Immediate action notice. 1. A written immediate action notice under
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
1. The perishable items in the children’s lunch boxes were not being refrigerated and posed a risk should the food items deteriorate before they were consumed
Provider's corrective action:
The service has introduced the immediate use of a designated refrigerator in the kitchen for the storage of all children’s lunch boxes containing perishable items. Staff have been informed of this procedure and its immediate implementation. Regular room checks and supervision will be carried out by management to ensure the procedure is consistently followed
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. One child, attending the Sunshine room, was observed wearing a silver neck chain w hich posed a potential choking risk; it is acknowledged the staff member immediately removed the chain when it was brought to their attention by the inspector. 2. A low-level electric wall socket , accessible to children in the Rainbow room , was observed to be partially detached from the wall leaving a gap that a child may place their fingers and come in contact with the electric wires. This hazard had been picked up on the daily room risk assessment s completed during the weeks beginning 3 February 2026 to 23 February 2026 but had not been actioned within this timeframe. The socket was also close to the water tray and water had spilled on the floor adjacent to the socket which was a further electrical hazard. A written immediate action notice was issued to the registered provider 2 March 2026. 3. It is acknowledged a daily outdoor risk asses sment was being completed; however, it failed to identify the following hazard observed in the outdoor play area: • Seven large metal screws were observed on the low-level bench seating in the outdoor area ; these were accessible to the children and pose a risk of harm from a scrape/stab type injury. The inspector took immediate corrective action and removed the screws and gave them to the person in charge for safe keeping. 4. The toilet seat on the toilet in the middle cubicle in the main sanitary area was noted very loose and therefore unstable; this had the potential for a child to fall off the toilet and sustain an injury. Administration of Medication: 5. In conversation with one staff member, they did not know where the antifebrile medication was stored in the service. 6. It is acknowledged antifebrile medication was safely stored in the service and not accessible to children , however, one bottle of medicine was noted to be out of date since 1 October 2024 ; this was brought to the attention of the person in charge. Safe Sleep: 7. It is acknowledged no child was availing of a period of sleep currently in the service, however , in conversation with one staff member they were unsure how often a sleeping child should be checked and the observations to be recorded. Fire Safety: 8. In conversation with the inspectors, two staff members were unaware of the evacuation route taken from their respective rooms or the assembly point location in the outdoor area. 9. It is acknowledged the main fire exit from Rainbow room was not impeded however, the secondary fire escape route was observed obstructed by the water and sand trays with water and sand spillages in the area; this had the potential to impede the safe and prompt evacuation from the room should this exit be required in an emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider General Safety: Corrective Action 1. The chain was immediately removed by the staff member upon identification of the risk. 2. The area was made safe immediately upon identification, with children prevented from accessing the socket which was fully repaired and secured by the following day. The water tray was relocated away from the electrical point to eliminate the risk of water exposure. The hazard and actions taken were recorded appropriately. Staff have been reminded the importance of reporting recorded risks to management and updated risk assessments require a signature weekly from management. 3. The outdoor area was checked thoroughly by management to ensure no further hazardous items remained. 4. The toilet seat was repaired and securely fixed without delay. The area was checked to ensure it was safe and fully functional before being returned to use. Preventive Action 1. The service’s Health & Safety / Dress Code Policy has been reinforced with all staff, clearly outlining that jewellery posing a risk (including necklaces) is not permitted. Staff will carry out daily visual checks on children upon arrival to identify and address any potential hazards. Ongoing staff briefings and supervision will ensure consistent implementation of this requirement. 2. Responsibility has been assigned to management to review and sign off on all risk assessments daily, ensuring timely follow-up. Staff have been reminded of the importance of prompt reporting and escalation of hazards, particularly those involving electrical risks. Room layouts will be reviewed regularly to ensure that water play areas are positioned safely away from electrical sources. 3. A post-maintenance safety check list has been introduced to ensure all areas are fully inspected after any work is completed by the handyman or external contractors and management to sign off on areas before children can access them following maintenance. The daily outdoor risk assessment process has been reviewed and strengthened to ensure more thorough checks are carried out. 4. Bathrooms have now been included in the daily risk assessments completed by room staff. Staff have been made aware of the importance of reporting any faults immediately to management who will carry out a weekly check of all bathroom facilities to ensure any issues are identified and addressed promptly. A maintenance reporting system has been reinforced to ensure all issues are tracked through to completion. Staff have been reminded to remove faulty equipment from use immediately to ensure children’s safety. Administration of Medication: Corrective Action 5. The staff member was informed immediately of the correct storage location of antifebrile medication. All staff were reminded of the storage procedures and access arrangements for medication within the service. 