is on the premises at all times during operational hours. The person in charge and deputy person in charge will co-ordinate shifts to ensure there is a designated named person in the service at all times in the future. (3) Updates in relation to information required under section (2) were carried out after immediately after the inspection. Management will ensure that all required information is available and included in the staff files prior to commencement of new employees going forward
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for one staff member. However, this vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. A cleaning agent was stored on a low shelf in the Pre-school 1 room. It is acknowledged that the cleaning agent was removed and placed on a high shelf when the inspector brought this to the attention of the staff in the room. 3. Plastic with a serrated edge from a broken piece of equipment remained attached to the wall in the Pre- school 1 room, posing a potential risk of injury to the children. 4. Chipped paint and exposed pieces of plaster on the wall in the Toddler room posed a potential risk to the children’s safety. 5. The following was observed in the outdoor area which posed a potential risk to the children’s safety: o External plaster around the Toddler room door frame was broken, exposing wire mesh. o A hole in the external wall under the kitchen window. o The wooden fencing was broken in three different areas. Infection Control: 6. The water temperatures in the Wobbler and Toddler care rooms and both sanitary accommodations on the ground floor were not conducive to promote effective hand washing. On the day of the inspection, the water temperatures measured as follows: Wobbler room 19.9°C Wobbler room sanitary accommodation 20°C Toddler room 20.1°C Toddler room sanitary accommodation 20.2°C It is acknowledged that there are notices displayed in the service reminding staff members to let the water run for 1 – 2 minutes to allow for water temperature to regulate, however, the water temperature did not rise after the inspector let the taps run for periods up to 3 minutes. 7. The following was observed which prevents effective cleaning practices and increases the risk of cross contamination: o The nappy changing mat in the Wobbler room sanitary accommodation was observed to be torn and the internal foam was exposed. o The couch in the Pre-school 1 room was torn and the internal material was exposed. o Radiator covers were observed to be worn and internal, porous wood was exposed. o Silicone around the sink in the Toddler room was observed to be worn. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. Updated Garda vetting has been obtained for one staff member and placed on file. Management have created a spreadsheet to include vetting expiry dates which will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure regulatory compliance is met. 2. A designated storage area has been set up in all care rooms to ensure all cleaning products are out of the reach of children. Management have reminded staff to return cleaning products to the storage area after each use and visual prompts are now displayed in the care rooms. 3. The plastic was removed after the inspection and the wall was filled and repainted. Daily checks are carried out to ensure equipment is in good working order and any broken or damaged items are removed and disposed of immediately. 4. The wall was filled and repainted after the inspection. Daily checks are carried out and all necessary repairs are reported to management immediately. 5. The wall outside the Toddler room and the kitchen have been filled and repainted. Chalkboards have been fitted to the fence to cover any broken areas. Daily checks are carried out to ensure that the garden area is safe for children. All necessary repairs are reported to management immediately and repair process implemented. Infection Control: 6. The heating and water system has been checked, and the issues is now fixed. Management will carry out regular checks on water temperature in all care rooms and sanitary areas. 7. The following has been carried out by management: o The nappy changing mat in the Wobbler room sanitary accommodation was replaced. o The couch in Pre-school 1 room was removed and a new one was ordered. o Radiator covers in the Toddler room were sanded and repainted and new radiator covers were purchased for the Wobbler room. o The silicone around the sink in the Toddler room was removed, the wall was filled and painted and new silicone has been applied to the area
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 16, 19, 26, 28.
Inspection of 19 September 2023 — Inspection Report
(d) Police vetting was not available for one staff member who had lived in a country outside of Ireland for a period of more than 6 months
Provider's corrective action:
(d) The staff member has contacted the required authority to get the police vetting reissued. Once this has been reissued the correct documentation will be kept on file for future inspection. The recruitment team have been consulted and informed that the requirement for staff members that worked outside of the country, police vetting is required if the person has worked outside of the country for 6 months and not 9 months. When Management is doing their Bi-yearly review to ensure all staff files are up to date they will also confirm all relevant documentation is on file and not just documentation that expired e.g. Garda Vetting. As part of the recruitment process, the service will continue the policy that no new members of staff will commence employment until all documentation is on File and verified
Regulation 11 — Staffing levels
(1) The registered provider did not sure an adequate number of adults were working directly with the children during staff lunchbreaks from 12:50pm-2pm. The following was observed; • 12:50pm-1:30pm five adults were caring for 44 children. Seven adults were required in line with the ages of individual children. • 1:30pm-2pm six adults were caring for 44 children. Seven adults were required in line with the ages of individual children. (2) Ratios were not maintained in care rooms between 12:50pm-1:30pm during staff lunch breaks. The following was observed; • One staff member was caring for 12 children aged 2-4 years in the Toddler room. Two adults were required. • One staff member was caring for 10 children aged 1-2 years; 4 of whom were in the Wobbler room playing and 6 who were asleep in a cot room located outside of the care room. Two adults were required
Provider's corrective action:
