Inspection of 11 November 2024 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. An Immediate Action notice was issued under
Regulation 8 — Notification of change in circumstances
- The service was found to be operating outside of its current registration status. The service is currently registered as a sessional service to provide care to 11 children aged 2-6 years between the hours of 9:30am-12:30pm. However, on inspection there were 3 children observed to be present between the hours of 12:30pm-1:30pm. An internal Tusla referral was made in relation to the service operating outside of its registered status
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider has stated that she will only operate the service between the hours of 9:30 -12:30 as per current registration, she will not allow children to stay beyond that time
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- The registered provider did not ensure the following: (2) (a) (b) 2 validated references were available for the person allocated by the registered provider to assist in the event of an emergency. (d) Documentary evidence to show that the person allocated by the registered provider to assist in the event of an emergency had not lived outside of the state for six months or more
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider has submitted 2 validated references and a CV for the person registered to assist in the event of an emergency. The documentation reviewed demonstrated that police vetting was not required for the person registered to assist in the event of an emergency
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- (1) (a) 1. The preschool room available to the children did not have adequate space for the 11 children who are registered to attend, see regulation 30 for further information. The size of the room impacted on children’s ability to move freely about the room. There were no designated interest areas and there no area where children could rest or take a break from activities. 2. The registered provider did not ensure the privacy and dignity of the children was considered, during a scheduled toilet time the door of the toilet was observed to be left open with children using the toilet while others washed their hands in close proximity. Children were also observed standing in the hallway outside the toilet door waiting to use the toilet
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The registered provider stated that she has changed the main care room from the room at the front of the house to the room at the back of the house. This will provide adequate space for the 11 children registered to attend. 2. The register provider stated that she will ensure that only one child uses the bathroom at any time, the door will be closed enough to ensure children’s privacy and dignity is considered
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: An Immediate Action notice was issued to the registered provider on the day of inspection in relation to a safety concern identified. Hand washing basins were not thermostatically controlled to ensure that hot water is no hotter than the recommended 43°C. The hot water temperature in the hand washing basin used by the children was recorded at 59.2 degrees which posed a risk of scalding for the children. It is acknowledged that the registered provider temporarily rectified the situation during the inspection. Infection Control: 1. The registered provider did not ensure that paper handtowels were available to support adequate hand hygiene. The use of a shared cloth towel was observed at handwashing time. This posed a risk of infection to children and was at variance with the service cleaning and hygiene policy which states that paper hand towels will be used. 2. The children’s lunch boxes containing lunch brought from home were not stored in a refrigerator on the day of inspection to prevent spoiling of perishable items for example yogurts, cheese and cold meats. All lunch boxes were stored in the hall area of the premises, this increases the risk of bacteria multiplying to levels which could cause illness to young children and is at variance with the services’ health eating policy which states that lunch boxes will be stored in the refrigerator. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: The register stated that she provider replaced the thermostat on the water heater. The registered provider has also stated that regular risk assessments will be carried out the ensure the water remains at the appropriate temperature. Corrective & Preventive Action Infection Control: The registered provider stated: 1. Paper towels will be used at all times during handwashing. The cloth towel has been removed from the bathroom. 2. The children’s lunch boxes will be removed from their bags on arrival and stored in the fridge
Regulation 30 — Minimum space requirements
- Adequate floor space was not available for the children attending the service. Eleven children are registered to attend daily, however the floor space available to the children in this room measured 13.8 sqm and provided enough space for a maximum of 7 children at any one time. It is acknowledged that the children had opportunity to use an area in the registered providers sitting room to the rear of the house from 10:43 until 11:05. Children returned to the room at the front of the house at 11:10 to eat their snack
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider stated that she has changed the main care room from the room at the front of the house to the room at the back of the house. This will provide adequate space for the 11 children registered to attend
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 25, 28.