# Laura's Childcare, Ennis — inspection reports and findings > Laura's Childcare (Ennis, Co. Clare): what Tusla inspections found — 7 published inspection(s), non-compliances and the provider's corrective actions. ## Laura's Childcare Sessional · 1 - 6 Years · Ennis, Clare · Tusla ID **TU2023CE001** · Registered since 25 July 2026 An inspection records what inspectors saw **on one day**; services respond with corrective actions — [how to read this](/methodology.md). #### Inspection of 5 February 2026 — Change in Circumstance Full report (PDF, Tusla) No non-compliance recorded in this report. #### Inspection of 20 January 2026 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) **Immediate action notice.** 20 January 2026 An Immediate Action Notice 1 (IAN) was issued to the registered provider to respond to a significant risk in relation to hot water that was not thermostatically controlled. The recorded high temperatures of 61.5˚ Celsius and 51.8˚ Celsius respectively posed a risk of a scald injury to a child. These temperatures were above the recommended safe temperature of 43˚ Celsius. Refer to ##### Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment - (a) (b) 1. A written reference with evidence of validation was not available in respect of one adult. 2. Two references from past employers in respect of one adult were not validated. 3. One reference from a source other than a past employer was not validated - Three adults were appointed and allowed access to the children attending the pre -school service prior to the required references and garda vetting being available and assessed by the service - Three adults working directly with the children attending the service did not hold a major award in Early childhood Care and Education at minimum of Level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications or a qualification deemed by the Minister to be equivalent. Not appropriately vetting staff or employing appropriately qualified staff may potentially impact the health and safety of children attending the service - The registered provider has validated all references for staff members and has submitted the validated references to the inspectorate. The service has a policy in place which covers all references being validated before someone is hired - The registered provider has validated all the references for staff members and ha s submitted the validated references to the inspectorate. The service has a policy in place which covers all references being validated before someone is hired. Two adults without the required qualification, will no longer work with the preschool children until their QQI Level 5 ECCE has been achieved. The third adult has achieved a QQI level 5 ECCE and this has now been added to the file. The registered provider stated that all staff employed will have an Early Childhood Care and Education QQI Level 5 ##### Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service - (h) An accurate written record of attendance of each pre-school child was not maintained: The arrival times of three pre-school children who were attending the Pre-school room were not recorded. This posed a risk in the event of a fire and the risk of impeding the safe evacuation of children - The registered provider stated the following: Corrective and Preventive Action - An accurate written record of attendance of each pre-school child was updated including the arrival and departure times for all children. Staff were informed of the importance of recording times to ensure the safety of the children in the event of a fire and safe evacuation of the children. The registered provider stated that the service will continue to record arrival and departure times for all children and carry out regular risk assessments to ensure the safety of the children ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Immediate Action Notice: 1. On the 20 January 2026 an Immediate Action Notice 1 was issued to the registered provider to respond to a significant risk found in relation to hot water that was not thermostatically controlled in the service. The recorded temperatures posed a risk of a scald injury to children. The hot water temperatures at the wash hand basins in the children’s sanitary facilities and the nappy changing facility were not thermostatically controlled. The recorded high temperatures of 61.5˚ Celsius and 51.8˚ Celsius respectively posed a risk of a scald injury to a child. These temperatures were above the recommended safe temperature of 43˚ Celsius. It is acknowledged the registered provider engaged a plumber to remedy this significant risk on the day however the water temperature at the wash hand basin in the nappy changing facility was recorded at a high temperature of 46 ˚ Celsius in the afternoon following the plumber’s intervention. General Safety: 2. Three trailing electrical cables were noted in the dual purpose sensory/sleep room adjacent to the Toddler room. Children were observed using this room throughout the day for sleep and play purposes. This posed a potential risk of strangulation. 3. Cleaning agents were not stored in a secured area out of reach of the children in the service. A large quantity of toxic cleaning agents, tins of paint and refuse sacs were accessible in an unlocked room which could be accessed by children while playing in the outdoor play area. This posed a potential safety risk should the children access this room. This was brought to the attention of staff and corrective action was taken to mitigate the risk following the inspection. 4. Handrails were not provided on the staircase leading to the first floor. This posed a safety risk to children and adults. 5. A pest control bait box was located on the floor in the dual purpose Sensory/Sleep room and accessible to children. This posed a potential risk of harm to children. Infection Control: This following posed a potential risk of cross infection and contamination: 6. Evidence of rodent activity such as rodent droppings and shredded toilet tissue were observed in the sanitary facility located in the unlocked outdoor room accessed from the outdoor play area. This was brought to the attention of staff and corrective action was taken to mitigate the risk following the inspection. 7. Play equipment was inappropriately stored in the nappy changing facility. A clothes rail with a large range of children’s dress up costumes was stored next to the waste disposal bin in the nappy changing facility. 8. The nappy changing room was used as a passageway by staff to access the Toddler room, the office and the school aged childcare room. Safe Sleep: 9. The ten-minute safe sleep observation records were not completed while five pre-school children slept between 12:00 and 13:00. The safe sleep observation record was completed retrospectively after the inspectors brought this to the attention of the adults. Fire Safety: 10. The bolt which secured the exit gate could not be opened. The posed a risk to both children and staff in the event of an emergency evacuation. