Inspection of 10 July 2025 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. An Immediate Action Notice was issued to the registered provider on the 10th July 2025 in respect of Regulation 23 – Safety. A response which addressed the risk was received from the service on the 10th July 2025. This inspection was unannounced and focused on the area of governance, information and records, health, welfare and development of child and safety. The inspection may also focus on other areas as required.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- The registered provider did not take appropriate measures to ensure that all adults were suitable to work in an early years’ service prior to their commencement as follows: • There was no evidence available to demonstrate that seven references in respect of four adults had been validated by the registered provider before staff commenced working in the service. • The registered provider could not demonstrate that Garda vetting in respect of one adult had been sought and reviewed prior to them commencing employment in the service. • International Police vetting in respect of one adult had not been received or reviewed prior to the adult commencing work in the service
- There was no evidence available that one adult had the required minimum qualification
Provider's corrective action:
- This has now been corrected: all references back pages have been copied and are complete and clearly visible. Garda Vetting and international police vetting misplaced. We will continue to use our check sheets as all items are listed to ensure all references, vetting, and qualifications are received we will ensure that all pages are present for the TUSLA folder so that every document is immediately visible during inspection. A management cross-check is carried out on each staff file prior to commencement to confirm all required documentation is present and properly filed. Pre-inspection audits will be carried out to ensure that staff files are not only compliant but also inspection-ready, avoiding repetition of the filing issue noted
- A letter from the college was provided clarifying the qualification achieved. We will continue to follow our checklist before staff commences work with us
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (j) Six administration of medication forms were reviewed, of these three did not have signed parental pre-consent or confirmation that the information had been communicated regarding the medication to be administered
Provider's corrective action:
- All parents complete a registration form, on the registration form there is a section were parents complete the medication administration including permission to administer medication, whether medication can be given in an emergency. Our procedure before a child is given medication, the parent is contacted and informed, the parent is asked if the child has had any other medication and if they consent to the child being given the medication. This is followed up on the APP and the administration of medication form is completed. Therefore, the parent is contact in real time, and the information is then recorded and acknowledged by parents digitally and then with paperwork on collection. We feel that this method ensures that parents and all staff can see medication given and when, it is acknowledged and recorded both digitally and in paper format and ensures that it is available at all times to refer back to easily. Parents are contacted by the manager before medication is administered to ensure no other medication has been given and to ensure it is safe to do so
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. A number of trailing cables were observed in reach of children and posed a risk of injury as follows: • In the Toddler sensory area, a large number of cables were in reach on children on the floor of the sensory room. Children were observed accessing this area unsupervised. • In the Little Professors room, a cable attached to a low-level socket was in reach of children in the room. • A trailing cable from a fan in the baby room was within reach of children. Infection Control: 2. The nappy changing practices observed on the day of inspection posed a risk of transmission of infection as follows: • A staff member did not clean the bottom of a child who had wet their nappy, which was a variance with the service policy. • The staff member did not wash their hands prior to the nappy change. • The nappy changing policy required updating in line with best practice. • Children and staff in the Toddler room were observed to handle both bins in the sanitary area despite both pedals in working order. This poses a risk of cross contamination. 3. Children from the baby room were observed to be brought to the sleep room in their bare feet through the corridor where people walked and debris was observed. This poses a risk of cross contamination and injury. 4. The pedal bin in the Little Professors room was not working staff and children were handling the bin which was used for the disposal of both nappies and used tissues. Administration of Medication: 5. It is acknowledged that a care plan was in place for a child who required emergency medication. When asked staff were not aware of where the medication was stored, management were also unsure when asked where the medication was stored. This could compromise timely medical intervention in the case of an emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. Toddler rooms- sensory light, have been removed. Wobbler room- a risk assessment has been completed and noted that if a risk of heat overrides the use of a fan all measures will be taken. Moving plug socket will be looked at when room renovations are planned. Little Professors room – the cable has been removed, it is in a place that is high up that would require climbing on the furniture to pull on it. It will be reviewed on the weekly maintenance check sheet. Infection Control: 2. Staff had received refresher training on the nappy changing policy. The policy we used was the policy provided by TUSLA directly. We have done a refresher with staff on nappy changing in the toddler room, to include the use of the pedals. We have done a refresher with staff on nappy changing in the toddler room, to include the use of the pedals. 3. No corrective or preventive action submitted. 4. The pedal bin was replaced. We will continue to complete weekly maintenance checklists to highlight broken items. Administration of Medication: 5. The medication is checked weekly and recorded and included in the refresher training in the previous month. We revise and update the allergy and medication lists monthly, sooner if needed, this includes medication checks and training, we will continue to check the medication on a weekly basis as part of our room reports and safety check list as well as continue refresher training
Regulation 25 — First aid
- There was no evidence of an adult trained in First Aid Responder available to the children at all times as required. It is acknowledged that a number of staff members had Paediatric First Aid training certification
Provider's corrective action:
- (1) At present all staff are completing / completed the FAR or paediatric first aid, please see invoice from May when all training was booked in the hope it was to be completed within the month to ensure all training was in date. Reminders to be put in place three months and 6 months in advance
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 19.