(a) (b) • There were no written and validated references available for two adults who had recently begun working in the service. • Documentary evidence indicated that two adults did not have their second reference validated. (d) Police vetting was not available for two adults who had lived outside of the State for a period of more than six months as adults. (3) Documentation reviewed provided evidence that the procedures specified under Regulation 9(2) had not been carried out prior to the adults commencing employment in the service, as detailed above under (2)(a)(b) and as follows: • Two adults commenced employment without having their second references validated. • There were no written and validated references available for two adults. • Validation of the second references for two staff members was completed after they had begun working in the service. • Documentary evidence indicated one adult had commenced employment in the service prior to receipt of Garda vetting. • Police vetting was not obtained for two adults working directly with the children. (4) One adult employed to work directly with the children did not hold the minimum required qualification
Provider's corrective action:
(a) (b) • The registered provider has confirmed that both adults are no longer working in the service. • Validation of references has been obtained for the two adults. Going forward, yearly audits will be carried out on all staff files. The manager and assistant manager will verify that a file is complete prior to filing it away when a new staff member is employed. (d) Police vetting has been obtained for one of the adults. The second adult will not work in the service until Police vetting is available. A meeting was held with management to ensure that, in future, all required paperwork is made available for any adult commencing work in the service. (3) Going forward visual aids will be used to signal any incomplete sections of the HR files, and management will ensure all adults have a complete file before they commence work in the service. (4) The adult has submitted all of their modules for QQI evaluation, is awaiting their results, and will only work in the school age service until the required qualification has been obtained. In future, only fully qualified staff will be offered employment in Little Gems Childcare
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
During the inspection, it was observed that at 12.10pm, during the transition from the outdoor area to the care room, three children had their outer clothing removed and were left wearing only their vests. The external door to the care room remained for the duration of this period. Children were seated at tables positioned next to the open doorway, which was not closed until 12. 18pm.This practice compromised the health and wellbeing of the children
Provider's corrective action:
The care room has been rearranged, and the tables are no longer positioned near the doors or windows. Children will remain fully dressed for mealtimes going forward. The temperature of the room will be considered when removing children’s outer clothing in preparation for sleep. In addition, a meeting was held with staff to discuss transitions from outdoors to indoors, mealtimes, sleep time preparation, and Tusla guidance on keeping children safe and comfortable indoors and outdoors in all weathers
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Safety measures had not been implemented for the windows in the Toddler room. It was observed that the window did not have restrictors fitted, posing a safety risk to children. Safe Sleep: 2. The bed provided for one of the children did not meet safe sleep requirements for the child’s age. A child under the age of two was observed sleeping on a low-level stackable bed. This practice poses a risk to the child’s safety and does not align with current safe sleep guidance. The inspectors acknowledge that a sleep plan was available for the child. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. New window restrictor locks have been purchased and installed on the Toddler room window. Going forward, risk assessments will be carried out to monitor the maintenance of the locks. Safe Sleep: 2. The registered provider has purchased age-appropriate beds, and a room meeting was held to review the safe sleep policy. Policies will be reviewed at staff meetings going forward to ensure all staff are reminded of the policy requirements
2 (a) & (b) Two validated references were not available from either a past employer or a source other than a past employer in respect of one adult
Provider's corrective action:
(a) & (b) Two validated references are now available for this member of staff. Yearly audit of all staff HR files. • Manager and Assistant manager to verify a file is complete when new staff member is employed. • HR file for new member of staff should not be filed away until complete and verified. • Visual aid such as a sticker/post-it, put on front of file which should not be removed until file is complete
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Children were not recorded accurately in three different rooms of the service which is a safety risk in the event of an emergency as evidenced below: • In the Toddler room at 10:17am, one child was present but was not recorded as being present. • In the Toddler room at 10.17am, a second child who was recorded as being present, was also recorded as having left the service at 5.50pm later this evening. • In the Playgroup room at 12.24pm, eleven children were marked in as present but only eight children were in the room. Three children had left the service but had not been recorded as having left. • In Playgroup 2 at 12:53pm, one child was recorded as having left the service at 12:15 pm but was still present. Staff confirmed this child will be recorded in the next session when another staff member comes in at 1.30pm. 2. Heavy furniture was not secured in the Baby and Toddler rooms. The inspectors observed unsecured, tall, heavy shelving units in both rooms posing a risk of tipping and injury. 3. Hazardous items were not secured out of reach of children, posing a risk of injury if accessed. The inspectors observed the following: • A kettle that was hot to touch on the countertop of the area used by the children from the Pre-school 2 to access the sanitary facilities. • An aerosol and sterilising fluid in an open box on the floor of sanitary area used by children from the Toddler room. • Cleaning spray on the windowsill in the sanitary area used by the children from the Playgroup room. • A large quantity of alcohol hand gel in a low-level unsecured cupboard in the sanitary area used by the children from Pre-school 1. • Loose cables from air filtering machines on the floor of each care room. • Medication stored in a child’s bag in the Baby room. • Bottles of medication stored in an unsecured fridge in the Baby room. Infection Control: 4. Handwashing did not occur at required times posing a risk of infection spreading within the service. The inspectors observed the following: • Children in the Baby room did not have their hands washed before eating. • Children from Preschool 2 left the sanitary area after using the toilet without washing their hands or being reminded by staff to do so. • Staff wiped children’s noses in the Baby and Preschool 1 rooms without washing their hands afterwards. • Staff gave children tissue to wipe their noses in Pre-school 2 but the children were not reminded to wash their hands afterwards. 