(3) Documentary evidence available indicated that three adults had commenced employment within the service prior to the checks outlined in (2) being completed. For example: • Two adults commenced prior to garda vetting being available. • Two adults commenced prior to references being validated. Checks on adults must be completed prior to them having access to the children in order to establish they are appropriate to have access to children
Provider's corrective action:
(3) The service has created a checklist to add to each staff members file, to ensure that no staff member will commence employment without staff member having Garda vetting, up to date C.V and all references verified. The manager will ensure to check before employment commences
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
The following posed a potential risk to children safety. General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for one staff member. However, this vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. The blind cords on the blinds on the windows in the Cabin room were not secured, posing a potential injury risk. 3. The water temperature in the wash hand basin used by the children in the Cabin room exceeded the recommended temperature of 43oC. A temperature of 49.8oC was recorded by the inspector at 9.57am. This posed a scald risk to the children. It is acknowledged that the tap was a mixer tap and that the staff member reported that she was aware of the issue and supervised handwashing ensuring the water was at a comfortable temperature for the children. Infection Control: 4. There was no warm water available in the sinks in the sanitary accommodation used by the children in the Seomra which did not provide for effective handwashing. A temperature of 15.8oC was recorded by the inspector. It is acknowledged the registered provider reported that they have recently engaged the services of a plumber to address the issues around the water temperature in the premises. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. The garda vetting disclosure was updated. A Garda vetting expiry date document has been created and attached to the front of staff folder. This document will be checked every month to ensure Garda vetting is reapplied for before expiry date. 2. Blind safety clips were fitted to the blind cords. Blind cords will be checked daily to ensure their safety, and a checklist was developed to support this. 3. The service confirm that the temperature has been regulated by a plumber with a temperature balancing valve to ensure temperature doesn’t go higher than 40 degrees. The water temperature will be checked daily to ensure safety, and a checklist was developed to support this. Infection Control: 4. The service confirm that the temperature has been regulated by a plumber with a temperature balancing valve to ensure temperature doesn’t go higher than 40 degrees. The water temperature will be checked daily to ensure safety, and a checklist was developed to support this
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 16, 21, 25, 26.
Inspection of 25 September 2023 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. An Immediate action Notice was issued to the registered provider on the 25 September 2023 in relation to two Safety issues. Regulation 23, the water temperatures in a care room was recorded at over 50oC. Regulation 25, there was no evidence that a staff member qualified to the First Aid Responder standard or Paediatric First Aid standard was available. A response which addressed these concerns was received on the 26 September 2023. This inspection was unannounced and focused on the area of governance/ health, welfare and development of child/ safety. The inspections may also focus on other areas as required. The inspection focused on an examination of compliance under: • Regulation 9(1),(2)(a)(b)(c)(d), (4) Management and Recruitment • Regulation11(1),(4) Staffing Levels • Regulation 16(1)(h)(i)(j) Records in relation to Children • Regulation 19(1)(a) Health, Welfare and Development of child •
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
(2)(a)(b) The registered provider did not ensure two validated references were available for each adult. For example: o Three adults had no validated references available for inspection. o Four adults had two written references available, but these had not been validated or checked by the service. o One adult had only one reference available, and this refence had not been validated or checked by the service. o Two adults had one reference that had not been validated or checked by the service. This had been identified as a non-compliance on previous inspection on the 2 September 2021 and the preventive actions failed to prevent a reoccurrence
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Action: All references were checked to ensure all staff members had two and all references are now validated. All references have been filed accordingly, and all staff are aware of where and how they are filed so to be available and ready for inspection. Preventive Action: Manager will check and ensure that all filing systems are maintained and of adequate order on a regular basis. On recruitment, the manager will ensure that new recruits have 2 references and will ensure to validate them before employment begins
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(i) The staff roster was not reflective of the adults who were working in the service as evidenced by the following: o The registered provider and three staff members were not included in the roster and were present on the day. o A staff member and three CE staff members who were included in the roster were not present on the day. All adults working in the service must be detailed on a daily staff roster
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Action: The staff roster has been updated to include everyone who works in the building on a daily basis and a daily sign in sheet developed to reflect who is present in the building on a daily basis. Preventive Action: Staff roster will be updated on a Monday morning on a weekly basis
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. The water temperature in the wash hand basin in the sanitary accommodation used by the children in the Cabin exceeded the recommended temperature of 43oC. A temperature of 55.5oC was recorded by the inspector at 10.54am. This posed a scald risk to the children. An Immediate Action Notice was issued to the registered provider with regards to this risk. 2. Two bottles of cleaning spray were stored in an unlocked press under the sink in the Seomra. These were accessible to the children and posed a risk of injury. Infection Control: 3. The flooring by the doorway to the Seomra was damaged, leaving an ineffective cleaning surface. This increased the potential risk of infection. Administration of Medication: 4. The administration of medication was not sufficient to support effective safe practice. For example: o There was no written care plan available for a child who required a specific type of medication. This was not in line with the service policy on medication. o Medication was stored a child’s bag, which was accessible to children. This was not in line with the service policy on medication. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. Corrective Action: The temperature on the tap was adjusted in line with the recommended temperature. Preventive Action: A daily safety checklist has been put together for staff members to check off each morning to ensure health and safety procedures. 2. Corrective action: cleaning materials have been removed from under the sink and stored accordingly and safely. Preventive Action: A daily safety checklist has been put together for staff members to check off each morning to ensure health and safety procedures. Infection Control: 3. Corrective Action: A waterproof strong adhesive tape has been applied to the damage on the floor to prevent potential risk of infection. Preventive Action: A daily safety checklist has been put together for staff members to check off each morning to ensure health and safety procedures. Administration of Medication: 4. Corrective action: A care plan has been drawn up by the parents of the child and communicated with all staff members, the care plan is displayed in the room and also on the child’s file. The child’s bag will no longer be stored in the cloak room, when lunchbox is removed, the bag will be taken straight to the office, all staff are aware of this and this is also in the care plan. Preventive action: Manager will ensure that all procedures will reflect what is written in policies
Regulation 25 — First aid
(1) There was no documentary evidence available to demonstrate that a person trained to First Aid Responder level was available to the children attending the service during the operational hours of the service. An Immediate Action Noticed was issued to the registered provider on the 25 September 2023 with regards to this concern
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective action: Staff members have been enrolled for FAR training and will have it completed by 23/11/2023. Preventive action: mandatory training will kept updated