Inspection of 24 September 2024 — Inspection Report
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- (a) On the day of inspection, the designated person in charge was present when the inspectors arrived on the premises and remained for the duration of the inspection. In discussion, the designated person stated that there was no named person available to deputise, should they not be present, as the majority of the staff were new and the deputy was currently working in a sister service. The deputy subsequently arrived at 11:00 am and was on the premises for the remainder of the day
- (d) An overseas police vetting disclosure was not on file for one adult, for whom it was required, who had lived outside of Ireland for a period of six consecutive months or longer as an adult
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the manager;
- (a) A new supervisor has been assigned the role as the named person in the event the manager or deputy are not available. There is now a management structure available in the service which includes the new details and staff have been informed of the change
- (d) An application has been submitted for a staff member for whom international vetting was required
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (i) Details of one staff member, who was on duty, was not recorded on the staff roster. In addition, the break times of each staff member were not recorded, and the roster had been pre-populated for the week. In conversation, the manager explained that the deputy was currently in a sister service and a new member of staff had commenced employment on the day of inspection
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the manager; (i) The staff roster was amended to reflect the staff in the service on the day of inspection. A new staff break roster is now in place detailing staff breaks, timing of breaks and cover, this will be reviewed daily and amended if necessary
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- BASIC NEEDS: (1) At variance to the service’s sleep policy which stated “that the service does not place any time restrictions on children’s sleep” a staff member was observed at 2.00 pm switching on the lights in the pre-school care room, and pulling up the blinds, while the other two staff members walked around waking the sleeping children. (2) In contrast to the service’s sleep policy which stated that “waking children resting on mats, awake after 30 minutes, would be welcomed to the table for quiet table top time”, this was not observed in practice. The inspector reviewed the sleep records for the resting/sleeping children which indicated that two children were recorded as being awake from 12.30 pm until 1.40 pm. In discussion, a staff member stated that the children were not offered the opportunity to be accommodated appropriately in another area of the service but lay on their mats on the floor for the duration. (3) The inspectors observed that the dignity and privacy of a child in the Pre-school care room was not respected. As children were awoken from their sleep one staff member was observed putting on a pair of gloves and removing a nappy from a child in the care room, in view of children and staff. The staff member did not collect the child’s personal belongings enroute to the bathroom, and the child was observed walking, and waiting, with a group of children, in the hallway to go to the bathroom with no undergarments on
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the manager; (1) A staff meeting was held on 23 October 2024; management explained the new procedures on how to ensure that each child’s individual sleep needs are being met and that no time restrictions will be placed on children’s sleep in line with the service’s safe sleep policy. A follow up meeting will be held in two weeks to assess progress. (2) At the staff meeting with management on 23 October 2024 staff were given details of how children still awake after 30 minutes will be offered the opportunity of taking part in quiet table top activities, in line with the service’s safe sleep policy. Staff have been asked to inform management on the day of the children who are awake after thirty minutes. (3) Staff were reminded at a staff meeting on the 9 October 2024 of the need to be vigilant regarding respecting the dignity and privacy of the children at all times. Management revised the procedure and practice to be followed should a child wake from sleep and require changing. The following measures have been put in place to ensure best practice in the future; management will monitor staff practice in regard to same in the future, new staff will be trained with regards to respecting children’s dignity and privacy which has been added to the staff induction checklist
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: (1) Appropriate security systems were not in place at the staff entrance to the service. The inspectors were able to gain access to the service from the staff entrance at the front of the service, posing a safety risk should an unauthorised adult gain access or a child leave the service unsupervised. In conversation, the manager stated that the staff member who entered the service last should have secured the door behind them. (2) A piece of exposed metal, which had become detached from a book rack in the Toddler care room, was accessible to the children, posing a safety risk should a child come into contact with the sharp edge. (3) Splintered wood with rough edges was visible on a wooden storage unit in the Toddler care room, posing a safety risk should a child accidentally come into contact with the broken edges of the wood. (4) Two sharp nails protruding from a splintered piece of wood, at the top of the steps to the outdoor play area, posed a safety risk should a child come into contact with the sharp points of the nails. (5) There were five loose wooden panels and a cracked concrete pillar in the outdoor play area. The loose panels posed a safety risk as children’s fingers could potentially be caught between the panel and the concrete posts supporting them. (6) Two steel poles, at the entry and exits points of the outdoor children’s play tunnel, were accessible to children, posing a safety risk should a child bang into them. Infection Control (7) On two occasions, at 12.30 pm and 14:10 pm, the inspectors observed inadequate emptying of the potty in use in the children’s sanitary area, located outside the Pre-school care room. The contents of the potty were visible to other children in the small group, who were using the toilet, and were only disposed of after all children had finished toileting in the area. This posed a risk of contamination should children accidentally come into contact with the contents of the potty which had not been disposed of nor sanitised immediately after each use. Safe Sleep: (8) Children’s sleep mats in the Pre-school care room were positioned under fire extinguishers, beside heat sources, opening doors, and a long handled sweeping brush posing a safety risk to the children. It was acknowledged that when staff were informed, they moved the sleep mats to safer areas in the room. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the manager; General Safety: (1) A staff meeting was held on 9 October 2024, and staff were reminded of the importance of making sure the door is secured upon entering the building. The door has been added to the daily checklist and management will review each morning. (2), (3) and (4) The damaged metal book rack, splintered wooden storage box and the nails have all been removed. A visual checklist will be carried out daily by all staff. (5) and (6) The fencing panels have been secured and the steel poles have been covered to ensure the safety of the children. Infection Control: (7) Training was given to all staff on sanitary hygiene and potty sanitisation at the staff meeting held on 9 October 2024. Management stressed the importance of the cleaning and sanitising of the potties after each individual use and will carry out routines checks to ensure that this practice is being carried out. Safe Sleep: (8) Training was given to all staff on the positioning of the cots for safe sleep. Ensuring mats are placed away from any potential hazards. Management will carry out a hazard check before sleep to ensure that the area is safe for the children to sleep
Regulation 29 — Premises
- (d) (1) A plug plate in the Toddler room, accessible by the children, was damaged and required replacing. The inspector observed that the plate was broken, and the plastic corner piece was missing. (2) The skirting board and the wall behind the children’s tables, in the Toddler care room, were in a poor state of repair. The inspector observed that flakes of paint were missing from the wall and there were patches of missing paint on the skirting board
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the manager; (d) (1) The plug plate was replaced in the Toddler care room. (2) The skirting boards and walls have been painted
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 25, 26, 28.