5. Facilities for drying children’s and adult’s hands after handwashing were not adequately provided, posing a risk of infection spreading. The inspectors observed the following: • The paper towel dispenser at the wash-hand basin in one of the sanitary areas used by children from Pre- school 2 was missing from the wall mount. • The paper towel dispenser at the wash-hand basin in the second sanitary area used by the children from Pre-school 2 was empty throughout the inspection. The paper towels were stored on the windowsill. • There were no facilities for hand drying in the kitchenette within Pre-school 2 where staff prepared food for the children. The inspector observed a staff member entering the sanitary facilities to dry their hands after handwashing. 6. Items for use within the preschool rooms were stored in the sanitary areas posing a risk of cross contamination. The inspectors observed the following: • A bed, art materials, a child’s umbrella and highchairs used by the children attending the Baby room to eat their meals were stored in the nappy changing room. • Art materials were stored in the sanitary facilities used by the children from Pre-school 1 and the Playgroup room. Art materials from the Playgroup room were stored on the nappy-changing unit. 7. The nappy changing mat used by the children from the Baby room could not be cleaned effectively, posing a risk of cross contamination. Inspectors observed a large tear in the mat with the inner foam exposed. 8. There was no toilet paper holder available in the toilet facility used by the children from Pre-school 1. Inspectors observed the roll of toilet paper stored on the floor posing a risk of cross contamination. 9. Children’s soothers were not stored appropriately posing a risk of cross infection. Individual containers were not available. The inspector observed unlabelled soothers stored collectively in one container in the Baby room. A soother was observed being placed on a shelf when not in use. 10. Waste was not appropriately managed posing a risk of infection spreading within the service. The inspectors observed the following: • The pedal on the lidded bins in the sanitary areas used by the children in Pre-school rooms 1 and 2 were not working. The lids of the bins could only be lifted by handling. • There was no bag in the bin used by the staff and children in Preschool 2 to dispose of general waste including used tissues and food. Children were observed entering the sanitary area to dispose of food waste whilst handling the lid of the bin. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. Child attendance books, previously kept in manager’s office have been issued to each room. Staff now complete these books themselves instead of using attendance sheets. New attendance books are now in place in Baby and Toddler rooms. Meeting with all staff on the importance of completing these attendance books and a reminder as to the importance of the actual purpose of these attendance books regarding child safety and security and not for financial records. Going forward management will focus on governance and vigilance, i.e. attendance books will be inspected by management at random times to ensure that they are completed correctly and reflect the actual presence of children in the childcare room. 2. The shelving unit in the Baby room has been secured to the wall. Staff meeting to remind staff of the importance of risk assessments and safety in childcare settings. Governance and vigilance by management to ensure rooms are set up in a safe and secure way. Management needs to regularly inspect rooms and furniture to ensure children are in a safe and secure environment. 3. Kettle has been removed from Pre-school 2. Box has been removed from the sanitary area in the Toddler room and a new shelf has been fitted for storage of any cleaning solutions. Cleaning spray removed from the windowsill in the sanitary area. Alcohol hand gel removed and disposed of. Existing safety lock present on this unit replaced with a more user- friendly lock. Filtering units have been removed from all childcare rooms. Safe storage of medications. Staff were re-issued with Little Gems Health and Safety Policy and Administration of medication policy which includes reference to safe storage of medications. Staff meeting to discuss the importance of; • Safety in childcare rooms and sanitary areas. • safe storage of cleaning and sterilising solutions. • Importance of vigilant use of safety locks on fridges and units where any unsafe solutions are stored. Management needs to have a stronger role in ensuring the implementation of existing policies. When staff review policies, management need to actively ensure that the policy is then followed in reality in each of the childcare rooms. Going forward management will inspect all childcare rooms on a daily basis to ensure that correct procedures are followed regarding all childcare policies. Infection Control: 4. Staff meeting to discuss infection control within the childcare setting. The importance of hand washing for both staff and children emphasised. Reintroduction of facecloths into the Baby room to help with handwashing of baby’s hands before and after meals. Review by staff of Infection control policy. Active role by management to ensure effective implementation of existing policies. In addition to daily inspection of childcare rooms, random inspection of rooms to observe meal-time procedures and handwashing routines after toileting and personal hygiene. 5. New paper towel dispenser has been purchased and awaiting delivery for installation in sanitary area in Pre-School 2. New paper towel dispenser purchased and awaiting delivery for installation in kitchenette area of Pre-school 2 area. Staff meeting to remind staff of existing check sheets which exist to remind staff to fill all paper towel dispensers at the end of each working day in preparation for the next working. At present daily risk assessments are completed in each childcare room by staff. Management needs to ensure that staff are not completing lists without actually checking the area they are assessing. i.e. automatically ticking lists without completing the task. The only way to prevent and ensure this is not happening is for management to inspect room check lists and confirm that it is completed correctly. 6. All items, (bed, art material, child’s umbrella and highchairs) have been removed from the Baby room changing area. Art materials removed from all sanitary areas associated with all childcare rooms. New notices placed in all sanitary areas reminding staff that no art material is allowed in sanitary area. Staff meeting to discuss infection control and the risk of cross contamination in sanitary areas used by children and staff. 7. The nappy changing unit in Baby room sanitary area has been removed and replaced by a new unit. 8. New toilet paper holder has been purchased and installed in toilet area of sanitary area used by Pre- school 1 children. 9. New containers purchased and labelled with individual children’s names for the storage of soothers. 10. New waste bins purchased and installed in relevant childcare rooms. Waste bins inspected in rooms and where appropriate bin lids were correctly attached to bins so that the pedal bins work correctly. Management to inspect sanitary areas on a daily basis to ensure no artwork or any other inappropriate items are being stored in sanitary areas. As part of daily inspections of sanitary areas nappy changing units will also be inspected to ensure units are fit for purpose. Management must ensure room check lists carried out by staff match what is actually happening in the room