(d) Police vetting was not available on file for staff that had lived outside the state for more than six consecutive months
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action (d) Police vetting was applied for immediately. The police vetting was received, and the staff member provided a translated copy also. We will ensure that new staff apply for police vetting where they have lived or worked outside the state for more than six months
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
Children in the toddler room did not have sufficient sleep beds to meet all the sleep needs for the number of children attending. An additional two sleep beds were required
There were some worn and broken toys in the outdoor area which needed to be replaced. For example, there were dolls buggies made of fabric which were weathered and soiled. There were baby dolls which were battered with pieces missing from their bodies
There was no rest area in Fia’s room for children to relax in
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action 1. Two new beds were purchased and are in place. We will ensure there is an adequate number of beds going forward. 2. The toys were removed from the outdoor area. We will ensure that staff follow daily checks for the outdoor as well as indoor to remove broken toys. 3. Fiadh’s room has a relaxation corner. If a child requires sleep, we can take a bed from toddler room
Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
1. Staff in the baby room were not provided with suitable chairs to sit on while feeding babies while in highchairs. The staff were observed standing over the children while feeding. They were not seated face to face to make the feeding experience more sociable and encourage babies with self-feeding development
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action: 1. Two chairs (foldable) are in situ for feeding time, I also purchased a floor chair for staff comfort when on the floor with babies. Ensure going forward that feeding time is a more sociable activity, by ensuring staff use chairs and are face to face at feeding time
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
The inspector observed that some of the foods available to the children were high in sugar or salt and inadequate to meet nutritional requirements for a full day care setting. This was evidenced by the following observations on the day of inspection:
Many of the children in the ECCE room had large bottles of juice to drink. Juice drinks are not recommended in preschool services as they can cause tooth decay in children
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action 1. Parents were sent the healthy eating policy and asked to send water only to drink. A note regarding healthy lunch boxes was also sent. If the issue persists, we will provide the drinks to the children as needed. Summary Comment The requirement of the regulation is met
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. 1. There were inconsistencies in the recording of accidents and incidents within the service. Staff practices were not in line with the service’s policy. Staff in one room were recording accidents and incidents in a copybook and not in the services accident and incident record book. These logs in the copybook did not give an accurate account of the incident, actions taken and how the parents were informed. 2. Monthly fire drill practices were not in line with the Fire Safety in Pre-Schools 1999 guidance document. The document recommends that fire drills should include a monthly complete evacuation of the children from the premises to a place of safety in the open air. The service only carries out individual room fire drills. 3. Fire assembly points were not clearly identified on the premises. Infection Control: 4. Nappy changing in the ECCE room was carried out on a mat on the floor of a toilet attached to the preschool room which was not appropriate for staff and children and posed as an infection control risk. This was non-compliant on the last inspection. 5. Mops and buckets were stored in the toilet of the ECCE room. This practice poses a risk of cross infection in the service. This was non-compliant on the last inspection. 6. There was no water flowing from the hot tap in the toilet of Fia’s room. There was no disposable hand paper dispenser available in the toilet. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider submitted the following response:
Provider's corrective action:
: 1. Staff have been advised to record properly in the accident/incident folder. Records will be checked weekly. 2. A whole service fire drill was carried out on the 27/11/2024 and 03/12/2024. All fire drills are carried out together now and going forward. 3. These are marked by a fire point sign and were in situ on the day of inspection. 4. A carpenter is going to make a unit for us and steps are ordered to go with it. 5. Cleaning equipment stored in shed outside and we will ensure proper storage of cleaning products going forward. 6. This tap stopped working and was in need of repair, we were waiting on proper taps to come in, these have since been fixed and are now in working order
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 15, 25, 26, 28.
