On the day of inspection there was inadequate number of staff working directly with the children for a time in the chimp room. During the morning there were 10 children in the care of 1 staff member. Based on the numbers of children present two staff were required to meet the needs of the children in the room
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action A staff meeting was held after the inspection. Everyone was reminded of the importance of maintaining correct ratios when a staff member is absent. On the morning of inspection there was enough educators in the building but unfortunately, they were not allocated correctly. This responsibility is for the person in charge. All deputy managers will revisit the QRF beginning in September
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. The service did not demonstrate compliance with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice requiring services to re-new Garda vetting every 3 years. There were Garda vetting disclosures on file for all staff members, however the vetting disclosures for 3 staff members were not dated within the previous 3 years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda vetting. Infection Control: 2. There was no warm water for handwashing. The water was checked at 11:00 and 12:00 and remained cold. Staff when speaking with the inspector stated that they routinely do not have warm water unless the immersion is turned on. The daily check list for the indoor premises did not have a prompt to remind staff to ensure there was warm water. The lack of warm water is at variance with the service’s hand hygiene policy. It is acknowledged that when the water was rechecked on a third occasion at 13:00 the water was warm. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider submitted the following response:
Provider's corrective action:
1.Garda vetting disclosures are now on file for the three staff. The staff files were reorganised and will be reviewed regularly to ensure compliance. 2.A staff member has been designated to ensure that the hot water is turned on and ready each morning. It was added to morning check list
Regulation 25 — First aid
There was one staff trained in FAR (first aid responder) available to the children attending the preschool service. However, this staff member was not present in the service when the inspector arrived and was not rostered to work the full opening hours of the service
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The service has three staff trained in FAR. A review of the staff roster was carried out and the service will ensure that a staff member with FAR is always present. There are an additional eight staff with paediatric first aid also
Regulation 29 — Premises
(d) Areas of the service required cleaning, dusting and repainting. The children’s bathroom and staff toilet had dusty surfaces, dirty skirting boards, peeling paint on walls and skirting boards. The toilets were not clean, and cobwebs were visible
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The service has closed for summer holidays and the team have initiated a comprehensive and thorough cleaning and painting of the entire building. All rooms, skirting boards, and doors will be cleaned and painted in preparation for reopening in August. Following the team meeting staff have reviewed the cleaning protocol and practice. All educators will be required to ensure the restrooms are cleaned after each use
Regulation 30 — Minimum space requirements
There was insufficient space available in the Joey’s room (sunroom) for the number of children attending on the day. A further review of the attendance records indicated that on the following dates the room was also overcrowded: 19/05/2025, 15/05/2025, 9/05/2025, 1/05/2025 with 10 children aged between 4 and 5 in the room each morning. On the morning of inspection, the following was observed: Rooms: Ages: Space Requirement: Space Required: Space available: AM 3-5years x 9 1.818 m2 16.29 m2 13.8 m2
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The registered provider has reviewed the layout and arrangements with the room. The middle room and sunroom will not operate as one room. The team have reviewed the number of hours that children attend
Police vetting disclosures were not available on file for two staff who had worked or 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 Both staff members are in the process of applying for police vetting. The policy has been amended to ensure this will be obtained before employment commences
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
The needs of young children were not sufficiently met on the day. For example: 1. A child who was crying and unsettled was given a mobile phone by the staff member and left unattended with the phone to watch cartoons. 2. The dignity of young children was compromised during nappy changing on the day. A staff member brought three children to the bathroom together to change nappies. During the nappy changing, staff from another room brought seven older children into the bathroom to wash their hands. 3. The service mixed age groups in the afternoon with preschool children joining the school age group. This was not facilitated in a way that supported the younger children in the room. Staff did not ensure that younger children had equal opportunities for play and access to materials and the environment became loud and boisterous. Physical and material environments: The provision of an adequate material and physical environment for the care, learning and stimulation of the children attending the service was inadequate. The literacy room, bunny room and puppy rooms were limited in materials and resources, which did not provide opportunities for imaginative child-led play. For example: 1. Interest areas were sparsely resourced, with no invitations to play set up for children. 