Immediate action notice. An immediate action notice was issued to the registered provider in relation to a significant concern identified relating to Garda Vetting. A response which adequately mitigated the concern was received on 12 March 2026. Further details are available under Regulation 9.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
(2) (c) A garda vetting disclosure was not available for one adult who through discussion with staff had had been working in a supernumerary capacity in the care rooms for over two months. This posed a significant safeguarding risk. An immediate action notice was issued and a response which adequately mitigated the concern was received the following day. (3) The registered provider did not ensure the checks required under (2)(c) were completed prior to one adult commencing work placement in the service. This posed a safeguarding risk
Provider's corrective action:
(2) (c) The staff member was immediately removed from contact with children until Garda vetting was received. Since then, the Garda vetting was obtained and verified. Local management, together with the HR department, will ensure that all staff have completed Garda vetting before commencing employment with us. (3) A full audit of all staff files was completed to ensure all vetting documentation are in place and up to date. Monthly audits of staff files will be conducted by the Person in Charge (PIC). Local management, together with the HR department, will ensure that all staff have completed Garda vetting before commencing employment with the service
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. The kitchen area was not adequately secured to prevent access by children. The door was observed to be open throughout the morning. The kitchen area was located at the end of a passageway just off the main corridor of the service. It is acknowledged children were supervised when using this corridor. However, this posed a possible risk of children accessing hazardous items present in the kitchen. 2. There was documentary evidence to show that the outdoor play risk assessment was not completed prior to the children going outdoors to play on the day of the inspection. In addition, the first aid bag which was listed as part of the daily outdoor risk assessment to be brought outdoors was not present in the garden. This practice was at variance with the service risk management policy and posed a potential risk to children. 3. A music player with a trailing flex was observed to be positioned beside the sink in the Wobbler room. This posed a risk of injury as there were eleven children aged between 1 to 2 years present. It is acknowledged that there were staff present at all times in this room. 4. There was no documentary evidence to show that parents/guardians had been informed on the day of an accident/incident involving their child. From a sample of twenty accident and incident records reviewed sixteen did not include all details. Evidenced by the following. o Seven of these records did not include a parent/guardian signature and the date beside the signature was not completed. o Six of these records did not include a date beside the parent/guardian signature. o One of these records did not include the parent/guardian signature but had a date beside it. This posed a safety risk. It is important that parents/guardians are informed of any accident/incident relating to their child on the same day so they can monitor their child appropriately. A similar non- compliance was observed on the previous inspection, and the preventive action had not been sustained. Administration of Medication: 5. The service did not ensure the safe administration of medication. Evidenced by the following. o The prescribed emergency medication for one child was not in its original box stating the child’s name and dosage required. In addition, the documented care plan which outlined the procedures for the administration of this medication was not available in the care room where the child is mainly present. It is acknowledged the care plan was available in another care room. o The prescribed emergency medication for another child was not in its original box stating the child’s name and dosage required. There was a documented care plan available, however, this plan did not include clear instructions for staff to follow and safely administer the medication. o There were two care plans identifying different symptoms for one child with a medical condition. One of the care plans was an updated one. It is acknowledged that the primary room in which the child is mainly present had the updated version of the care plan. However, one of the care rooms had the two care plans on file. The previous version of the care plan needs to be removed to avoid any confusion in identifying symptoms. This was not in line with best practice and was at variance with the service administration of medication policy. This posed a risk of safety. Safe Sleep: 6. Sleep practices were not in line with current safe sleep guidance and were at variance with the service safe sleep policy. Evidenced by the following. o In the Wobbler cot sleep room, two cots with sleeping children aged 1 to 2 years were observed to have a toy present. o In the Wobbler cot sleep room, eleven children were observed to be monitored while sleeping at intervals of 10 minutes or less and staff were observed to record the breathing, position, and colour of the children. However, on review of the sleep records one child who was sleeping from 11:30am did not have a written sleep record at 12:14pm available. Fire Safety: 7. Attendance records were not maintained in a timely manner and posed a potential