Inspection of 4 November 2025 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. An Immediate Action notice was issued on the day of inspection for non-compliance identified under Regulation 9(2)(c). The person in charge submitted a response on 04 November 2025 which addressed the risk identified on inspection. Non-compliance was identified during this inspection relating to regulations 9(2)(c), 9(7)(a)(c),16 (1)(k), 19(1)(b) and 23 where practices observed were not in line with service policies and procedures and regulatory requirements. Practices and procedures relating to these regulations were found to be non-compliant on the last inspection on 15 May 2025. The registered provider provided the Early Years Inspectorate with assurances during the Regulatory Compliance meeting (RCM) and Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA) processes, dated 24 July 2025, 4 July 2025 and 01 September 2025 respectively which did not prevent the non-compliances reoccurring under these regulations, as detailed in this report.
Immediate action notice. The service was referred to the National Registration Enforcement Panel (NREP) on the 6 January 2026. A Regulatory Enforcement Meeting (REM) was held with the registered provider on the 23 January 2026 to discuss non-compliance identified and overall governance of the service. Subsequently the service is to remain under the supervision of NREP.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- The registered provider did not take appropriate measures to ensure that all employees were suitable to work in an early years’ service prior to their commencement as outlined below:
- There were no references on file for an external contractor who was present on the day of inspection. (c) A mandatory Garda vetting disclosure was not available for this adult who was present in the service on 04 November 2025 contrary to the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012. An Immediate Action Notice was issued on the day of the inspection. The person in charge submitted a response on the day of inspection which addressed this non-compliance. (3) It was not evident that the procedures specified in regulation (2)(a)(b) & (c) had been carried out for one adult as outlined above. This poses a risk to the children attending the service
- The registered provider did not demonstrate that they had taken all reasonable measures to ensure that all employees were provided with appropriate information and training to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of children attending the service and to comply with the regulations. • There was no record of induction training available for two new staff members who had commenced employment in the service since the last inspection on 15 May 2025. This is contrary to the staff induction policy of the service which detailed the induction process and sign off on each stage of induction training. • There was no evidence to demonstrate that all staff had received one to one supervision on a monthly basis contrary to the service policy on staff support and supervision. One to one supervision records dated since the last inspection, were only available for four staff, all dated October 2025. • There were no records available to demonstrate that team meetings had taken place since 19 May 2025. • While it is acknowledged that three staff updated their children first training in April and May 2025, there was only evidence that one staff member completed Children first training since the last inspection. Following the last inspection on 15 May 2025, the registered provider submitted corrective and preventive actions to address non-compliances found on inspection which included • a revised supervision policy, which stated that one to one supervision of staff would take place on a monthly basis with the manager. • that management had reviewed, approved, and committed to implementing and adhering to the agreed supervision schedule and all related policies. • that team meetings would take place and that the service would maintain a record. • that refresher training in child protection and safe care practice had been scheduled. The registered provider has not successfully implemented the corrective and preventive actions to provide supervision to staff in line with the CAPA response to prevent the recurrence of this non-compliance. Therefore, the Inspectorate was not assured of the overall governance structure of the service and that it could meet the requirements of legislation to ensure the care, wellbeing and safety of children
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider submitted a previous employer reference and a reference from a reputable source for one adult contracted to work weekly in the service. The service created a Contractor compliance document which will need to be completed before any additional contactor comes into the service. (2)(c) In date Garda vetting certificate was submitted for one adult as required. (3) To ensure these procedures referred to under regulation 9(2) are followed in the future, the registered provider offered assurance that the steps in the Contractor compliance document which asks for Garda Vetting, 2 references, ID, will be followed prior to employment of any staff
- To address the noncompliance following this inspection the registered provider has updated their supervision policy, stating that supervision meetings will be once per term/ quarterly instead of the once per month as previously proposed. The registered provider renewed commitment to follow the services induction policy, and complete the induction process outlined within it, and document same. The registered provider committed to renewing Children First training
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- 1(a) There was no curriculum vitae available for one external contractor who was present on the day of inspection. 1(i) The staff roster did not reflect the staff present on the day of inspection, or for the week reviewed. 1(j) A sample of 10 medicine administration records were reviewed. None of these records were signed by a second member of staff as a witness contrary to the service policy on administration of medication. Failure to have medication administration witnessed may pose a risk to the continuity of care of the child. 1(k) A sample of sixteen accident and incident forms were reviewed. Four of these forms were incomplete. Two had no second staff member’s signature. Two had no parents’ signature contrary to the service’s policy. This omission on the records sampled poses a risk to the continuity of care of the children. This regulation was found to be non-compliant on the last inspection on 15 May 2025. The corrective and preventive actions as stated by the registered provider did not prevent recurrence of this non-compliance
Provider's corrective action:
- 1(a) A CV was sourced for the adult contracted to work weekly with the children in the service as required. The service developed a contractor compliance document to prevent a reoccurrence of this noncompliance. 1(i) An amended roster was submitted to reflect the staff working in the service, as required. The person in charge stated that the roster will be updated to reflect staff absences going forward. 1(j) The person in charge corresponded with staff reminding them of the requirement to have a second staff signature. One sample of a completed medicine administration form was submitted. 1(k) The registered provider reviewed completed accident and incident forms. The person in charge of the service corresponded with staff about the procedures and steps to take for the Accident and incident reports