2. The play on the day was predominately adult led, with staff taking out the toys and equipment to direct tabletop activities and play. 3. Chairs were stacked and tables pushed back blocking access to shelves and toys. 4. The kitchen in the puppy room was bare, with the boxes of toys left behind the kitchen. 5. There were limited opportunities for sensory or messy play materials such as sand, water, paint and playdough in the rooms. 6. The puppy room environment was not suitable to the needs of young children. A small child who was not mobile did not have space to crawl or opportunity to pull themselves up to stand. There was no clear floor space and other children, and staff walked through the room to access the outdoor area. 7. There were no age-appropriate toys freely available for the younger children. 8. In the bunny room the kitchen, shop and barber stations were sparsely resourced. 9. Children’s drinks were placed sitting on a shelf on the play shop in the room which was sparsely resourced. 10. The service operates a practice of rotating the children weekly between the rooms, however the rooms are not set up to meet the different needs and ages of the children as they move between rooms. 11. The movement between rooms does not allow for children to develop ownership and a sense of belonging in their environments. 12. There were no family photo walls, no birthday walls or individual artwork within the rooms. 13. Books were on shelves out of reach of children in the literacy room. 14. Shelves for toys were cluttered with papers and used as storage
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action
1. All staff members are aware that handing a child a phone is unacceptable, and it should not have happened and will not happen again. 2. The nappy-changing policy has been amended to ensure only one child will be brought to the bathroom at a time and unless necessary (a child who needs to go to the toilet) the nappy-changing should be private. 3. After the part-time session the three full-time ECCE children will be brought into a separate room while the junior infants arrive, do homework and have their dinners to ensure these children have equal opportunities for play and access to materials. Physical and material environment: The following measures have been taken to address the non-compliances: The team have now decided to stop rotating between rooms to allow the children a greater sense of belonging. The rooms are being reorganised to reflect this change. The puppies will now remain in our large room for the foreseeable future, and it has been reorganised and has lots of resources suitable for young children. The service has one communal poster showing our children and our families in our drama room. Staff will ensure children have access to books at all times, we did have books shelves at child height, but they were broken. This will now be replaced. In the meantime, books will always be accessible for all classes. The service has engaged with Better Start Quality Development Service to enhance quality practice and positive outcomes for the children. The team will work collaboratively with Better Start to identify what is working well and how we can improve. The team are committed to ensuring we will offer the best possible service in the future
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
(b) There were inadequate sleep and rest facilities for children who required sleep and or rest during the day: 1.There was no suitable area available for children under two years of age to sleep while attending the service. Staff advised the inspector that young children were placed to sleep on a bed in the room if they required sleep. The room used by children under two years of age on the day of inspection was the sunroom, which had no blinds and was not conducive to ensure comfortable sleep. See regulation 30 Minimum Space requirements. 2. There were no rest areas in the literacy room and puppy room for children to rest, relax or sit to opt out of an activity if they wished
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action There are now rest areas in all rooms with small child size couches. Puppy room has various areas to rest and relax. All the rooms have curtains except the messy room, which is now used for second year ECCEs who rarely require sleep but facilities to sleep will be offered, if necessary, in another room. There are soft play mats available in every room. Staff will ensure that these rest areas will always be available for all children
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
Food served on the day did not have sufficient protein content. Fourteen children received a hot dinner that contained one cocktail sausage each. There were no extra portions available if a child required any extra dinner. Sausages may also pose a choking risk to preschool children
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The sausage dish has been taken off the menu. Staff will ensure enough food for seconds will be readily available for all children by now cooking 20 portions for 14 children
