There was evidence that the registered provider did not ensure that all staff were suitable and competent prior to employment as outlined: (2)(a) (b) There was only one reference available for one adult. A second reference was not available. This regulation was non-compliant on inspection on 12/06/2024. The corrective and preventive actions submitted following that inspection have not prevented the reoccurrence of the noncompliance under regulation 9 (2)(a) and (b). (2)(d) The registered provider had not sourced police vetting for one adult who has lived outside the Irish jurisdiction for six months or more as an adult as required. They did source a record of police vetting for one adult, on the day of inspection, however it could not be verified as it was not translated. This regulation was non- compliant on inspection on 12/06/2024. The corrective and preventive actions submitted following that inspection have not prevented the reoccurrence of the noncompliance under regulation 9 (2)(d). (3) There was no written evidence that references had been validated prior to the start date for one staff member. All required records were not available as detailed under regulation 9(2)(a)(b) and 9(4). This regulation was non-compliant on inspection on 12/06/2024. The corrective and preventive actions submitted following that inspection have not prevented the reoccurrence of the noncompliance under regulation 9 (3). (4) The registered provider did not ensure that one adult employed to work directly with the children in the service held at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework or a qualification deemed by the Minister to be equivalent. This regulation was non-compliant on inspection on 12/06/2024. The corrective and preventive actions submitted following that inspection have not prevented the reoccurrence of the noncompliance under regulation 9 (4)
Provider's corrective action:
2(a)(b) References with evidence of validation were submitted to the early years inspectorate. The service’s procedures have been reviewed and strengthened to ensure that all staff members have the required references and validation of those references prior to their start date at Little Apples Academy. 2(d) The required police vetting for the staff member who had lived outside the Irish jurisdiction for six months or more has now been sourced and verified. The document has been officially translated into English and is on file for future reference. (3) All references have been validated and there is written evidence of it. In the future we will maintain written records to confirm that all staff members have the required references, and they have been checked and validated prior to their start at Little Apples Academy. (4)Qualifications were provided the next day after the inspection. We understand that we were not able to provide the qualifications during the inspection. However, we revised the qualifications during the hiring process and had the opportunity to check that qualifications were in line with the National Qualifications Framework. We will ensure that all documents required are available for each staff member at Little Apples. Documents will be updated when applicable
Regulation 25 — First aid
(1) Discussion with staff and review of staff files highlighted that someone with First Aid Responder (FAR) training was not available at all times that the service is operating. The roster showed that no staff with FAR certification was going to be available between 17:00 -18:00hrs on the day of inspection
Provider's corrective action:
The service acknowledge the non-compliance and have revised the staff roster to ensure full FAR coverage during all operating hours. At the time of the inspection there was no FAR trained person from 17:00-18:00. The manager, who is FAR trained is now covering this hour. To ensure full compliance moving forward we have arranged for additional staff to undertake FAR training to provide adequate cover during staff absences or roster changes
Immediate action notice. An immediate action notice was issued to the registered provider on the 13th June 2024 following the inspection in respect of Regulation 9(2)(c), Garda Vetting. A Garda vetting disclosure had not been obtained for one adult who was engaged directly with the children in the service. A response was received from the service on the 13th June 2024 which sufficiently mitigated the risk identified.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
The registered provider did not ensure that each employee, unpaid worker and contractor is suitable and competent taking into consideration the nature of the needs of children as follows: (a) (b) There was no appropriate 2 nd verified reference available for one of the adults. The 2 nd reference on file was from the same source as the 1st reference. (c) There was no Garda Vetting disclosure available for an adult present on the day of inspection who was engaged directly with the children in the service. An immediate action notice was issued to the registered provider on the 13th June 2024. (d) - International police vetting documents available for 2 adults had not been translated by a verified translation service, therefore could not be verified. - There was no international police vetting available for one adult who required it
- A review of documentation evidenced the registered provider had not taken the required steps as outlined in Regulation 9(2)(a)(b)(c)(d) to ensure that new recruits were suitable and competent before allowing them access to children, as detailed above. - In addition to the non -compliances above, one Garda vetting document available for one staff member had not been retrieved prior to them commencing employment in the service. The staff member confimred they had commenced employment in the service on the 21 /2/24 and Garda vetting had not been obtained until the 1/3/24 by the registered provider. (4) There was no evidence available to show that 3 of the adults who work directly with the children in the service held a relevant major award in Early Childhood Care and Education on the National Framework of Qualifications. The corrective and preventive actions submitted by the registered provider following the last inspection of the service on the 21 st March 2023 did not prevent the re -occurrence of the non -compliances identified under Regulation 9(3) and Regulation 9(4)
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action
(a) (b) Second reference for the staff member has been obtained and verified. This is now on file and the double of the first reference has been taken out of the file. The managers and registered provider sat down and went through the staff file checklist and spoke about the importance of having each piece of information on file for all team members. (c) The immediate action notice was taken very seriously and dealt with straight away. To confirm, the staff member now has garda vetting for our setting for when they come back in September. In the team meeting with the managers, the providers spoke about the importance of everyone in the setting, whether they are only here 10 minutes or all day have to have Garda vetting. (d) The International police vetting documents are all on file and have been translated and verified by a translation service. The service has added a section in our personnel file checklist in case a translation is needed (3) The service understands the importance of garda vetting. The service policy is to garda vet at interview stage. Unfortunately, the staff members garda vetting was delayed this time and our staff member had left by the time it came through. This being said, the adult was never alone with the children, they were never part of that ratio. The service understands everyone has to have garda vetting to work with children and will ensure this does not happen again. (4) The staff members in question are known to the children and work in the service school aged care team. The service is currently recruiting and the centre manager is back to being out of her room due to term being finished. So, the service have a cover staff if needed who is qualified. The service will ensure holiday leave is taken throughout the year and not at an inconvenient time. The service will use a company for relief staff who are all qualified and garda vetted. Normally the service have a cover staff member but that week the service were caught off guard