6. The out-of-date medication was immediately removed and disposed of appropriately. All medication currently stored in the service was checked to ensure it is in date and safe for use. Preventive Action 5. A staff meeting was held, and clear guidance has been provided to all staff regarding the safe storage, access, and administration of medication. We have updated our staff training records to include training on medicine administration. 6. A monthly routine check of all stored medication has been introduced to ensure items remain in date. A medication log/checklist will be maintained in storage area to monitor expiry dates on an ongoing basis. This matter was discussed in detail at a staff meeting, reinforcing the importance of medication safety. Safe Sleep: Corrective Action 7. The staff member was informed immediately of the correct sleep supervision procedures, including the required frequency of checks and recording of observations. All staff have been reissued with the Sleep Policy. Sleep monitoring requirements and observation recording were reviewed with staff to ensure clarity and understanding. Preventive Action 7. A staff meeting was held, with clear guidance on sleep supervision procedures. All staff have been reissued with the Sleep Policy. Sleep supervision procedures will be included in staff induction and ongoing refresher training. Management will monitor compliance through regular supervision and checks of sleep records, where applicable. Fire Safety: Corrective Action 8. The evacuation routes and assembly point locations were reviewed immediately with the staff members involved to ensure their understanding of the correct evacuation procedures and the designated assembly point location. Fire evacuation routes were checked and confirmed to be clearly displayed in all rooms within the service. 9. The water and sand trays were removed immediately from the secondary fire escape route and the area was cleaned and cleared of all spillages to ensure safe and unobstructed access. The room layout was reviewed and adjusted to ensure that all fire exits and escape routes remain clear at all times. Preventive Action 8/9. These matters were discussed in detail during a staff meeting and fire safety procedures will be reviewed regularly during staff meetings. Fire drills will continue to be carried out regularly. Fire safety awareness will be included in staff induction and ongoing refresher training. Fire escape routes have been included as a specific check in daily room risk assessments to ensure they remain unobstructed. Spillages to be immediately cleaned to prevent slip hazards and maintain clear access routes. Management will carry out regular room checks and weekly monitoring to ensure escape routes remain clear. Supporting documentation submitted Photographs x 4 Documents x 7 Summary Comment Following review of the written response and submitted evidence, the requirement for Regulation 23 has been met
Regulation 29 — Premises
(d) 1. There was no storage available for the art and craft supplies observed in the nappy change area located between Rainbow and Sunshine rooms. 2. The floor in the nappy change area was not maintained in a clean and hygienic condition; there was a build up of dirt and debris noted in the corners and around the nappy change unit and a low-level locker unit. 3. The top of the nappy change unit required cleaning as it was observed with a build-up of dirt and dust along the edges. 4. The top on the wooden radiator covers in Rainbow room and Sunshine room had become detached from their fixings and required repair. 5. There was no storage or coat hangers provided in Sunshine room; children’s coats and belongings were observed strewn on the floor and on top of the covered (empty) water tray. 6. One of the three toilets in the main sanitary area was not available for use as it was broken and required repair
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Action 1. All art and craft materials were removed from the nappy changing area immediately and placed into the newly provided storage unit. 2/3. The nappy changing area and unit were cleaned immediately and thoroughly, including corners and around all units. New cleaners have now been engaged to ensure a higher standard of cleanliness is maintained. 4. The detached radiator cover tops were repaired and securely reattached without delay. Additional checks were carried out on all radiator covers within the service to ensure no further issues were present. 5. Children’s coats and belongings were removed from the floor and water tray area immediately to ensure the area was safe and tidy. Coat hangers and appropriate storage have been ordered to provide designated spaces for children’s belongings and will be installed April 20th. 6. The broken toilet was repaired without delay and returned to full working order. Preventive Action 1/2/3/4/5/6. These matters were discussed at a staff meeting and a cleaning rota has been introduced. The nappy changing area, radiator covers, toilet facilities and storage areas have been included in daily room risk assessments and management will carry out weekly checks to ensure the area remains compliant and appropriately organised. Staff have been reminded to report any maintenance issues immediately to management. A maintenance log system will be used to track repairs from identification through to completion
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 19, 26, 28.