Inspection of 29 July 2024 — Change in Circumstance
Immediate action notice. An immediate action notice was issued to the registered provider on the day of inspection. There was one staff member who was working directly with the children who did not have Garda vetting in place. The registered provider submitted the garda vetting disclosure to the office of the early years inspector on the 18 January 2024.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
The registered provider did not demonstrate that they had taken measures to ensure that employees were suitable and competent during the recruitment process for three staff members. (a)(b) Written and validated references were not on file for two staff members. (c) Garda vetting was not available on file for one staff member working with the children
Qualifications were not available on file for one staff member
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted a response to address the non-compliances: Corrective Action:
Written references for the two staff are on file. (c) Garda vetting is now available on file
Certificate of qualification is now on file. Preventive Action: All staff files have been checked to ensure validated references, Garda vetting and police vetting where applicable are held on file in respect of all adults working in the service. Staff files will be reviewed on an annual basis to ensure that the necessary documents as required are held on file. Evidence submitted: Validated references, certificate of qualification, Garda vetting. Summary Comment The registered provider submitted a response that was satisfactory to meet the requirements of the regulation. This regulation will be reviewed on next inspection
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
Physical and material environment: 2. There was no low-level table or children’s chairs available for babies to eat at or engage in activities off the floor. Highchairs were available as the option for feeding young children
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted a response to address the non-compliances: Corrective Action: Low level tables and child size chairs are made available for babies to eat at or engage in activities off the floor. Preventive Action: The baby room will be kept in mind when purchasing new furniture or equipment for the children to eat or engage in activities such as floor level, low level etc
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
The food and nutrition provided for the children attending on a full day care basis was not in line with the healthy eating policy and best practice in a preschool setting. Distribution of the food provided by the parents was observed to be disorganised and haphazard in the ECCE room. The food preparation area was cluttered. At 12.55pm mealtime was observed in the ECCE room. There were 19 children present in the room at this time with 3 staff. Four children who were attending the full day care service were not provided with a hot meal. Best practice in a preschool service requires all children to be provided with a hot meal which contains food from at least three food groups while attending a full day care service. Other meals which had been provided by parents and reheated in the microwave were found to be inadequate to meet the nutritional needs of the children. For example, one child had a small sausage and a small quantity of dry pasta. Another child attending the full day care service had a chocolate waffle and a yogurt for their main meal of the day. Staff who spoke to the inspector said many of the children who attend on a full day care basis “run out” of food before the end of their day. In that instance staff who spoke to the inspector said they are given toast and sometimes jam, which was not adequate. There was no other choice made available. In the baby room, there was a variety of foods provided by parents. However, one child’s food consisted only of snacks, one of which was pureed carrot as a main meal
Many of the snacks given to the children attending the part-time service were observed to be inadequate and not in line with the service’s healthy eating policy. For example, one child attending had a chocolate waffle for their snack at 12.55pm
Many children were observed drinking large quantities of juice drinks supplied from home. This is not best practice in the promotion of healthy eating in a preschool service
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted a response to address the non-compliances: Corrective Action:
For full day and part time children in the ECCE room, the food preparation area has been cleared and will be clear going forward to ensure safe and healthy distribution of food. Parents have been reminded to provide appropriate hot meals to be reheated and a healthy snack for the ECCE children attending for 3 hours. They have also been notified not to send in snack foods. Snacks are provided by the service for part time and full-time children. The service’s Healthy Food Policy has been distributed to all parents in the service
Regarding the baby room, parents have been encouraged to provide hot meals which can be reheated when the child wants the food. The services Healthy Food Policy has been distributed to all parents in the service
The service’s Healthy Food Policy has been distributed to all parents in the service and they have been notified that the only drinks to be sent in are water or milk as per healthy eating policy. Preventive Action: All staff have had refresher training on the Healthy Eating Policy and implementation of same will be monitored by the registered provider. For the whole service, the team are in the process of organising the provision of a hot meal/dinner, either made on site or brought in and distributed to all rooms. The team will also look at providing drinks, so no need for parents to send in drinks from home. The healthy eating policy will be updated as needed