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. A staff member’s handbag was left on the ground in the sunroom posing a risk to young children gaining access to the contents of the bag. 2. There were no thermometers available for the recording of temperatures when children are sleeping. Infection Control: 3.There was no warm water to encourage effective handwashing. The water was checked on two occasions during the course of the inspection and remained cold. 4. The toilet door was left open for the majority of the day which poses as risk of cross infection. 5. A number of items were stored in the lobby of the toilet, including toys and personal staff belongings. This posed a risk of cross contamination. 6. The tablecloth on the table in the sunroom used for eating and tabletop activities was torn and worn. Therefore, it could not be adequately cleaned and posed a risk of cross infection. 7. The nappy disposal bin was not suitable for a childcare setting. The foot pedal action did not work sufficiently for staff to dispose of nappies and gloves without putting their hand into the bin. Staff were seen putting their hands into the bin to push down nappies and gloves. 8. An open bin, brush and dust pan with dirt on it was left accessible to children in the puppy room. Fire Safety: 9. Inside the main entrance hall door, the hall was cluttered with tables, chairs and play furniture. This posed as an obstruction risk in the event of an emergency evacuation from the premises. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider submitted the following response:
Provider's corrective action:
1. All staff members were asked to ensure their belongings are safely in a cupboard and not left on the floor as a tripping hazard. 2. Each room had a CO2 monitor which records the temperature of the room but to ensure accuracy we have now ordered room thermometers for each room. 3. A sign has been put up all staff members reminded to ensure the toilet door is closed. 4. In the winter the heating heats the hot water and on the day of the inspection the heating was on. It does take a couple of minutes for the water to run warm. 5.The lobby has been cleared of all staff belongings. 6. The tablecloth in the sunroom has been replaced. This should have been replaced and we have now asked the teachers in the room to take over this responsibility. 7. A new nappy disposal unit has been ordered and expected to be delivered early next week. 8. All staff have been asked to ensure no dustpans or brushes are left in the rooms. The bins in each room are lidded and are pedal bins. The open bins in each room are recycling bins and only paper is allowed in these. Staff has also been reminded to ensure the bins are closed at all times. 9. The hallway has been decluttered. All teachers were reminded to ensure that they are aware that the water has to be run for a while before it runs warm. A staff meeting has been held to remind everyone of the above regulations
Regulation 25 — First aid
There were no staff members with FAR (first aid responder) available on the premises to children at all times. On the day of inspection, during the morning there was no staff member trained in FAR on the premises. Due to staff rostering, on a Friday there is no staff member with FAR rostered to work
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider provided the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The manager has now completed the FAR course and is awaiting certification. There are now three members of staff with the FAR Certification which will ensure there is always a member of staff available. The manager works full-time
Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures
Records reviewed on the day of inspection demonstrated that no fire drills were recorded as carried out over the summer months in the service
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The team will ensure all fire drills are recorded in the future for both preschool and school aged children
Regulation 29 — Premises
(d) 1. Windows and their frames in the puppy room (sunroom) were not clean, with visible marks and dirt on them. 2. The timber frame of the mud kitchen in the outdoor area was rotten and falling apart
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The windows in the building have all been cleaned and are done so on a regular basis. The frames of some of the rooms have sticky residue on them from repeatedly used to hang pictures with tape etc. These are very hard to remove but a deep clean will be done as soon as possible to remove. A through clean has been done. The mud kitchen will be removed from the garden and in the meantime, a table has been placed in front of it to prevent the children from playing with it. Staff will ensure the windows are regularly washed and maintained. The windows and frames have been washed down, but there is still the residue of tape marks. These will be sorted within a couple of weeks
Regulation 30 — Minimum space requirements
There was insufficient space available in the puppy room (sunroom) for the number of children attending on the day. A further review of the attendance records indicated that an additional four children were to commence in the room in the coming weeks which would have further reduced the space capacity. Rooms: Ages: Space Requirement: Space Required: Space available: Puppies Room AM 1-2 years x 4 2-3 years x 2 2.8 m2 2.35 m2 15.9 m2 13.8 m2
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The puppies have now been moved to a larger room