Inspection of 25 November 2025 — Inspection Report
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for all staff members including the registered provider and one student on work placement experience, h owever, one vetting disclosure w as not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. Daily outdoor risk assessments were not being carried out or documented to ensure the safety of the play area for children and staff. 3. Part of a wooden slat, on the low level wooden seating , located on the right hand side of the play area , had deteriorated and was observed broken with jagged edges and one protruding metal screw, another section on the seating was observed with a further protruding metal screw; these posed potential risks of an entrapment injury and/or a scrape injury to a child if/when sitting on this part of the seat. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. We have sent the Garda vetting for renewal. Management will do monthly checks on folders to make sure vetting’s remain up to date. 2. We have now created and implemented outdoor risk assessments that are done by our opening manager daily. 3. The damaged wooden slat and protruding metal screws on the low-level wooden seating have been identified and reported for repair. In the interim, the affected section of the seating has been cordoned off to prevent children from accessing the area. We have added bench checks to our daily outdoor risk assessment which is completed every morning daily
Immediate action notice. 1. A written immediate action notice under
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
(a) 1. There was no training log maintained to provide oversight, and a record of mandatory and professional training required and completed by the eight staff members. This did not align with the staff training policy which stated that “Staff are required to complete 10 hours continuing professional development training per year. All training will be recorded on the staff member’s individual training record”. 2. There was no evidence that service wide training was undertaken in any specific policies and procedures. 3. There was no evidence that individual staff supervision was completed between the registered provider / person in charge and each staff member on a regular basis. This did not align with the staff supervision policy which stated that “A Supervision Meeting will be scheduled every two months.” This was an area of non-compliance following inspection conducted on 7 December 2022. The corrective action submitted by the registered provider following the inspection failed to prevent recurrence of this non - compliance. This area was the subject of conditions applied to the registration on 1 July 2022. (b), (c) 4. With the exception of one staff member, there was no evidence of service wide staff training undertaken in the (Amendment) Regulations 2016
Provider's corrective action:
(a) 1. A staff training log has now been created and implemented. This log includes Staff names and roles, Dates and titles of training completed, type of training (mandatory/professional development), upcoming training due dates. All eight staff members’ individual training records have been reviewed and updated to reflect completed training for the current and previous year. The assistant manage r has been assigned responsibility for maintaining and regularly updating both the individual records and the central l og. Going forward, quarterly audits of staff training records will be conducted to ensure records are accurate and up to date, mandatory training is renewed before expiration. This will be completed every three months in line with our new schedule of supervision one on one meetings. The staff policy training will be prioritised in the new scheduled staff meetings every second month. 2. A full review of current policies and procedures was conducted. A priority list of critical policies (e.g., Child Safeguarding, Complaints, Confidentiality, Risk Management) was identified. Staff have all been emailed policies and have signed a waver to have all policies have been sent to them and they are reading through and referring to policies on a day-to-day basis. We will also be prioritising staff policy training in our new scheduled staff meetings every second month in these will we be taking a policy or two per meeting to learn and discuss. We will also be encouraging any questions of concerns regarding policies to be discuss during one -on-one supervision meetings. We will also be prioritising staff policy training in our new scheduled staff meetings every second month in these will we be taking a policy or two per meeting to learn and discuss. 3. Following a review by the management team and the service owner, it was recognised that regular supervision is essential for staff support, professional development, and accountability. As a result, a structured two - monthly supervision schedule has now been implemented for all staff. (b), (c) 4. All staff have previously received training on the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 and the associated Amendment Regulations 2016. However, this training had not been adequately documented across all staff files at the time of inspection. To reinforce staff understanding and ensure up-to-date knowledge, a refresher training session will be delivered to all staff during the upcoming staff meeting on October 6th, 2025. Refresher training on the Early Years Regulations will now take place annually, regardless of staff turnover or changes. A meeting was held with the registered provider and all senior staff to inform and clarify their legal obligation to report all serious incidents to Tusla. A copy of the Tusla “Quality and Regulatory Framework” and the relevant reporting guidance was distributed and explained to all senior staff. A designated person has been assigned the responsibility of submitting serious incident notifications to the inspectorate within the required timeframe. All current and future staff in management or supervisory roles will receive mandatory training on statutory reporting requirements as part of induction and ongoing professional development (e.g., annual compliance refresher training). All senior staff and management are currently spending time refreshing their knowledge on the Quality and Regulatory Framework
Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child
(f) 1. The registered provider did not ensure that the health care plan was regularly reviewed and updated with the parents. The last entry was dated December 2022. 2. There was no risk assessment completed by the registered provider in respect of a significant risk recently identified by parents of the pre -school child. This did not align with the accidents and incident policy which stated that “ All accidents, injuries and incidents notified to the Early Years Inspectorate are investigated, managed and reported in line with the Service's accident, injury and incident policy and procedures”
Provider's corrective action:
1. The child's healthcare plan has been updated in full consultation with the parents . A healthcare plan review schedule has been introduced to ensure all plans are formally reviewed and updated at least every 6 months , or sooner if the child’s needs change. 2. While risk management measures were implemented immediately upon identification of the risk, and the actions taken effectively eliminated the hazard, these actions were not formally documented in a written risk assessment at the time. This oversight has si nce been addressed: a full written risk assessment has now been completed, reviewed by the child’s parents, and shared with all relevant staff involved in the child’s care. The risk assessment will be included in the child's file and incorporated into their specific care plan to ensure ongoing awareness and management. All management and senior staff have been reminded of the requirement to complete a documented risk assessment immediately following any significant concern raised by staff, parents, or children, in line with the service’s policy
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(i) 1. The weekly written roster did not accurately reflect the rostered hours worked by the registered provider. This was an area of non -compliance following inspection conducted on 26 January 2023. The corrective action submitted by the registered provider following the inspection failed to prevent recurrence of this non - compliance. (k) 2. The registered provider did not ensure that a completed written record was maintained to record details of any accident, injury or incident involving a child attending the service. This did not align to the Missing Child policy which stated that “an accident/incident form will be completed and appropriately signed.”