Regulation 11 — Staffing levels
An adequate number of adults were not working directly with the pre-school children attending the service during the inspection as the minimum ratio of adults to children was not maintained at all times in the Montessori term time room and the Montessori full time room at times as outlined below
The registered provider did not ensure that the minimum ratio of adults to children was maintained in the service at all times throughout the inspection. An insufficient number of adults were available to the children attending on a full day and part time care basis in two care rooms at times as outlined below: Room name Number of staff Time Number & age of children Present Ratio of adult to child required Montessori term time room 1 12:00 to 12:50pm 11 (3+ years) 3 – 6 years = 1:8 Montessori full time room 2 12:30 – 12:40pm 20 (2 x 2years) (18 x 3+ years) 2 – 3 years = 1:6 3 – 6 years = 1:8
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The service understand they were out of ratio from 12 – 12.50pm and 12.30 to 12.40pm on the day of inspection. This is not the norm however the service was tight on staff that day. The service understand this is not acceptable and in the future will ensure to use an external staffing agency if they find themselves short on staff. The service is currently recruiting and the manager is back to covering when needed as their term time class is finished
Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child
3 of the records reviewed did not contain the required information outlined under Regulation 15(1) (h). One of the reviewed did not contain the information required under point (i)
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action The service have spoken about this in the managers meeting and have a new policy to give the form back to the parents the week before the child starts to fully complete the form/information missing
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. The service did not adhere to the re-vetting timeframes as outlined in the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice, requiring services to renew Garda vetting every three years. One staff member working in the service did not have a Garda Vetting disclosure which was dated within the last 3 years. 2. The kitchen door was open and accessible to children from the Pre-Montessori room who were accessing the bathroom alone during the inspection. A number of hazards were identified in the kitchen including a kettle, and a long cord off a vacuum cleaner which was hanging on the wall. Infection Control: Some practices observed were ineffective for infection control purposes, and posed the risk of cross contamination as outlined below; 3. The nappy changing practices observed during the inspection were inconsistent and at variance with the nappy changing policy in place as follows; - One staff member was observed changing 3 children’s nappies with no handwashing in between. - During nappy changing, staff members were observed to re-dress children wearing the soiled gloves used during the nappy changes. This poses a risk of cross contamination and spread of infection. - Two children’s nappies who were wet when changed were not cleaned by the staff member prior to a new nappy being applied. 4. The handwashing practices observed during the inspection were inconsistent and at variance with the handwashing policy in place as follows; - Some children’s hands were not washed after toileting. Staff members present in the toilet area did not prompt the children to handwash when finished. - Some children did not wash hands prior to eating dinner. This poses a risk of cross contamination and spread of infection. 5. A child in the Pre-Montessori room was observed drinking out of 3 other children’s beakers during the inspection. Staff members who took the beakers away made no attempt to clean them prior to handing them to other children to drink from posing a risk of cross contamination. 6. Perishable items contained in children’s lunches which were taken in from home were not re-frigerated prior to consumption which may pose a risk of gastrointestinal illness. 7. The nappy changing mat in use on the day of inspection was torn and internal foam was exposed meaning it could not be effectively cleaned to prevent cross contamination. 8. The wooden ledge under the handwash sink in the Pre-Montessori room had no lacquered surfacing. The unfinished wood was damp and malleable and could not be effectively cleaned. Administration of Medication: 9. A sample of medication records were reviewed in the service. The records reviewed evidenced that procedures being followed were at variance with the policy and associated procedures in place in the service as follows: - There was no documentation available on one of the records to indicate that consent had been given by children’s parents/guardians to administer the prescribed medication. - A number of records reviewed did not contain evidence that medications had been administered with a second staff member present to ensure the correct procedures and dose was administered. The corrective and preventive actions submitted by the registered provider following the last inspection of the service on the 21st March 2023 did not prevent the re-occurrence of the non-compliances identified under points 6, 8, and 9 above. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider submitted the following response:
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. Garda vetting has been renewed for the three staff. At the team meeting it was discussed that garda vetting needs to be renewed every three years. 2. The kitchen door was closed by the registered provider during the inspection as they noticed this that morning. It is normal practice to have the door closed at all times. A notice was put on the door to keep the door closed at all times. Infection Control: 3. All the team have since completed a nappy changing course online and the procedure was discussed in the team meeting. 4. This was spoken about during the team meeting and all the team signed the hand washing policy. The service bought hand washing packs with displays for all the rooms and this was spoken about with the children. 5. The service had a chat with all the children about drinking out of their own cups and not using other children’s. 6. All the children’s snacks in the morning get put into fridge containers and popped into the fridge. 7. The nappy mat has been replaced and the service have a spare one in storage. 8. The wooden ledge has been removed from the sink and the whole area has been replaced with tile. The service have included all of the above in the team meeting and all the team have signed that they understand the importance of proper nappy changing, hand washing for the team and the children, health and safety/cross contamination of water cups. Administration of Medication: 9. The service has consent for that child now to give medical treatment if needed. The providers have spoken with the team to the importance of witnessing medicine if given to the children. The service held a team meeting and spoke about the importance of following up on documentation, medical or otherwise. How it is very important to have a witness when administering medicine to a child