Inspection of 2 December 2025 — Inspection Report
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- (4) Three staff members who work directly with the early years children did not have documentary evidence of at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications or a qualification deemed eligible by the Department of Children, Disability and Equality
Provider's corrective action:
- (4) In response to the non-compliances the service has stated that, one staff member is awaiting confirmation from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality regarding their current level 5 qualification, in the interim they have moved this staff to school age room. The second staff member has gone back to college, and another staff member is now in this room. The remaining staff member is awaiting certificate of qualification. Going forward we will be ensuring all paperwork and letters from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality are present prior to commencement in the service
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (1)(i) The service roster available on inspection did not reflect the staff members present in the service on the day of inspection. For example. • A staff member that was present in the service from 10am was not recorded as working in the service on the week of 1-5 December 2025
Provider's corrective action:
- (1)(i) In response the service has stated that rosters are updated as changes happen in written format, staff are aware to check for updates on roster in staff room as everything is noted here
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- Basic Needs: 1. The children in the Baby and Wobbler rooms did not engage in outdoor play on the day of inspection. On discussion with staff, they confirmed that outdoor play is not prioritised with the children when the weather is wet. The routine of the Baby room did not document time in the daily schedule for children to enjoy outdoor play. Outdoor play is required daily to enable the children to explore and develop their skills of walking, climbing and playing. 2. Staff in the Baby room did not encourage the children to remove their soothers when they were settled and playing in the care room. This reduced the effective development of the children oral motor skills and speech. 3. Following sleep time in the Baby room children only had their nappies changed if they were soiled. Children require regular nappy changes to maintain their needs for comfort and hygiene. 4. Staff in the Baby room did not always prioritise the needs of the children in the room as follows: • From 11:13-11:19am a staff member spent time completing records on the electronic tablet rather than comfort a child that was upset. While it is acknowledged that records are required to be maintained and updated, it is important that children that are upset are given comfort and reassurance when needed. • At the start of dinner time, a staff member focused on the tidying of toys rather than supporting three children in highchairs ready to eat their meal Physical and Material Environment: 5. The layout and materials available in the Baby, Wobbler and Toddler rooms did not promote a child led, engaging and explorative environment for the children. For example: • In the Baby room: o there was no sensory equipment to enable the children to independently explore and discover alternative textures and surfaces. o suitable tables and chairs were not accessible to the children available to support tabletop activities despite the children being of an age and stage of development to enjoy sitting at the table available for an activity. o the play kitchen was not suitable for the age of the children in the room. • In the Wobbler and Toddler rooms designated areas of interest were poorly resourced with supporting equipment with boxes of materials stored with sealed lids not accessible for the children to open. 6. The large fully enclosed outdoor area located to the rear of the service was not equipped with toys and materials to enable the Baby and Wobbler rooms to enjoy the space throughout the year. Supporting Relationships around children 7. The family walls that support children’s sense of identity and belonging were displayed higher than children’s eye level in the Wobbler and Toddler room. The Baby room did not have any evidence of a family wall for the children to engage with. Programme of Activities: 8. On discussion with staff in the Baby room it was confirmed that daily activities such as playdough, painting, glueing, drawing and sensory play was not routinely carried out in the care room and one construction activity of magnetics which the children showed interest in only had five pieces available for six babies. Children require introduction and exposure to activities that enable them to develop interests and fun experiences while attending the service
Provider's corrective action:
- Basic Needs: 1. In response the service has stated that staff have been advised that children must be brought outside for outdoor play, there is no reason not to as space is available, and all children have outer gear/boots. This must be included in their weekly curriculum. 2. In response staff have been advised that soothers are only to be used as soothing comfort not outside of this requirement. They are removed after arrival / nap times once child is content and stored in sterilised container while not in use. Spot checks on this are being carried out frequently to ensure it continues appropriately. 3. In response staff were advised nappies are to be changed whether wet or soiled once they awake from naps, this is best practice and should be followed daily. 4. In response staff were advised priority of the child is paramount and correspondence on the electronic application must be seen as secondary to the child’s needs. Cleaning of toys can be completed after child goes for their nap. When dinners arrive in room, that must be served straight away to a child. Children are not to be left waiting for their dinner. Continuous checks will be completed in rooms to ensure children are prioritised Click or tap here to enter text. Physical and Material Environment 5. In response the registered providers have stated that sensory equipment has been added to the Baby room along with new tables and chairs to suit the developmental stage requirements of the children. Play kitchen was repositioned to give easier access for children. The Wobbler/Toddler Rooms have been redone to ensure more accurate areas of interest and ensuring appropriate toys are in the co ordinating areas with no lids on boxes restricting access for children. The supervisor will check these weekly to ensure this is kept in place. 6.Outdoor equipment now in garden and additional equipment to be brought in in the coming months especially as outdoor play will continue to increase. Staff advised outdoor area is available to all children, younger children can use sand area / smaller climbing frames and swings. Ongoing monitoring will be done to ensure it continues. Signage removed to ensure access is for all age groups/ room groups in outdoor area. Supporting Relationships around children 7. Family wall pics have been moved down the wall to offer easier access for children to take pics off. Continuous checks ensuring family walls stay lower on wall to offer easier access to children. All staff have been made aware of this, and all rooms are now compliant on this issue. Programme of Activities 8. Additional equipment purchased for the rooms, ensuring more choice of textures / sensory in all rooms. Continuous checks in the room to monitor equipment is readily available to all children and any replacements required can be sourced and implemented
