Inspection of 13 October 2025 — Inspection Report
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (j) There were 11 records of medication administration reviewed. No parental signature was obtained on four of the forms. Without parental signature, there was no evidence parents were aware of the medication being administered in the service. This posed a safety risk to the children
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statement was received from the registered provider: Corrective and Preventive Action Parents have now signed the consent forms, and a staff meeting was held to discuss the medication administration policy and procedures to be followed. The lead educator will check medication administration books to ensure they are signed in the future
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
- (b) One child under the age of two was observed to be sleeping on a stackable bed in the Toddler room. The services sleep policy states all children under two years have access to a cot. Tusla ‘Guidance for the Early Learning and care sector on sleep position for children under 24 months’ states that the use of floor mats or stackable beds for children aged under 24 months are not sufficiently conductive to sleep
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statement was received from the registered provider: Corrective and Preventive Action The children under 24 months will sleep in cots in line with the sleep policy
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General safety: 1. One child was prescribed emergency medication with no care plan in place and the person in charge informed the inspector that no staff member had been trained in the administration of this medication if it was needed. This posed a risk to the safety of the child, should it be required and was not in line with the services medication administration policy. 2. No visibility stickers were noted to be available on the glass panels at the children’s height in the Toddler and the preschool rooms. This posed a risk to the children of injury. 3. The inspector observed children in Preschool 2 room using shaving foam as a play material. This poses a safety risk to the children. 4. The temperature of the hot water was recorded above the appropriate range of 43°C in two areas. Water temperatures of 45.2°C were recorded in the nappy changing room between the Toddler and Playschool room and water temperature of 46°C were recorded in Preschool 1 room. This posed a risk of scalding to a child. Infection control: 5. During three observed nappy changing procedures, the following practices were noted in one or more of the changes which posed a risk of contamination and cross infection and was not in line with the services nappy changing policy. • The child’s or adult’s hands were not washed after nappy change. • A staff member touched the lid of the bin with gloves during a nappy change and proceeded to continue with the nappy change with the same gloves in place. 6. On the day of inspection, 19 children in Toddler room and Playschool room shared one nappy changing unit. One nappy changing unit is required for every 11 children. This overuse of a nappy changing unit increases the risk of cross infection. 7. The inspector noted that bins used in the service were not pedal operated. This increased the risk of cross infection and contamination. 8. The inspector noted three outdoor sand pits had no covers available and remained open when the service was closed. This posed a risk of contamination and infection to the children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The following statement was received from the registered provider:
Provider's corrective action:
- General safety: 1. Staff have been trained in the use of this emergency medication and a care plan has been completed with information received from the GP. The services admission policy has been reviewed. The service will ensure that when future children are prescribed medication, Staff will be trained, a care plan completed and information is received from the GP. 2.Visibitity stickers were purchased and were placed on the windows. The service will ensure that visibility stickers are kept on all low windows. 3. Staff meeting was held, and staff were advised that shaving foam is no longer used as a play material. 4. Management in the service contacted a plumber the day of inspection and the temperature was lowered the following morning. Water temperatures will be checked on a daily basis. Infection control: 5. A staff meeting was held. The nappy changing policy was discussed and staff were reminded of the importance of hand washing. 6. Children from the Toddler room are now using the nappy changing area in the baby room until such time as toilet training is completed. 7. Pedal operated bins have been purchased for all the care rooms and management will ensure that pedal operated bins are used in the service. 8. The sandpits have been removed and replaced with small tabletop sandpits. The larger sandpit has a cover in place and will be covered when the service is not in operation
Regulation 27 — Supervision
- On entering the Sleep room at 13:27, it was noted by the inspector that nine children were sleeping on floor bed unsupervised. It is acknowledged that a monitor was in place and staff entered the room every 10 minutes to perform sleep checks. This level of supervision is inadequate and posed a risk to children of having access to the room and other children unsupervised
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statement was received from the registered provider: Corrective and Preventive Action The services sleep policy is revised and staff have been advised to remain in the sleep room at all times while children are asleep on stackable beds
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 10, 11, 19.