Inspection of 21 April 2026 — Inspection Report
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (i) The staff roster was available on the day of inspection but did not reflect the adults working in the service. This was found non-compliant on the last inspection dated 24th March 2025. The corrective and preventive actions taken by the registered provider did not prevent the non-compliance from re-occurring
Provider's corrective action:
- The service promptly reviewed and updated the roster after staff swapped shifts due to an emergency hospital appointment, ensuring the documentation accurately reflected all adults present on the day of the inspection. A standard daily roster is in place which includes all staff, students, agency staff, relief staff, and management personnel present in the service. The weekly roster is emailed to staff every Friday and will be updated immediately to reflect any changes due to emergencies or staff sickness. The person in Charge is responsible for reviewing and signing the roster twice daily. We have now added a section on the back of the roster for changes and additional notes. A compliance tracker and monthly management audit system have been introduced to monitor and adherence to roster requirements. Failure to maintain accurate roster records will now be addressed through staff supervision and performance management processes where necessary. The register provider will review the effectiveness of these measures over a 3- month period to ensure sustained compliance and prevent further recurrence
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- 1. The registered provider did not take all required measures to ensure that drinking water was accessible at all times to children in the Toddler room. It is acknowledged that there was a water station in the care room, however, this was out of reach of children. Water was not offered to the children from 10.22am to 2.11pm when the children were having their dinner. Allowing children to drink water as needed maintains hydration, aids digestion, prevents constipation, and regulates body temperature
Provider's corrective action:
- The staff moved the drinking water tray back to its original location, allowing the children to access it whenever they want. This decision ensures that the children can stay hydrated while still maintaining a safe environment. Staff will request that parents provide non-spill cups for their children. The water station has been reinstated and will remain in place at all times throughout the day. This ensures that children have consistent access to drinking water while promoting hydration and safety. Before discussing this issue with the staff, the camera footage was reviewed to confirm that water was being offered to the children on previous days. It was observed that the staff were actively providing and offering water to the children during that time. However they were putting it back on the shelf due to concerns about slip hazards caused by a child pouring water on the floor. Staff were reminded that our policy and procedures require children to be offered water every 20 minutes throughout the day, as some children may need reminders to stay hydrated. This ensures that all children have regular access to water and helps promote their overall well-being. The kitchen staff were instructed to ensure that toddlers receive water at every meal, rather than relying solely on their own sippy cups
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. The service did not demonstrate compliance with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice requiring services to renew Garda vetting every three years. Whilst it is acknowledged that 11 adults Garda vetting was renewed as required there was one vetting declaration which exceeded 3 years. Infection Control: 2. There were a number of practices observed that posed a risk of cross contamination as follows: • No handwashing took place before snack or after using nappy changing in the Toddler room. • In the Baby Room the children’s hands were not washed before snack or dinner. • Staff were observed handling the nappy and general waste bins and not washing their hands afterwards. • The pedal bin in the Wobbler room was broken, requiring staff and children to handle the bin. • A toy was observed to be brought into the nappy changing area during nappy changing in the Toddler room. • The disposable hand towel was not stored in a dispenser; a number of staff were observed taking pieces of tissue from a roll posing a risk of cross contamination. • A staff member observed a child’s cracker on the floor during snack time and asked the child to pick it up. The staff member did not take the cracker from the child, and the child was observed to then continue to eat the cracker. Safe Sleep: Click or tap here to enter text. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. The Garda vetting issue was due to human error, as incorrect dates were entered into the tracking system used to monitor staff Garda vetting renewal dates. The service immediately obtained updated Garda vetting for the staff member whose vetting had exceeded the three-year renewal timeframe. A vetting tracker/calendar reminder system will be implemented to ensure all Garda vetting disclosures are reviewed and renewed every three years in line with Tusla requirements. The manager will monitor compliance and maintain records of all vetting renewals, to ensure ongoing compliance with Regulation 23 and the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory notice. Infection Control: • Management had meeting to address hand washing routine with toddler staff. Posters are on display for the nappy routine, bins have pedals that staff have no reason to handle bins and staff have to wash hands after every nappy change this is also part of policy and procedure. Staff are trained at induction to follow correct nappy changing routine. • Meeting with Baby room staff regarding not washing children’s hands. Management had a meeting with staff regarding the importance of hand washing, staff were reminded this was in our Infection control policy. Unannounced spot checks are carried out. • Staff were reminded about infection control and this was addressed at the staff meeting. • We acknowledge the bin was broken and we have replaced the bin in the wobbler room. Staff were instructed to immediately report any broken equipment to management, both verbally and through the daily risk assessment. Management will monitor risk assessments sheets. • We recognize that the child brings the toy to the nappy changing area as part of their self-regulation needs. As we implement the Right Space curriculum, we respect and accommodate the child's needs in this situation. • We have acknowledged that staff were using blue rolls that were not placed in a dispenser, and we have removed the blue rolls as a result. • We acknowledge there was a risk of cross contamination, and we held a support meeting with the new staff member as part of her ongoing induction and support process
Regulation 25 — First aid
- (1) See Statutory Notice section in relation to Improvement Notice IN1761 served
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 15.