risk of hindering safe evacuation in the event of an emergency. Evidenced by the following: o Staff told the inspection team that there were seventeen children present in the Preschool 1 room at 10:10am. The electronic attendance record indicated the same number of children. However, when the inspectors carried out a physical count of the children there were sixteen children present. o The electronic attendance record in the preschool 3 room showed seven children present at 10:25am, however, there were nine children present. It is acknowledged the staff member in this room was aware of the correct number of children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. The Kitchen door was fitted with a safety gate and will be closed at all times. Daily checks will be carried out to ensure the safety gate is secure and the kitchen door remains closed, with clear procedures in place to support consistent adherence to safety practices. 2. Staff were reminded of the importance of completing a daily outdoor risk assessment prior to using the garden. First aid bags are placed at designated points and checked daily in line with our garden checklist, with an additional first aid box available on a designated shelf in the garden. Local management will ensure that all staff consistently complete outdoor risk assessment procedures prior to using the garden, and that first aid equipment is maintained, checked daily, and readily accessible at designated points in the garden. 3. The trailing flex from the music player has been removed, eliminating the identified risk in the Wobbler room. Local management will ensure regular room safety checks are carried out to identify and remove potential hazards, including trailing cables, and to maintain a safe environment for children at all times. 4. All accident and incident records were reviewed and updated, and staff were retrained on correct recording procedures and parent communication requirements. Local management will carry out regular audits of accident and incident records and ensure ongoing staff training to support consistent compliance with recording procedures and parent communication requirements. Administration of Medication: 5. All medication was checked and returned to original packaging where required. Care plans were updated to ensure all relevant information is included, obtained from parents, and placed in the correct rooms. Any outdated or duplicate care plans were removed. All staff have received refresher training on medication management procedures. All care plans will be reviewed quarterly with parents. Monthly medication compliance checks will be carried out in each room. Safe Sleep: 6. All items were removed from cots immediately. Staff were retrained on safe sleep practices and recording requirements. Sleep records were reviewed and corrected where possible. Local management will ensure ongoing adherence to safe sleep practices through regular monitoring of sleep checks and daily spot checks carried out by management, alongside continued staff training and record review procedures. Fire Safety: 7. Attendance procedures were reviewed immediately, staff were instructed to update records in real time, and live headcount checks were introduced at key times throughout the day. Local management will ensure attendance records are maintained accurately through regular audits, with real-time recording and scheduled headcount checks implemented consistently throughout the day
(2) (d) Police vetting was not available in respect of one adult who had lived in a country other than Ireland for more than six months as an adult. It is acknowledged this adult does not work directly with children. However, police vetting is required for all adults working within the service. This posed a safeguarding risk. (7) (a) Induction and supervision files were reviewed for a total of 18 staff members currently employed in the service. Ongoing staff supervision was reviewed for 14 staff who have worked in the service for a significant period of time and the following non-compliances were noted in relation to the supervision process which is at variance to the service policy; • Documentary evidence showed that one adult had not had supervision in line with the supervision policy. The last date of supervision was 4 months and 21 days ago. This is at variance with the supervision policy which states that “a supervision meeting will be scheduled once per term”. A similar non-compliance was observed on the previous inspection in March 2025, and the preventive action had not been sustained. • There was documentary evidence available that showed that one adult had not signed off on the supervision document. This is a variance with the supervision policy which states that “both the supervisor and supervisee sign the record to ensure that there is an accurate and fair refection of the discussion and decisions”. • A review of staff supervision records and conversations with staff indicated a need for staff training. Although some training had been provided, through discussion with staff it was evident additional training was required. This was at variance with the policy on managing behaviour which states “management is committed to supporting staff where challenging behaviour is displayed by offering mentoring, training and on-going support”. • A review of staff supervision records and conversations with staff indicated a need for additional support in two of the care rooms. There was no evidence to show that the additional support had been given to staff
Provider's corrective action:
(2) (d) Police vetting has been obtained. The service HR department has been tasked and is currently carrying out an audit for all staff files to ensure that all required documentation is available. Local and regional management will carry out spot checks to ensure compliance with all aspects of regulation 9. (7) (a) Records have now been brought up to date. Staff training has been carried out with staff in relation to indicted need for staff training. Staff have been advised to seek support from management where challenges occur. The regional manger has been tasked to provide mentoring and ongoing training support and to engage with staff on a regular basis to ensure that staff are provided with any support required. Training has been carried out with local management to ensure that they regularly interact with staff to identify when additional support is necessary
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(k) A sample of twenty accident and incident records were reviewed. Ten of the records were not complete. Evidenced by the following. o On one of the accident/incident records reviewed the date beside the parent’s signature was left blank and this record had not been signed by the staff member who completed it. o On one of the accident/incident records reviewed the date beside the parent’s signature and the date beside the staff signature were left blank. o On eight of the accident/incident records there was no evidence to show when the parent/guardian was informed of the day of the accident/ incident as the date section beside the parent’s signature section on the form had been left blank. It is important that staff complete all parts of the accident/incident records and that parents/guardians are informed of any incidents or accidents on the day, so that they can appropriately monitor their child
Provider's corrective action:
Staff have been reminded of the importance of completing accident and incident records in a timely and comprehensive manner and to ensure that parents sign and date the forms when presented to them. Regional and senior management during the course of their visits to the facility, will inspect accident and incident records to ensure compliance with regulation 16
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
(1) (b) Children observed to require additional support did not have comprehensive individual care plans available which outlined evidence of their strengths, challenges, or goals. A clear and detailed care plan would help inform and support staff to provide for the child’s developmental needs and to ensure their safety. o In Preschool 1 room there was no individual care plan available for one child who required extra support. A second child in this room who required extra support had an individual care plan. However, this plan was not fully completed and lacked essential details. o In Preschool 2 room staff were not aware of the individual care plan available for one child who through discussion with staff and documentary evidence showed signs requiring extra support around sensory seeking behaviour. It is acknowledged an individual care plan was found in another care room. However, it is important that the staff in the room where the child has transitioned to are aware of the individual care plan and are given a copy as part of the transitioning process to ensure the child receives the correct support. o In Preschool 3 room there was no individual care plan available for one child who through discussion with staff and documentary evidence required extra support. It is acknowledged that staff discussed how they had developed an individual care plan however on the day of the inspection this plan was unavailable as it had been forwarded to external agency. A similar non-compliance was observed on the previous inspection in March 2025, and the preventive actions had not been sustained
Provider's corrective action:
Individual care plans are now in place for each child requiring same. Staff have been reminded that the care plan should follow the child through their journey with Little Harvard and when they are transitioning into the care of other staff. All care plans will be kept up to date on an ongoing basis. Local, Regional and Senior Management will carry out regular inspections of care plans and training with staff, to ensure that care plans are being followed and maintained at all times
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. A night light with a trailing flex was observed to positioned beside a cot in the Wobbler sleep room at 1.28pm. This posed a risk of injury as there was a child aged between 12 to 18 months asleep in the cot positioned with in arms reach of the trailing wire. It is acknowledged that there was a staff member present at all times in the cot room. 2. A trailing flex from a lamp in Preschool 3 room was observed to be accessible to children at 2.26pm. this posed a risk of injury. 3. A cleaning agent which was placed on the shelf of the Preschool 3 room was observed to be accessible to children at 2.25pm. This posed a safety hazard. 4. The utility room which contained the service’s washing machine and detergents was observed to be accessible to the children between 1.02pm and 1.27pm due to the door being left open. This posed a risk of injury. Safe Sleep: 5. An ambient temperature of 18-22℃ was not maintained for sleeping children over one years of age in the Wobbler cot room. Temperatures were recorded at 24.2℃ at 12.06pm and at 23.2℃ at 1.30pm while children between the age of 12 to 18 months slept. In addition, a review of documentation showed that an ambient temperature of 18-22℃ had not been maintained in this cot room from the 9 July 2025 to the 17 July 2025 while children over one years of age slept. This posed a potential risk to the children
Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. The night light has been moved to a new location, and the trailing flex has been affixed to the wall. 2. The trailing flex has been affixed to the wall. 3. The cleaning agent has been removed and placed in an area which is not accessible to children. 4. A lock has been placed on the door and a notice instructing all staff to ensure that the door is kept closed at all times. Local management will conduct spot checks to ensure compliance with all aspects of Regulation 23. Safe Sleep: 5. A free-standing air conditioning unit has been placed in the room. The service maintenance staff have visited the premises and adjusted the air conditioning system to ensure that the correct temperature is maintained while children are sleeping in the room. Local management will conduct spot checks to ensure compliance with all aspects of Regulation 23
Regulation 27 — Supervision
The registered provider did not ensure that preschool children attending the service were adequately supervised at all times. A staff member was observed to conduct a nappy change leaving two children aged 2.5-3.5 years unsupervised in the care room. It is acknowledged that the sanitary area is located off the care room and the staff member had wedged the door open however supervision as per service policy should be conducted primarily by sight. There were two hazards observed in this care room which posed a potential risk to the children. These hazards were noted under regulation 23. It is also noted that the door handle was accessible to the children posing a potential risk that they could leave the room while unsupervised. Young children need to be visible at all times and should not be left unsupervised to ensure they are kept safe. A similar non-compliance was observed on the previous inspection in March 2025, and the preventive actions had not been sustained
Provider's corrective action:
Staf have been instructed to seek assistance from the manager when nappy changing is required. Management will assist during nappy changing times to ensure that children are not left unsupervised
Regulation 32 — Complaints
(2) (b) Documentation relating to the closure of one compliant was not available for review. A number of emails and a record of a phone call with the complainant were reviewed and management advised that the complaint was closed verbally during this phone call however there was no documentary evidence to show this. This is at variance with the service policy which states that complaint phone call conversations will be documented
Provider's corrective action:
(2) (b) The file concerned has been updated and a note made indicating how the complaint has been closed. Regional management will inspect the complaints files on a regular basis to ensure that they are being maintained in accordance with our policy
Immediate action notice. Immediate action notices were issued to the registered provider on 10 March 2025 in relation to concerns identified under Regulation 23, Safeguarding the Health, Welfare and Development of child. Responses which adequately addressed the concerns were received on 11 March 2025. Further details are available under Regulation 23.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
(7) There was documentary evidence available to show that the roll out of staff supervision was at variance with the service supervision policy. Evidenced by the following: • A sample of six staff files were reviewed as part of the inspection. There was documentary evidence to show that four of the six staff had not been provided with regular supervision meetings as per the service supervision policy
Provider's corrective action:
(7) A supervision meeting schedule has been created and implemented for all staff. Priority was given to staff members who had gone the longest without attending a supervision meeting. The Manager will take responsibility for ensuring supervision meetings are carried out as per the schedule, with records maintained and reviewed monthly. Compliance will be monitored through monthly audits of supervision records conducted by the senior management team
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
(1) (b) The registered provider did not ensure the care needs of the children were carried out in a promptly manner. Evidenced by the following: o Children were observed wearing outdoor clothing for example coats and hats in preparation to attend the garden at 11.33am however they remained in their care room wearing outdoor clothing and were observed to engage in a circle time activity. The children did not enter the garden until 11.47am. It was a warm day and the temperature in the room was recorded at 23.2. This did not support the comfort of the children and posed a risk of the children overheating. It is acknowledged one child was assisted to remove a coat
Provider's corrective action:
(1) (b) Staff were reminded of the importance of responding promptly to children’s comfort and well-being needs, including removing outdoor clothing when indoors. Staff have been retrained on practice guidelines for transitions between indoor and outdoor activities. Management will conduct regular spot-checks during the day to ensure compliance with all aspects of Regulation 19