(1) (2) Staff rotas have been amended to include clear lunch breaks. Staff hours have been increased to cover the shortfall in lunch time cover and to ensure that the correct number of staff are in rooms during breaks. Staff meeting was held to ensure that staff are fully aware that being on the premises during breaks means they are not counted in service Ratios. The service have also hired a new full-time employee (Level 7) as a full-time floater between rooms. The new employee will commence once her Garda/Police venting is secured. At all times, there will be the required number of adults + 1 in the service to take care of children (once new employee starts). Management will ensure that there is a sufficient number of staff rostered on a daily basis by cross-referencing the number of children to be cared for in each room with the staff assigned to those rooms
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(j) Two records of administration of medication were available for review. A review of these showed that all sections of the form were not completed including the parent’s signature on one record, date of birth of the child on one record. Administration of the medication was not recorded on either form. This is not in line with the service policy. (k) A review of the accident/incident records held by the service showed that the required information was not recorded in line with the service policy which states that parents will sign the accident/incident form. For example, five records did not contain the signature of the parent/guardian of the child acknowledging they had been told about the accident/incident while one record did not contain the manager’s signature
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Action (j) All Medicine Administration Consent Forms will now be completed on the electronic application. All sections will be filled in by Staff. Parents/Guardians will receive notification to read and sign this form. Then Staff will follow up to ensure forms are signed. (k) Correspondence will to be sent to all Parents informing them that they must sign all Accident Report Forms when received. Staff will follow up and check that the forms have been signed in all relevant sections. Preventative Action (j)(k) Management discussed with Staff the most effective means of filling out Medicine Administration Form and it was agreed to put the forms on the electronic application for Parents to complete. Management revised both Policies and carried out training on filling out the Incident/Accident form on the electronic application with Room leaders of each room. Management will monitor the completions of the Medication Administration form and the accident and Incident Form on the electronic application and support staff where necessary
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
1. Toys and materials in Preschool room 1 did not support children to engage in enriching play experiences for example; o Toys and materials were not grouped into defined areas or themes to support self-directed spontaneous play. o There were limited props to extend play. Two jigsaws were available, but they were stored in clear bags with no picture to support the children to complete them and there was limited clothing for five dolls. It is acknowledged that the room has recently relocated downstairs and is in the process of being restructured. 2. A rectangular table in the Toddler room was observed to be at chest height to the children and did not allow the children to eat and engage in tabletop activities comfortably
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Action 1. Management and Preschool staff discussed the development of defined areas within the preschool room. Preschool staff constructed a plan of the room to incorporate defined areas for the children while considering their age and stage of development. New age-appropriate toys and equipment have been ordered to facilitate the restructuring of the room. 2. A new table has been ordered for the toddler room. This table is a suitable height for children in the toddler room to easily engage in tabletop activities and to ensure they can eat more comfortably. Preventive Action Management will consult with all staff monthly to ensure equipment and toys are of good standard and topped up as needed. A monthly budget will be given to all rooms for equipment such as books, jigsaws or other toys that can be easily misplaced or damaged due to the volume of children within the room. Management will ensure that all furniture in of good quality and suitable for the age of the children within the room. As noted in the report the rooms were in a restructuring phase and 3 out of 4 were complete at the time of inspection and works were ongoing to complete the 4th
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Whole grapes were observed to be contained in the lunches of children in Preschool rooms 1 and 2 which is contrary to the service healthy eating policy which states grapes must be halved before coming into the service. Whole grapes posed a choking hazard to the children. 2. The fence on the left side of the garden was observed to be broken with sharp edges in five places all of which were at the children’s height. Children were observed playing a racing game with staff during outdoor time in which they ran to the fence. This posed a risk of injury to the children when touching the fence. 3. A bottle of liquid cleaning solution was on a low shelf in the upstairs hallway accessible to the children in preschool room 2 who accessed this area alone when using the toilet or getting their bags and coats. 4. The toilet seat in the toilet used by the Toddler room was broken and had a sharp edge posing a risk of injury to the children. Infection Control: 5. Water temperatures in the sanitary areas were not adequate for effective handwashing for example the water temperature in the sanitary area used by preschool 1 room and the wobbler room were recorded as 16.2℃ and 16.5℃ while the water in the sanitary area used by the preschool 2 room was 17.8℃ and 17.9℃. This posed an infection control risk. 6. Lunches which were brought from home by the children in Preschool 1 and Preschool 2 contained perishable items which were not refrigerated in line with the service policy. The lunches were stored in the children’s bags in the hallway until lunchtime at 10am. Perishable items should be refrigerated to avoid spoiling. 7. Six mattresses in the cot room were not wipeable and did not have protective covers to prevent the spread of infection when sharing cots. This posed an infection control risk. 8. The low beds used by children in the toddler room were stacked with the bedding on them between uses. This posed a risk of cross contamination. 9. Paper towels were not hygienically dispensed in the toddler room leading to repeated handing of the roll. Paper towels should be hygienically dispensed to avoid contamination of the roll due to excessive handling. Administration of Medication: 10. A packet of vitamins was observed in a toy box in preschool room 1 accessible to the children. This posed a risk of injury to the children. Safe Sleep: 11. An ambient temperature was not maintained in the Toddler room while children were sleeping. The temperature was recorded to be 24.1℃ posing a risk of the children overheating. Fire Safety: 12. Attendance records were observed to inaccurately record the presence of children in the service. For example, the presence of two children were recorded in the Toddler room roll book however these children were physically in Preschool room 1. The presence of one child in the Toddler room was not recorded at all. Inaccurate recording of the presence and location of children could prevent an accurate count of children in the event of a fire evacuation and may put children at risk. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. The healthy eating policy has been amended to include the cutting of grapes that come from home in the children lunch boxes. All staff have had refresher training on the updated healthy eating policy and implementation of this policy will be monitored by management. All parents have been issued with a copy of our revised Healthy eating policy. Preschool staff will monitor the children’s snacks to ensure that grapes are cut and if necessary, cut them for the child before snack time. 2. All damaged fence panels have been repaired and no longer pose risk to any child. New mark making activity blackboards been installed on the fence. Management will carry out daily risk assessment of the garden and ensure that all equipment, fences, and general garden area is kept in a good state of repair. All staff have been asked to inform management of and damage to equipment and facilities that may arise during the working day as well as updating the maintenance book that is available in the welcome area and monitored by our maintenance contractor on a Bi-weekly basis. If necessary, any issues causing risk will be highlighted immediately to our maintenance contractor for immediate rectification. 3. The cleaning product was immediately removed and placed in the secure area out of the reach of children. All staff have been reminded that all cleaning products must be stored in the secured area before and after every use. Management will monitor the storage of cleaning products throughout the service. 4. The toilet seat has been removed and replaced with a new one to ensure it poses no risk to any child. Management will carry out daily risk assessment of the service and ensure that all sanitary ware is kept in a good state of repair. All staff have been asked to inform management of any damage to facilities that may arise during the working day as per above. Infection Control: 5. Water temperatures were checked, and it was noted that the hot water tap needs to run for between 60 - 90 seconds in order for the correct water temperature to reach the taps. Signs noting this have been displayed in areas where required. Management will ensue that the hot water is running in the service on a daily basis. All staff were informed that the hot water tap needs to run for between 60 -90 seconds (in case of inactive use for a period of time) in order for the correct water temperature to reach the taps. Staff were informed that the hot water must reach the correct temperature before hand washing may begin. Signage was displayed above all taps to ensure that all users are aware of this. 6. A refrigerator was purchased and is situated in the service's welcome area. When the children arrive at the service, their lunchboxes are now taken out of their bags and put in the refrigerator. Parents have been asked to ensure that their children's lunch boxes are clearly labelled with their name. Upon arriving at the service, children's lunch boxes must be taken out of their backpacks and placed in the welcome area fridge, which is the responsibility of a dedicated staff member in each Pre-School Room. Management will monitor the use of the fridge for preschool lunches. 7. Waterproof mattress protectors have been purchased and place on each cot within the service along with purchasing of two spare waterproof mattress covers in case of an emergency. Wobbler room staff have been informed that a waterproof mattress cover is required on every cot at all times and regular washing of the same. Staff have been informed to request replacement waterproof mattress covers from management when necessary. 8. A storage divider has been purchased for the Toddler bed sheets. All bedding is now removed daily from the toddler beds and stored in a divider for each child. All bedding is now removed daily from the toddler beds and stored in a divider for each child. The bedding is then placed on each child’s bed before each sleep time and removed immediately after. All bedding is washed on a regular basis. 9. All toilet roll, hand towel and soap dispensers are filled each evening and replenished as need throughout the day. All staff have been instructed to ensure dispensers are filled at the end of each day in preparation for the next day. Staff in each room have also been asked to check all dispensers in their room each lunch time and refill if necessary. Management will ensure that there is sufficient supply of cleaning products, toilet rolls and hand towels on the premises at all times. Administration of Medication: 10. The medication was immediately removed from the room and placed in the First Aid box out of the reach of children. All staff have had refresher training on the Administration of Medication Policy and implementation of this policy will be monitored by management. All staff have been requested to ensure that personal medication is kept off the premisses. If staff medication is required during the day, it must be stored in the Medicine cabinet in the welcome area. Safe Sleep: 11. Staff were reminded of the Air Conditioning unit within the toddler room, this is now switched on at sleep time to ensure a safe sleep temperature is always maintained. All staff have had refresher training on the Safe Sleep policy and implementation of this policy will be monitored by management. Staff will ensure that the air conditioning unit is switched on and used when needed to ensure that a safe sleep room temperature is met. Fire Safety: 12. The child that was omitted from the attendance records on the day of inspection was added immediately. The children that had recently moved to the preschool room were removed from the Toddler room attendance records and added to the Preschool room attendance records. Management will ensure that all children’s record forms are return from parents before their child starts the service. This will allow all information to be added to child paths ready for the child’s start date. All children will be moved to their correct rooms in a timely manner in order to ensure correct attendance records are maintained throughout the service. Children that are on induction between rooms within the service will be added to the both rooms their current room and the one that they are on induction in. For example, if a child is moving from Wobblers to Toddlers they will be signed out of Wobblers and signed onto toddlers when they begin their induction hours. This will allow for a correct record of attendance to be maintain maintained for each room throughout the service