Inspection of 24 September 2025 — Inspection Report
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- 1. The privacy and dignity of the children were not respected on the day of inspection. The inspector observed four children and one staff member in the bathroom. One of the children’s nappies was being changed while another child was using the bathroom. Two other children were waiting to be changed. Staff informed the inspector that the usual practice is to bring three children at a time to the bathroom. This is in contradiction to the services toileting policy where it states that children’s privacy is always respected
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Going forward only one child will be brought by a staff member at a time to be changed or to use the toilet to protect their privacy. I have had a staff meeting so all staff are aware of the toileting policy and have read and signed it
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
- (b) The baby room had a noticeably limited range of materials available for the children. There were few resources to support sensory exploration, physical development, or imaginative play. This lack of variety may have restricted opportunities for engagement and stimulation appropriate to the developmental needs of the age group
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. I have purchased all new toys for the baby room to support the children’s variety for sensory and exploration. I will check toys regularly to make sure the children’s play needs are being met
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. The blinds in both the baby sleep room and the toddler/preschool room were not securely fixed to the wall. While the blind cords were out of reach of children, they had not been secured as required to eliminate potential safety risks. 2. A one-year-old child was observed being fed while seated in a tilted baby rocker rather than in a highchair, which does not comply with the required feeding practices for children of that age. 3. A plug socket accessible to preschool children in the baby room was observed without the required safety covering, presenting a potential hazard. 4. Low hanging wires were accessible to children from baby monitor equipment in the baby room. 5. In the baby room bathroom, the pipes to the boiler were exposed and accessible to the preschool children. 6. The flooring in the toddler room was worn and had visible holes, creating a potential trip hazard. 7. Several items in the baby/toddler outdoor area were in poor condition and required replacement. Two slides were cracked and broken, exposing sharp plastic edges, and had been temporarily held together with masking tape, posing a safety risk. Additionally, a basketball hoop had a large hole at the top. 8. A fence panel accessible to preschool children was broken, with exposed sharp edges, posing a potential safety hazard in the outdoor area. 9. Several items in the preschool children's outdoor area required replacement. The mud kitchen had eroded wooden sections with sharp edges exposed, posing a safety risk to children. 10. Two trampolines were observed to be in use in the preschool room which are prohibited as they were not prescribed as a therapeutic intervention for a child in attendance. 11. A rodent box accessible to the preschool children was observed in the Preschool toddler room. 12. The sand pit in the outdoor area was left uncovered when not in use, posing as a risk of infection should vermin access it. Infection Control: 13. There was no warm water in the baby changing unit as the boiler had broken, children were observed washing their hands at 11.41 with a water temperature of 12.7◦. 14. Children’s hands were not routinely washed before food or after outside play. Staff were observed cleaning children’s hands with baby wipes. 15. Foot operated pedal bins were not in operation in all the preschool bathrooms or preschool rooms; staff were observed using their hands to open and close flip top bins. 16. On the day of inspection, after nappy changing, the hands of the babies were observed to be not consistently washed, posing a risk of infection. 17. Aprons were observed not to be removed after disposing of an unclean nappy, and prior to moving onto the next care activity of placing on a clean nappy, followed with redressing the child. This could lead to a risk of cross infection. 18. In the baby room, mattresses did not have waterproof coverings as required, and one mattress was visibly discoloured. 19. Soothers were not routinely cleaned before use. The inspector was informed that children bring their soothers daily in their bags. Soothers were observed being taken directly from changing bags without covers, handed to children from a shelf, and used outdoors Safe Sleep: 20. A child aged 15months was observed being put to sleep in a baby rocker, this is contradiction to the service safe sleep policy where it states that all children under the age of two will have access to a cot. 21. Staff were checking and recording children's sleep every 15 minutes, which is not in line with the service’s own Safe Sleep Policy that states children should be checked every 10 minutes. Fire Safety: 22. Documentation reviewed during the inspection evidenced that preschool children were not consistently checked in and out of the service as required. At 11:23 on the day of inspection, no sign-in was available for any of the children in the Preschool room. The absence of accurate check-in and check-out practices may hinder the safe evacuation of children in the event of an emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. The blinds are kept pulled up at all times with all cords secured out of sight. This ensures no cords are ever visible or accessible to children. 2. Children are no longer fed in tilted chairs; all feedings now take place in upright highchairs. I have held a staff meeting to ensure the team understands the importance of safe feeding practices for children of this age. 3. All plug sockets have been fitted with the correct safety covers. We have added a regular socket check to our safety routine to ensure they stay in place. 4. All wires are no longer accessible to the children. 5. All exposed pipes have been permanently boxed in and covered so they are no longer accessible to the children. 6. All flooring throughout the rooms has been newly replaced to ensure there are no holes or trip hazards. We will replace any section of flooring immediately if a hole appears in the future. 7. The two slides and the basketball hoop have been replaced with brand-new equipment. We will carry out regular checks on all outdoor equipment to monitor for any damages. 8. The fence panel has been fixed and sanded to remove any sharp edges. The outdoor area will now be checked daily for any damage to the perimeter. 9. All items, including the mud kitchen, have been removed from the outdoor area to clear the space. We will check the area regularly and replace play items immediately as needed. 10. I have put individual equipment use plans in place for the trampolines, which were recommended by an audiologist to help calm specific children. These are stored out of reach, and we now require a signed parental consent form before any child uses them. 11. The rodent box has been moved to a new location that is completely out of reach of the children. It is checked by staff every morning before the children enters the room. 12. The sandpit is now covered after every use. A staff member also checks the sand for any vermin or debris before the children are allowed to play in it. Infection Control: 13. The boiler has been repaired to ensure warm water is available at all times. We now take a water temperature reading every morning to make sure it is working correctly. 14. All children's hands are washed with water after play and before eating. Staff will adhere to the handwashing policy at all times, and the policy is clearly displayed in the rooms. 15. All bins have been replaced with foot-pedal bins in all rooms. Only pedal-operated bins will be used throughout the service to maintain hygiene. 16. Children and babies will have their hands washed after every nappy change. Staff will follow the handwashing policy at all times, which is clearly displayed in the changing areas. 17. Disposable aprons will be removed and binned after every nappy change, before a fresh nappy is applied or the child is dressed. Staff have refreshed their training on nappy-changing procedures to ensure this is followed every time. 18. All mattresses have been fitted with waterproof protectors. These are checked frequently before use to ensure they remain in good condition and that the mattresses stay protected. 19. Soothers are now stored individually in their own containers on the shelf or in the child’s bag. They are sterilized before every use. Children are only given a soother if it has come from a clean container and has been sterilized before use. Safe Sleep: 20. Children are no longer put to sleep in baby rockers; all children are now placed in a suitable bed or cot for sleep. Staff have been briefed on the safe sleep policy, which includes checking on children every 10 minutes. The safe sleep policy is also clearly displayed for staff to reference. 21. Staff have been made aware of the safe sleep policy and children are checked every 10 mins in Ine with the policy. The safe sleep policy is on display. Fire Safety: 22. Children are checked in and out, and this is recorded daily. All children must be checked in and signed for before each session begins
Regulation 29 — Premises
- (d)The physical condition of the building required attention. Areas identified included: • Exposed electrical wires in the preschool/toddler room. • Internal walls that required repainting
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. All the wires have been removed the room will be freshly painted Walls will be painted when needed and all wires will be removed if visible
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 25, 26, 28.