Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
19(1)(a) The registered provider did not ensure that each child’s well-being was facilitated, as demonstrated by the following observations: -
Staff in the outdoor area did not respond to the cues of distress displayed by a child aged 2 years 10 months old. The child was observed visibly upset and crying for a period of 12 minutes between approximately 11.22 and 11.34 and was not comforted by either of the 2 staff present. One staff was heard saying in a loud tone of voice “who’s crying, stop crying” but did not attend to the emotional and physical needs of the child. This was at variance with the service’s Behaviour Management Policy which stated, “Staff respond to infants in a timely and appropriate way when they cry or become upset”
The basic needs for comfort of a child aged 4 years and 8 months were not met as they were placed to sleep on the floor of the Montessori ECCE care room, potentially impacting the physical comfort of the child. This was at variance to the sleep policy of the service which outlined that floor beds would be provided for sleeping children with a safe and comfortable sleep surface. In conversation, the registered provider stated that the child would not sleep on the mats available. 19(1)(b)
In the Montessori ECCE room staff were observed to make negative comments when communicating with the children. The following examples were observed:- • On three occasions, between 10.29 and 10.32, one child who was playing with another child was told he was “obsessed” with the other child in front of their peers. • A staff member was heard saying “If you don’t stop doing that to each other there will be no outside”. • The staff member was observed removing a child from the slide because the child was “not listening to me”. • On another occasion the adult asked the child in front of his peers “What’s wrong with you, you are hyper today”. These interactions were at variance with the services Behaviour Management Policy which outlined that staff would provide positive guidance, support and encouragement to children using appropriate tones and body language. This could potentially impact the child’s emotional development
Provider's corrective action:
1. The submission received from the registered provider did not meet the requirements. 2. The submission received from the registered provider did not meet the requirements
1. The submission received from the registered provider did not meet the requirements
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
Infection Control: The following non-compliances posed a risk of cross contamination to the children: 1. An adult changing two children at 10:15 in the Wobbler/Toddler changing area did not wear an apron while changing either child, contrary to the service’s infection control policy which outlined that gloves and aprons would be used to clean bodily fluids. In conversation, the staff member was not aware of the requirement for single use aprons to be worn on all nappy changes. 2. The pedal on the nappy bin in the Wobbler/Toddler changing area was broken and the adult was observed opening and closing the lid with their hands for each nappy change. In conversation, the adult stated it had been broken “for a few weeks” and the registered provider had been informed. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
1. The submission received from the registered provider did not meet the requirements. 2. The pedal bin in the Wobbler/Toddler changing area has been replaced
Immediate action notice. This inspection was triggered by information received by the inspectorate. 14/08/2025 An immediate action notice was issued on site with regard to
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
(4) One adult working directly with the children, who was recorded as a student on the last inspection on 24/02/2025 and was recorded as a permanent staff member on this inspection, did not have evidence of a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework or a qualification deemed by the Minister to be equivalent. In conversation with the registered provider and the adult it was stated that the course had been completed, the adult was awaiting results, however none were available on file
Provider's corrective action:
The following statement was received from the registered provider; • The adult is no longer working in the service. In future all staff employed to work directly with the children will have a childcare qualification prior to contact with, or access to, the children
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
Basic Needs 1. Provisions for children’s sleep requirements were not observed. At approximately 13:45, a child in the Toddler room was displaying signs of tiredness including lying on the floor, rubbing their eyes, closing their eyes and wanting to leave the care room. The child was not placed to sleep until after 14.15 despite the Early Years Inspector advising the adult that the child required sleep. Failure to facilitate children to sleep according to their needs may impact negatively on their emotional and cognitive development. Planning of activities: 2. A documented programme of activity planning was not available in the Montessori or the Pre-ECCE care rooms for review by the inspectors. In conversation the staff members stated that over the summer months they had a more relaxed programme, however there was no evidence available of any programme which could potentially impact on the overall learning and development of the children
Provider's corrective action:
