(4) Documentation was not available to show that the one adult who worked directly with children attending the service held at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications
Provider's corrective action:
(4) A transcript of results for the staff member for their degree was obtained and is on file. Once graduated a copy of the final certificate will be placed on file. A tick list attached to all staff files showing that all relevant paperwork is in each personal file. This is checked by the deputy manager
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(k) On review of 45 accident and incident forms the date of the parent’s signature was missing from eight forms to confirm the day they were made aware of the accident/ incident
Provider's corrective action:
(k) A memo was sent to all staff reminding them to check that the parents signature date is recorded on all accident/incident reports. Staff reminded to check parents’ signature has a date. Ongoing reminders will continue and staff meetings
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for all staff. However, in relation to four adults, their 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. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. Four Garda vetting applications were resubmitted to update and received for four CE staff members. Meeting held with CE supervisor and reminded to keep CE files up to date, including Garda vetting. Copy of CE files now kept with general staff files and on Deputy managers check list also to prevent non- compliance from reoccurring in the future
Regulation 29 — Premises
(c) In the sanitary facility of the Honeybee room, mechanical ventilation was not active leading to a strong odour being present. (d) In one of the sanitary facilities of the Twinkle toes room, the hot tap was ceased and difficult to turn on
Provider's corrective action:
(c) The air vent of the mechanical ventilation in Honeybees required cleaning for it to work correctly. This was completed. (d) A new part was put onto the tap by the maintenance team to ensure the tap was easier to turn on for the children. The air vents and taps will be monitored by adding them to the daily health and safety list, to ensure that they remain in working order
Immediate action notice. This inspection was triggered as a result of a statutory notification of an incident received to the inspectorate on the 14 April 2025. An Immediate Action notice was issued to the service on the 15 April 2025 in relation to the Regulation 23- Safeguarding, Health, Safety and Welfare of Child. On the 16 April 2025 the registered provider responded to the immediate action notice outlining the measures implemented within the service to address safety concerns. Please see details in the body of the inspection report.
Regulation 11 — Staffing levels
(1) While the adult to child ration was correct in the Little Explorers room there was a period of time between 10.00am and 1.00pm where observation demonstrated there was not an adequate number of adults working with the children at all times. Of the 14 children present with 4 staff members, 3 children required direct one to one support. Two external support staff are assigned to support these children however, they are not present in the service during term time holidays. A further 3 children required support from the Access and Inclusion model staff member. The examples below demonstrate the incidents observed during the time period stated above. • Children were observed placing materials in their mouth such as sand and an artificial flower. The inspector had to bring one incident to the attention of staff and while they responded to the child, a child accessed a magnetic structure that had been stored on a shelving unit and threw it to the ground. The child then kicked over an art easel and sat on it. • The atmosphere in the care room was chaotic and noisy which impacted the sensory stimulation of two of the children who then required a transition to a bounce/sensory room in the prefabricated building at 10.15am and 10.46am to facilitate a calmer environment for the children. This further reduced the number of available adults who were also attending to nappy changing and assisting children with using the toilet. At 10.20am, an initial group of two children then four, were observed to jump from wooden blocks to the cosy area, leading to a child hitting their head off a wall at 10.20am. Other children were observed climbing on radiator covers, climbing up on tables and standing on them, emptying boxes of plastic bricks onto the floor and putting the boxes on their heads. • At 11.00am while children were being assisted to put on their coats for outdoor play and a general tidy up of the room was happening, staff were diverted from a child who climbed up on a table three times and then proceeded to draw on their face with a highlighter pen. • From 12.06pm to 1.00pm, one staff member was responsible for the setting up of food on plates and drinks in the kitchen off the care room, washing up delph and cutlery after dinner, tidying the kitchen, cleaning the bathrooms and emptying bins. As a result, this staff member could not assist the children in the transition from returning from outdoor play to mealtimes, to getting ready for collection times. • There were occasions during the session where the children looked to the inspector for assistance or support with play, for example when a child placed sand in their mouth , the inspector had to alert staff and during outdoor play time in the main building , one child took the inspectors hand to go to the swing set for the inspector to push the child on the swing. • When staff did initiate an activity of play dough and painting, the needs of other children in the care room took their focus and as a result the activities became disorganised and had to be abandoned. • On review of accident/incident forms between 19 March to 11 April 2025, this demonstrated that a greater number of incidents and accidents occurred within the care room between 12pm and 12.45pm when the 2 external support staff were not available in the care room. • On discussion with staff, they highlighted that the needs of the children were compromised when the support from the external support agency staff was not available, and this was documented in the staff daily management communication notebook on the 9 April 2025
Provider's corrective action:
(1) In response to the non-compliances the service has stated the following measures have been implemented. After the inspection it was agreed that one child could only attend if their support worker was present, their parent and support agency was informed. The room changed their routine to limit transitions, to have the children collected from the main garden instead of the prefabs providing additional support to the room, and to reduce the workload on the staff team. The routine is as follows: Dinner served at 11.30am to the room (plated from the main kitchen), plates cleared into the food bin and put into plastic container which can be stored in the buggy that accompanies the children back to the main building when they transition to the garden at 12.00pm. Parents collect their child from the main building from 12.15pm to 12.45pm. Following the collection of the children from the main garden one staff member does final tidy of the room (they will stay with the team until the numbers lessen). Other staff remain with the children throughout the final 45 minutes. This has reduced the stress of tidying and washing up; reduces the risk of children getting out at collection times; increases the support from other staff as it is a joint garden time and admin staff are available to support from the main building. This change of routine is more suited to the needs of the children. Prior to changing the routine, the Little Explorers team, along with all parties to include staff, kitchen team and parents were updated, and written communication was given. A review will take place with the team to ensure the new routine is working
Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child
In the little Explorers room: 1. Details of the care required for seven children was not available to staff to enable them to provide a consistent and uniform approach to their individual care needs. 2. The information recorded in the ‘need to know’ forms which were available in the care rooms did not clearly detail important information on the care, supervision and strategies required in the care rooms regarding children who had additional care needs to ensure that the children’s safety and welfare was maintained. 3. There was no information relating to allergies and preferences for two children in the Little Explorers room. 4. Details of communication with parents about the development and progression for three children with one-to-one support and for four additional children while attending the service, was not available, relevant to the provision of their special care needs and requirements. For example, no written or electronic records were available to demonstrate that staff reported regular progress updates or had engagement with parents regarding the children’s learning and developmental plans, milestones reached or information on progression within this care room of the service
Details of the care required for seven children in the Little Explorers room was not available to the inspectors on the day of inspection
Provider's corrective action:
In response to the non-compliances the service has stated the following. 1.Care plans are now visible in the room for each child that requires one and are in an easy-to-read format. These will be available to both the Little Explorers team and the pedagogical leader. Going forward the care plans will be a communal effort with the team and pedagogical leader. Copies will be kept by both and will provide an ongoing guide for those working in the room on the care needs of each child. 2. Relevant information was updated, and staff were reminded to report any changes in allergies/need to knows so that these can be changed on the notices. 3. The allergies and relevant information were updated for the children and is now clearly displayed on the door of the care room alerting staff to children’s allergies and preferences. Staff were reminded to notify the deputy manager of any changes so that notices could be updated 4. Communication to parents has been through direct conversation, meetings with staff and the pedagogical leader and through our children’s learning portfolio. Going forward we will also include a communication book (duplicate book) for the children with special care needs and requirements. We have added a communication duplicate book for staff and parents to record daily written communication. (3) The care plans have been reduced and put into an easy-to-read format which is available in the room It has been agreed with the team that support plans will be reduced by our pedagogical leader and in place in the room as an easy to read for all team members
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(k) On review of six accident and incident forms information was missing as follows: • The parent’s signature and date of signature was missing on one form • The date of the manager’s signature was missing from one form
Provider's corrective action:
(k) In response the service has stated that staff have been reminded of the need to sign and date all accident and incident forms. A new check sheet is in place at the front of all accident and incident books
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Following an incident that occurred on 11th April 2025 a full review of procedures and practices in place within the Little Explorers room had not been completed to reduce the potential risk of a child leaving the service unsupervised. As a result, and taking account of observations made as outlined in the non-compliance under regulation 11(1), an Immediate Action notice was issued in relation to safety concerns to the person in charge on the 15 April 2025. • A response was received from the person in charge on the 16 April 2025 with the revised practices and procedures put in place to reduce risk. This included photographic and documentary evidence. 2. A low-level safety gate present in the Little Explorers room could be opened and has been mastered by children, thus increasing the potential risk of a child accessing the communal hallway of the care room, leading to a risk of safety. 3. The position of a shelving unit within the Little Explorers room created an area away from staff and out of their visual overview of the children, leading to a risk of safety. 4. The procedure of staff walking children from the prefabricated building to the main building increased the possibility of a further safety risk as staff had to manage manoeuvring a buggy through a narrow gate while trying to supervise children. This interrupted the smooth transition for the children leading to a risk of safety. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. In response the service has stated that a risk assessment was completed, and a new routine was put in place in the room. A new routine and changes have been made according to outline above. This is working well in the room. 2. To address the non-compliance the safety gate in the room has not been changed as the gate leads the children to the toilets. Staff agreed that this would reduce their independence if it was raised or blocked. However, the change in routine means that the door into the corridor is no longer open during the day and the busy time (collection time) when the gate can be left opened is now removed as the children are now collected from the main building. A new routine is in place in the room. 3. The shelving unit has been moved against the wall and the staff informed of the change and reason for it. 4. The room routine has changed to reduce the number of movements between the buildings to only one transition. This is a necessary transition as it brings the children to a safe collection space. All staff are present during this transition (6 staff). Routine has changed to limit the number of transitions between the buildings
Immediate action notice. An Immediate Action notice was issued to the service on the 9 April 2025 in relation to the Regulation 9- Management and Recruitment. • On the 10 April 2025 the registered provider responded to the immediate action notice with the measures implemented within the service. Please see details in the body of the inspection report.