Provider's corrective action:
(i) 1. The registered provider's actual working hours have now been accurately recorded on the weekly staff roster, with immediate effect from 1st September 2025. (k) 2. A written accident/incident form has now been completed for the incident All staff have received a refresher training on the Accident and Incident Reporting Policy , with emphasis on the requirement to document all accidents/incidents in writing and ensure reports are completed promptly and signed by the staff member and parent
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. At 9:45 am, on arrival to the service by the inspectors, the main entrance gate to the service was secured as was the main entrance door to the premises. The gate was opened by a staff member who then left it unsecured to return to the building to inform the person in charge. It was noted that the entrance door to the rear of the building was open. This did not ensure the safety of the children attending the service from unauthorised access by an individual(s) or prevent the risk occurring of a child exiting the service unsupervised. The inspector s secured the gate immediately and advised the person in charge of this occurrence. This was an area of non -compliance following inspection conducted on 20 January 2025. The corrective action submitted by the registered provider following the inspection failed to prevent recurrence of this non - compliance. 2. A review of the weekly management general risk assessment forms from September 2024 to present was completed. The security of the rear entrance security was repeatedly risk rated as a high risk since 17 September 24. It was noted that ‘gate not latching / gate not working’. Corrective actions were completed by the person completing the risk assessment. 3. There was written evidence on the management general risk assessment that the registered provider was informed on 27 and 28 January 2025. Following the last inspection on the 20 January 2025 where it was noted that the entrance gate was not secured, a corrective action was submitted that the electrical magnetic system was repaired however this repair was short term. The person in charge applied a sliding bolt and hook and eye latch. This did not align with the risk management policy which stated, “Control the risk so that harm is unlikely.” 4. There was no documentary evidence available that a written risk assessment had been completed by the registered provider following the incident that occurred in May 2025 to determine how it occurred, and the corrective measures required to ensure it does not reoccur. This did not align with the missing child policy which stated that “ A full and thorough review of procedures and practices will take place to determine how the incident occurred, and changes will be made if appropriate.” 5. A pre-school child was observed opening the hook and eye latch on the entrance gate to the outdoor area which created a potential for the exit of a child from the outdoor area. This did not align with the supervision of children indoors and outdoors which stated that “ Children should not be allowed interfere with the gate in outdoor area.” Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. As a temporary measure management was immediately assigned to be the only people allowed to open the gate during all drop -off periods until a long -term procedure is in place. Within a day the gate and all external access points have been secured and checked to ensure they are fully functio nal and compliant with safety requirements. Management will also be doing regular checks daily on the gate. 2. All risk assessment forms have been reviewed to ensure any repeated high-risk items are escalated immediately to the registered provider and tracked until resolved. This was discussed in detail at our management meeting the importance of timing with the registered provider when dealing with high risks that are brought to her from management. The Risk Management Policy has been revised to include an escalation procedure: any hazard rated “high risk” for more than one week must be formally reviewed and signed off by the registered provider, with documented action and timeframes for resolution. 3. The registered provider will carry out monthly audits of incident records to ensure all necessary follow -up documentation (including risk assessments) is completed and on file. 4. A full written risk assessment in relation to the incident on 22 May 2025 has now been completed. The risk assessment includes an analysis of how the incident occurred, the factors involved, and clear corrective actions taken in response. The Incident Management Procedure has been updated to include a mandatory step that a written risk assessment must be completed by the registered provider or person in charge within 24 hours of any serious incident. 5. The handy man has been contacted to come and raise up the gate in our outdoor area So the hook and latch is out of reach for the children in the garden and can only be accessed by adults
Regulation 25 — First aid
(1) There was no documentary evidence provided that there were persons trained in first aid for children (FAR) available at all times to the children
Provider's corrective action:
(1) Two staff members are qualified in FAR
Regulation 31 — Notification of incidents
(e) 1. The registered provider did not submit the required statutory notification in writing within 3 working days regarding an incident where a pre -school child was missing f rom the service in May 2025 to the Early Years Inspectorate. This did not align with the accidents and incident policy for the service
Provider's corrective action:
(e) 1. The statutory notification was completed and submitted with the direct support of the Early Years Inspectorate during a recent inspection. The registered provider and management team have completed a thorough review of Tusla’s guidance on incident reporting and statutory notifications. The registered provider is now the notification lead and will be solely responsible for ensuring that any notifiable incidents are reported to the Early Years Inspectorate within the required timeframe