The following statements 1 and 2 were received from the registered provider following the Regulatory Compliance meeting on 07/10/2025. Basic needs: 1. Staff have been reminded that children showing signs of tiredness must have their sleep needs met. Children who are tired will be placed in a cot or a sleep mat dependent on their age. Planning of activities: 2. Activities and planning are now available in all care rooms; staff will be made aware of where these are visible in the room
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. An Immediate Action Notice (IAN) was issued on 14/08/2025 for temperatures which were above the recommended 18°C – 22°C in the sleep and care rooms. Examples included temperatures in the sleep room ranging from 23.2°C at 12 noon to 25.6°C at 14:00. Care room temperatures were recorded between 23.2 °C and 24.3°C at 14:10 in the Toddler, Pre-ECCE and Montessori ECCE rooms. An inadequate response from the registered provider was received on the 15/08/2025 where the registered provider was requested to submit a risk assessment and risk management plan, to manage the temperatures of the designated sleep and playrooms in hot weather. Infection Control: Hygienic handwashing techniques were inadequate to control the spread of cross infection. 2. Contrary to the service’s handwashing guidelines which state that “Children should wash their hands and be supervised doing so after playing outside and before eating and drinking ” t he inspector observed 5 children from the Montessori room returning from the outdoor play area who were not supervised and did not use soap while hand washing, posing a risk of cross infection. In addition, an adult in the Toddler play room was observed cleaning children’s hand with wipes and before and after meals, contrary to the handwashing guidelines which state that hands are washed with warm water and soap. Safe sleep: 3. It was observed that an adult did not remain in the designated sleep room while children were asleep. The sleep policy stated a supervising adult always remained in the sleep room when children were asleep. No adult was observed remaining in the sleep room posing a safety risk to the children. 4. The inspector observed that physical sleep checks were not being carried out every 10-minutes as per the service’s safe sleep policy. The inspector observed a gap of 17 minutes between 13:05 and 13:22 and a gap of 20 minutes between 13.22 and 13.42, posing a safety risk to the children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
The following statements were received by the registered provider; General Safety: 1. An air conditioning unit was fitted to the sleep room to ensure the safety of the sleeping children. In addition, a separate mobile air conditioning unit has been purchased for use in the care rooms. When the temperatures are high the units will be switched on. Staff have been informed of the necessary steps to ensure the comfort of the children and the steps to be taken in hot weather as per Tusla’s Keeping children safe and comfortable indoors and outdoors in all weathers and a risk assessment and risk management plans are now in place. Infection Control: 2. We will ensure that all children wash their hands with thermostatically controlled hot water and soap before eating food and when coming in from outdoor play. An adult will be available to assist the children and a step up has been put in place to assist children to reach the wash hand basin. Safe Sleep: 3. The generic sleep policy has been amended to reflect the service’s sleep practice. Staff will ensure that children’s sleep cues are followed with putting the child down to sleep. 4. The staff member carrying out the 10-minute physical sleep checks will record the check on the sleep record within a 10-minute period
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 32.
Inspection of 24 February 2025 — Inspection Report
(7) (a) The registered provider did not ensure that all employees were appropriately supervised and provided with appropriate information and training. For example, the registered provider and staff advised that staff meetings were documented, however no evidence was provided on or following the inspection to support this. The supervision policy outlined that appraisals and monthly review meetings were carried out during probationary periods, however there was no evidence available to demonstrate this
Provider's corrective action:
(7) (a) Staff meetings, appraisals and supervision are carried out in the service. Supervision notes, minutes of meetings and staff appraisals will be kept in the office for ease of access. Appraisals will be carried with new employees after 3 months
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
Infection Control: (1) At 10.15 a bottle of milk belonging to a child in the Toddler care room, aged between 1 and 2 years of age, was inappropriately stored on the drinks trolley. The same bottle of milk was observed at 15.00 on the drinks trolley. Staff advised that it did not get refrigerated. That posed a risk of the milk spoiling. (2) Cleaning schedules were available, and staff told inspectors that highchairs had been cleaned the previous week, of 10/02/2025. However, inspectors observed that underneath the trays of four highchairs there was a build-up of residue. (3) Four sleep mats, stored on a shelf in the Pre-ECCE care room, were observed to have foam exposed, preventing effective cleaning. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
The following statements were received from the registered provider: Infection Control: (1) There are no children with bottles of milk currently attending the service. Bottles of milk will be stored in the fridge immediately going forward. (2) Highchairs will be cleaned after each use and particular attention will be paid to hard to clean areas. (3) One of the sleep mats was removed and the others have been repaired. In future, staff will regularly inspect the sleep mats to ensure that they are in a good state of repair