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- 1. There was no adult sized seating available in the Wobbler room to provide staff with a comfortable place to sit, hold, comfort and feed children. An adult was observed comforting a child who was upset at 10:19hrs squatting on the floor When staff were settling children down to sleep a chair was brought to the room at 11:55 and one adult sat on the chair to give a child a bottle before putting him back in his cot in the cot room. There were three children in cots in the care room at this time, waiting to have their bottles prior to sleep. The lack of seating available for an adult to sit down with a child to provide comfort or meet their care needs was identified as a noncompliance previously on inspection on 08 February 2024. The measures taken at that time did not prevent the reoccurrence of the noncompliance
Provider's corrective action:
- An adult sized chair was put into the Wobbler room to be used when comforting a child or giving a bottle
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
- 1(b) Appropriate rest facilities were not provided for all children under two years in the Toddler room. Five children aged one year were observed on foldable mattresses placed directly on the floor rather than suitable floor beds. This may impact the safety and quality of sleep for children under 2 years. Five children in the Toddler room were not provided with sheets for their beds contrary to the service policy on safe sleep. Children were observed sleeping directly on the waterproof mattress
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider completed a safe sleep assessment with each family in the toddler room which outlines the change from a cot to the floor mattresses. The registered provider also provided sheets to the Toddler room. To prevent this noncompliance from re occurring in the future, each child that moves from the Wobbler room up to the Toddler room will be required to have the safe sleep assessment filled in by the parents
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- The inspectors found by observation of practice, review of documentation and discussion with staff that the registered provider had not taken adequate measures to safeguard all children attending. General Safety: 1.One adults vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years contravening the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. This regulation was found to be non- compliant on the last inspection on 15 May 2025 The corrective and preventive actions as stated by the registered provider did not prevent recurrence of this non-compliance. Following the last inspection on 15 May 2025, the registered provider submitted preventive actions to address the non-compliance found on inspection which stated that ⦁ a monthly file review will be conducted by the manager and deputy manager to ensure that all vetting documentation and relevant records are thoroughly checked, up to date, and compliant with current regulations. ⦁ each review will be signed off by both parties to confirm completion and regulatory adherence. The registered provider has not successfully implemented the preventive action to prevent recurrence of this non- compliance to ensure that all adults have been appropriately vetted which poses a risk to children attending the service. Infection Control: Children were observed touching the lids of the pedal operated bins, in wobbler and toddler rooms during the inspection. This poses a risk of contamination and cross infection to the children. Administration of Medication: Upon review of a sample of medicine administration records, see regulation 16 (1) (j), it was noted that there was no second staff signature to indicate that a second adult witnessed the administration of medicine in ten sample cases. This is in contravention of the services medication management procedure which states that staff must have a witness present for the medicine being administered and the record must be countersigned by that person. Safe Sleep: Procedures and practices in place in relation to safe sleep were inadequate and contrary to the service policy on safe sleep posing a potential risk to the health and safety of children as follows. 1.Sleep checks were not carried out every 10 minutes in the Toddler room contrary to the service policy on safe sleep. There was no sleep check carried out for a period of 22 minutes after children fell asleep. Individual sleep checks were not carried out. A staff member was observed standing over a group of children to complete a sleep check rather than checking each child individually. 2.There was no evidence available on inspection to demonstrate that consultation with parents/guardians had taken place to ensure safe and agreed sleep plans were in place and that parents had given consent for their child to sleep on a floor bed rather than in a cot, for five children under two years sleeping on foldable mattresses on the floor in the toddler room. This is contrary to the service’s safe sleep policy and procedure document. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: The proposed registered provider has engaged with the Early Years inspectorate change in circumstances department to change the named registered provider of the service. The registered provider has acquired garda vetting as part of that process. To prevent this noncompliance the person in charge will set reminders to check Garda vetting and apply for new garda vetting in ample time before it runs out. Infection Control: The person in charge has shown the children how to use the foot pedals on the bins. The staff will also practice handwashing regularly but especially if they witness a child touching the bins throughout the day. Administration of Medication: The person in charge has communicated in writing and verbally to all staff about the medicine books and how they are to be filled in correctly and if in doubt to please contact the manager or deputy to confirm. All staff have received the policy on medication administration. Medicine administration policy/procedure is available in each room. Safe Sleep: Individual Sleep checks will be completed. Safe sleep plans have been sent out to parents of children attending the Toddler Room. Rooms have a safe sleep procedure to refer back to in each sleep room
Regulation 25 — First aid
- (1) While it is acknowledged that there were three adults present during the inspection with First Aid Responder training, the roster indicated that there was no adult with in-date first aid responder training available to the children between 17:30 and 18:00 on 03 November 2025. This was confirmed by the person in charge
Provider's corrective action:
- A staff member with FAR training will be rostered each day to cover the opening and closing of the centre
Found compliant: Regulation 11.