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. The corridor between the toddler and baby room was cluttered, with three buggies stored there. This posed as a risk in the event of an emergency evacuation. Infection Control: 2. Mattresses on all cots did not have waterproof covers on them which posed as a risk of cross contamination. 3. Staff did not wash their hands in the ECCE room prior to serving snacks and reheating meals provided by parents. 4. Meals provided by parents for the children to be heated in the service were not checked with a temperature probe prior to being served. This posed a risk under safe food guidelines and also risk of children receiving food that could burn them. 5. Handwashing before the 12.55pm snack in the ECCE room was inconsistent. Some children washed their hands when encouraged by staff members, but many children did not. 6. Handwashing in the baby room was inconsistent during the day. Handwashing of hands after nappy changing and before eating didn’t happen consistently by staff until prompted by the inspector. 7. Nappy changing in the ECCE room was carried out on a mat on the floor of a toilet attached to the preschool room which was not appropriate for staff and children and posed as an infection control risk. Safe Sleep: 8. At 3.15pm a baby under one years of age was observed sleeping in a buggy in the baby room. Three buggies were observed set up with blankets on them on arrival to the service. The cots were not made up. This practice is contrary to best practice in relation to ensuring safe sleep in a preschool setting. Fire Safety: 9. In the toddler and baby room the fire drill was recorded as already being carried on out on the 7 December. The record was dated, timed and signed by a staff member. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider submitted a response to address the non-compliances: Corrective Action:
The corridor between the toddler and baby room has been de-cluttered and buggies will be stored elsewhere
Waterproof covers have been purchased and placed on the mattress cots. Staff have been reminded to put them on
Handwashing signs have been placed at all sinks encouraging handwashing for both staff and children. Handwashing policy and ‘personal hygiene requirements for people preparing or serving food’ guide has been given to all staff to refresh
A temperature probe has been purchased for each room
Handwashing signs have been placed at all sinks encouraging handwashing for both staff and children. Staff supervise children during handwashing in each room. 6. Handwashing signs have been placed at all sinks encouraging handwashing for both staff and children
In the process of acquiring a changing table with steps for the ECCE room to carry out nappy changing. This will be completed as soon as possible. 8. In the process of removing buggies from the service, all children will be assisted to go asleep in the cots rather than be rocked in buggy and transferred. Parents have been informed of this also
A person has been designated to complete the fire drill records for both baby and toddler room. For this non- compliance, it was a genuine mistake, and it was on two rooms as one staff member was showing the other how to fill it in and they just copied the date. The fire drill had been completed the week before. Preventive Action: The registered provider and designated person will ensure that the corridor between the baby room and the toddler room is to remain de-cluttered at all times. All staff have had refresher training on the handwashing policy and implementation of same will be monitored by the registered provider. Fire drill records will be maintained by the designated person and checked monthly by the registered provider or deputy person in charge. Supporting documentation submitted: The handwashing policy, photograph of waterproof covers, handwashing signs and receipts. Summary Comment The registered provider submitted a response that was adequate to meet the requirements of the regulation. This regulation will be reviewed on next inspection
Regulation 29 — Premises
(c) 1.The ECCE room was found to be cold on the day of inspection. The room temperature in a preschool service is required to be maintained between 180C and 200C at all times for the comfort of children and staff. The toddler room and baby rooms were warm and comfortable. The temperature of the ECCE room was checked on a number of occasions during the day. There was a wall mounted heater in the room which was turned on and working. Time Temperature recorded Room Temperature required 10.45 am 14.20C ECCE 180C to 200C 11.00 am 14.20C Toilet 1 180C to 200C 11.05 am 14.20C Toilet 2 (with Changing unit) 180C to 200C 11.40 am 13.20C ECCE 180C to 200C 12.30 pm 12.20C ECCE 180C to 200C 12.35 pm 14.40C Toilet 1 180C to 200C 3.25 pm 14.20C ECCE 180C to 200C 3.30 pm 14.20C Toilet 2 (with Changing unit) 180C to 200C 3.35pm 14.10C Toilet 1 180C to 200C The inspector noted that the children kept their outdoor coats and trousers, and some kept their hats on during the time in the ECCE room as the room was so cold. The inspector also noted that the staff wore their outdoor coats and some also wore their warm hats in the ECCE room to keep warm. (d) 2.The wall mounted heater in toilet 2 in the ECCE room, which included the nappy changing area was not working on the day of inspection 3. The toddler room required maintenance. General wear and tear were observed within the room. There was chipped paint on the walls and dirty skirting boards
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Action:
In the process of purchasing an additional heater for the ECCE room. All heaters are on timers to come on early in the morning
The wall mounted heater in toilet 2 in the ECCE room has been fixed
Maintenance for the toddler room has been scheduled for July for painting. Skirting boards were cleaned and will be painted during the summer. Preventative Action: The registered provider will maintain heaters and will provide additional heaters if needed to maintain an 18-20C in the ECCE room. Maintenance for each room is scheduled for once a year. Evidence Submitted: Photograph of heater and cleaned skirting boards. Receipt for a timer. Summary Comment The registered provider submitted a response that was satisfactory to meet the requirements of the regulation. This regulation will be reviewed on next inspection