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: The outdoor play area posed a significant risk to the safety of children. Evidenced by the following: 1. The coded lock was not working on the entrance gate to the outdoor play area making it accessible to unauthorised persons. This posed a safety risk. 2. Fragments of a broken plastic toy were found in the outdoor play area while children were present. The fragments were sharp and posed a risk of injury. 3. Gaps in the outdoor fencing resulted in discarded toys, rubbish and a bait box for rodents being accessible to the children who were present in the outdoor play area. This posed a risk of injury. An immediate action notice was issued in relation to points 1, 2 and 3 on the day of the inspection. A response was received by the person in charge on 11 March 2025 which mitigated these risks. 4. Cleaning agents were observed to be stored in a press with a broken safety lock under the sink in one of the care rooms. This posed a risk of injury to the children present. An immediate actions notice was issued. It is acknowledged that the person in charge took immediate action and removed the cleaning agents when the inspectors brought the identified risk to their attention. A response was also received by the person in charge on 11 March 2025 which mitigated this risk. 5. Two of the five Garda vetting disclosures reviewed were not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. This posed a safeguarding concern. 6. There was evidence that the ECCE garden area risk assessment had not been completed the week previous dated 3 March 2025. In addition, this room did not complete the garden risk assessment before going outdoors on the day of the inspection. This is at variance with information given to the inspectorate that garden checks would be completed prior to children going outdoors to play. Infection Control: 7. There was a sensory tray which was first observed to be stored in the sanitary area and then used a short time later for playing in one of the care rooms. This posed a risk of cross infection. Fire Safety: 8. The ECCE children’s attendance record book which details the children’s time of arrival and departure had not been completed on the day of the inspection. There was evidence to show that it had not been completed since 3 March 2025. This posed a risk of safe effective evacuation of children and staff in the event of an emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. The lock was immediately replaced as per immediate action notice reply. 2. The fragments of broken toys were removed immediately. Staff have been retrained on our outdoor play policy, emphasizing that children's safety is a priority. A comprehensive risk assessment of the outdoor play area must be conducted, ensuring adherence to our policy during all garden play activities. 3. Safety netting was attached to the panels of the fence to prevent children from reaching out for any objects placed outside the perimeter. 4. The press in the ECCE classroom has been rearranged to ensure all cleaning products are securely stored well out of children's reach. * In relation to point 1 to 4 local, regional and senior management will carry out frequent checks to ensure compliance with all aspects of regulation 23. 5. The two outstanding vetting applications were prioritised and submitted immediately. The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) and Senior Manager will conduct quarterly audits of vetting records to ensure ongoing compliance. 6. A refresher training session on completing risk assessments and maintaining accurate records has been conducted. Staff have been reminded of their responsibility to complete daily garden risk assessments before outdoor play. The Manager will conduct weekly audits to ensure compliance. Infection Control: 7. All staff were verbally reminded of appropriate storage practices. A targeted refresher training session on infection control and equipment storage was completed. Fire Safety: 8. All staff have been retrained on the fire safety procedure, with emphasis on real-time, accurate attendance recording for safe evacuation. Management will carry out checks daily and conduct weekly audits of attendance records
Regulation 27 — Supervision
The registered provider did not ensure that preschool children attending the service were supervised at all times. This was evidenced by the following: o At 11.57am two staff members were observed to be standing side by side in the outdoor play area and holding adult conversations. Due to the layout of the outdoor play area the two staff members did not have a full view of the children at all times. During this time the inspector observed one child become upset after been pushed by another child. The staff members did not witness this happen. Staff need to stand in a location where they can view the children and be able to step in and offer appropriate support where required. o At 12.45pm there was one adult in a care room caring for 5 children aged between 1 to 2 years. The adult was observed to take one child to have their nappy changed into the nappy changing area just off the care room. This meant that during this time there were four children in the care room that were not within her line of vision. It is acknowledged that the other staff member who had been carrying out sleep checks entered the room at 12.48pm. However young children need to be visible at all times and should not be left unsupervised to ensure they are kept safe
Provider's corrective action:
• Staff have been reminded of the importance to maintain active supervision of the children at all times, staff have been reminded that they should not congregate together and must ensure that the children are being closely supervised at all times. • Staff have been reminded that they should seek assistance in the room while carrying out nappy changing duties. Management will conduct regular supervision checks throughout the day to ensure adherence to correct procedures and compliance with all aspects of Regulation 27