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1.Garda vetting disclosures that were available for one staff member 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’. 2.There was evidence to demonstrate that regular and routine risk assessments were not completed by staff in the care rooms or main areas of the service to reduce the potential risk of injury to a child. For example. • The surface temperature of wall mounted radiators in the Toddler room and main hallway exceeded the recommended temperature of 50 oC. Toddler room radiator read 61.4 oC at 10:33am. Staff in the care room were made of the potential risk of scalding and took actions to ensure that a child could not access the radiator. Main hallway radiator read 53.4 oC at 3.36pm. • In the main hallway of the service three trailing flexes were accessible to the children and created a potential risk of strangulation. 3. Two mattress covers used by children in the Baby room did not have safety labels to ensure they met the minimum required safety standard for use. 4. A child from Preschool 2 room was observed accessing the sanitary facility independently and without adult supervision at 11.28am. The child had access to antiseptic creams and lotions which the potential risk of ingestion. Infection Control: 5. The procedures and practice of handwashing and reducing the potential risk of cross infection were observed to be at variance with the service policy and best practice guidelines. For example. • The children in the Baby and Wobbler rooms did not have their hands washed before dinner. • Children in the Pre School 1 room had access and use of one cloth towel for hand drying. • Staff in the Baby room did not complete nappy changing as per the service policy or best practice guidelines. For example, staff did not always use an apron when changing nappies and neither the staff member nor the child washed their hands after the process. • Soothers which two children who were using and playing with while having their nappies changed in the nappy changing room, were not sterilised on return to the playroom. • Children who attended the bathroom alone did not wash their hands after the toilet visit. • Bins in use within the nappy changing area, Toddler room, Preschool 1 room and in the outdoor area were not pedal operated and therefore increased the risk of cross infection. • At sleep time in the Toddler room the low beds used by children were not a minimum of 50cm apart to reduce the potential risk of cross infection. • The rolls of paper in the sanitary facility were stored loosely on worktops and were subjected to repeated handling. Safe Sleep: 6. The procedures and practices relating to safe sleep observed in the service were not in line with best practice guidelines. For example. • Staff in the Baby, Wobbler and Toddler room did not record the temperature of the care rooms while children slept to ensure it was maintained between 16-20 oC for under 1-year olds and 18-22 oC for over 1- year olds. • The service policy on safe sleep did not outline that sleep checks should be completed every 10 minutes on all sleeping children. • Staff in the Baby room did not ensure that 10-minute checks were physically completed on all children that slept and recording of the 10 mins checks were not completed accurately and in a timely manner, this can lead to an error in recording accurate information and present risk to children’s safety during sleep. • A child from the Wobbler room was positioned to sleep in a cot located beside a radiator. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. In response the staff member received renewed Garda Vetting. Staff vetting will be reviewed every January to ensure all is in place for the coming year and note those who are due to expire and proceed with a vetting application. 2. In response to the non-compliances the service has stated the following. • Heat checks put in place for all rooms and general areas. Radiator covers purchased to be mounted on wall ensuring risk is reduced to children as they will be less accessible. All radiators to have covers ensuring no risk in any room going forward. • Flexes were taped up. Ensure all lights are tape up over doorway or not put up if risk assessment proves they are a high risk. 3. To address new mattresses and covers were purchased and old ones removed. Ensure all mattresses have appropriate safety labels in place prior to purchasing. 4. Staff to ensure all children are supervised in toilet/nappy changing area. All staff will ensure continuous supervision of children from preschool rooms in the toilet area to ensure they are no risks to them. Infection Control: 5. In response to the identified non compliances the registered providers have stated the following. • Handwashing procedures are in place and must be followed. There will be continuous supervision that this is being followed. • Hand towel to be removed after specific child is finished with it. • Ensure adequate paper towels are in each room for all children. • All staff had to reread nappy changing policy, ensure staff reread all polices more frequently to keep up with procedures. Spot checks carried out regularly for nappy changing and handwashing. • Staff to ensure soothers are not brought to nappy changing area, if required, must be sterilised on return however best practice is not to bring soother to the area. • Staff to supervise children using toilet area, to ensure hand washing is completed by child with the encouragement of staff. • Ensure all bins are checked and replaced if pedal is not in working order to reduce cross contamination Ensure checks of toddler room beds regularly to minimise any cross over and reduction in infections. • Ensure paper rolls are within dispenser in sanitary area reducing hand contact of persons. Safe Sleep: 6. In response to the identified non compliances the registered providers have stated the following. • Safe sleep check updated to record temp of room, new sleep checks used with temp check effective immediately from initial inspection. • Policy has been updated to clearly state checks every 10 minutes. Staff to reread the revised service policy. • Spoke to staff on the importance of accurately doing sleep checks and recording correctly Staff have been made aware to prioritise sleep checks for the safety of all children, children must be physically and visually checked individually and recorded correctly. • Checks on recording and physical checks continuously being observed to ensure best practice is always in place for wellbeing of child. • Staff have been updated on cot space requirements as per best practice. We will carry out continuous checks to ensure space and any safety issues are dealt with. • Wobbler room cot has been removed further away from the radiator
Regulation 25 — First aid
- (1) On review of the service roster it was observed that a staff member with First Aid Responder (FAR) training was not available to the children attending the pre-school service from 7:30-8:15am on the day of inspection. It is acknowledged that a staff member with paediatric first aid was available to the children at this time
Provider's corrective action:
- (1) In response the registered providers have stated that the non-compliance has been rectified and a staff member with FAR will be available to the children during the operation of the service. An additional staff member will be trained In FAR as the 3rd person on site
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 29.