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider stated the following: - Immediate Action Notice: 1. The Plumber revisited the premises and corrected the temperature controls and ensured that all hot water is now at the correct temperature. The water temperature check is included in the daily risk assessment. Regular staff meetings will take place to ensure that staff are aware and are checking the temperature. General Safety: 2. The trailing electrical cables were removed and are no longer a risk. A general safety check is included in the daily risk assessment to ensure that no cables are in reach of children. 3. Cleaning agents are stored in the shed out the back of the premises which is locked. Leaving the key for the shed in the kitchen and making sure in daily risk assessments that the shed is locked at all times. 4. A handrail was put up on the stairs. The registered provider will continue to risk assess. 5. Pest control visited the service and removed the bait box from the sleep room and did a full inspection of the premises. The service will continue to liaise with the pest control company. Infection Control: 6. The shed was given a deep clean the day after inspection and pest control company came visited the whole creche including the shed. There was no activity found in the shed. The service will continue to work with the pest control company and do anything they recommend. 7. Play equipment was removed from the nappy changing room. Staff were spoken to in relation to items being put in the nappy changing room. 8. The staff were spoken to about using an alternative passage to access the toddler room. Safe Sleep: 9. The service has purchased a sleep logbook with space for every child to be recorded every 10 minutes of sleep. The registered provider spoke to all staff members in relation to filling this book out as the children fall asleep and every 10 minutes thereafter. Fire Safety: 10. The registered provider got a new bolt for the gate, so it is now easily opened. This has now been added to the service’s daily risk assessment ##### Regulation 29 — Premises (c)(e) - The registered provider was found to be operating the service outside of its registration status and without prior approval of the Early Years Inspectorate as detailed below: • The service operated as a full day care service from 08:00 to 18:00 during the inspection . The service is registered to operate as a part-time service from 09:30 to 14:00. • Twenty-five pre-school children attended the service during the inspection. The service is registered to accommodate twenty-two pre-school children at any one time. • Seven pre-school children aged under two years were present. The service is registered to accommodate pre-school children ranging from two to six years. • Two early years rooms were in operation, a Toddler room and a Pre-school room. The service is registered to operate the Pre-school room only. An Immediate Action Notice 2 (IAN) was issued to the registered provider to respond to a risk identified in relation to the service operating outside its registration status without prior approval from the Early Years Inspectorate. The registered provider was operating the service from two rooms contrary to instructions issued by the local authority fire officer. Acknowledgments The inspectors wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the registered provider, the manager, staff and children who were present on the day of the inspection ##### Regulation 29 — Premises - (c) The service was not adequately heated and ventilated: 1. There was no ventilation in the nappy changing facility. A strong malodour of soiled nappies was noted in this room after nappy changes. 2. The ambient Toddler room temperatures were not adequately maintained within the recommended care room temperature range of 18 to 22 ° Celsius. In the morning the Toddler room temperature was recorded at 24.7 ° Celsius and in the afternoon the Toddler room temperature at 15.7 ° Celsius. (e) The service was not equipped with adequate and suitable sanitary facilities: 3. There were insufficient numbers of wash hand basins available in the nappy changing facility for the thirteen children who required nappy changes on the 20 January 2026. One wash hand basin was available for use in the nappy changing facility where two wash hand basins were required. 4. Cold water only was available at the wash hand basins in the children’s sanitary facilities and the nappy changing facility until 12:10 when the registered provider was requested to take actions - The registered provider stated the following: Corrective and Preventive Action (c) 1. Mechanical ventilation was added to the nappy changing room. 2. The service contacted the person who installed the heating system who showed the staff how to regulate the temperatures to keep it at a consistent temperature of 21 degrees Celsius. The registered provider will make sure that the mechanical ventilation is in working order, daily. The service has added this to our daily risk assessment to ensure the heating in all rooms is at a stable 21 degrees. (e) 3. There was another hand basin added into the nappy changing room. 4. All water in the sinks in the creche have now been adjusted to the correct temperatures. The service will ensure that the water in the second sink in the nappy room is at an adequate temperature this has now been added to our daily risk assessment Found compliant: Regulation 11, 19, 26. ### Earlier inspections - 30 June 2026 — Change in Circumstance - 22 October 2025 — Change in Circumstance · PDF - 20 November 2024 — Inspection Report · PDF - 19 August 2024 — Change in Circumstance · PDF - 16 October 2023 — Inspection Report · PDF ### Other services in Clare - [Leapfrog Creche & Montessori](/creche/leapfrog-creche-montessori-tuamgraney.md) Tuamgraney - [Lifford Childcare Centre](/creche/lifford-childcare-centre-ennis.md) Ennis - [Lissycasey Laugh and Learn](/creche/lissycasey-laugh-and-learn-ennis.md) Ennis - [Little Ducks Creche](/creche/little-ducks-creche-clarecastle.md) Clarecastle - [Mountshannon Childcare Centre](/creche/mountshannon-childcare-centre-mountshannon.md) Mountshannon - [Scribbles Preschool/Montessori](/creche/scribbles-preschool-montessori-ennis.md) Ennis - [Corofin Little Explorers Preschool](/creche/corofin-little-explorers-preschool-corofin.md) Corofin - [Tulla Community Preschool](/creche/tulla-community-preschool-tulla.md) Tulla - [Little Buds Pre-School](/creche/little-buds-pre-school-shannon.md) Shannon - [Mary K's Childcare Pre- School and Montessori](/creche/mary-k-s-childcare-pre-school-and-montessori-ennis.md) Ennis [Alert me when a new report is published](/help.md) · [Dated report on this service — €19](/report.md) --- Página: https://creche-inspection-reports.pages.dev/creche/laura-s-childcare-ennis/ Fonte: Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Recolha: 2026-09-11