Inspection of 24 October 2025 — Inspection Report
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: (1) In the fenced off swing area the wooden fence panels had exposed sharp edges and an exposed nail. This was accessible to the preschool children and may cause injury. (2) In the second outdoor area there was a damaged Wooden Bench. The bench has a hole and cracked wood, creating sharp edges and an exposed nail which may cause injury to a child.. (3) Broken decorative panel the yellow submarine-themed decorative board is chipped and broken at the edges, leaving sharp points that could cause injury to a children. Infection Control: (4) Children’s hands were not routinely washed after nappy changing, posing a risk of cross-infection, and staff were observed leaving aprons on after completing nappy changes, which could cause an infection control risk. Administration of Medication: (5) On discussion with staff, four children were identified to the inspector as requiring an individual care plan. It is acknowledged staff present were aware of each Childs requirements, however no documented care plans were available on the day of inspection. This could lead to risk of delay in appropriate medical treatment being given to a child. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety (1) Children’s access to the fenced-off swing area was restricted on identification of the hazard. Once the damaged fencing panels were replaced, the children regained access to the area. The damaged fence panels were replaced, and the outdoor risk assessment checklist was updated to include weekly inspection of all fencing to ensure early identification of hazards. All staff have been reminded to report any damage or safety concerns immediately to management. (2) The damaged wooden bench was removed from the second outdoor area. The area was checked for any loose nails or debris, and children regained access to the area once all was deemed safe. All staff have been reminded to report any sightings of damaged or broken equipment or outdoor furniture. The bench was removed from the area until the cracked wooden panel has been replaced. The outdoor risk assessment checklist has been updated to identify damage, wear and tear, or hazards such as cracks, splinters, and exposed fixings. In the staff meeting, staff were reminded to report any sightings of hazards immediately to management. Any equipment or furniture that appears to be damaged will be removed from use within the same day. (3) Upon identification of the hazard the play area was made inaccessible to the children, once the damaged yellow submarine-themed decorative panel was removed and the new fencing panels were fitted the children regained access to that section of the play area. The outdoor risk assessment checklist was updated to include the inspection of outdoor displays, fixtures, and decorative panels to identify signs of damage, chipping, or wear and tear. All staff have been informed to notify management of hazards identified, which will be responded to appropriately on the same working day. Infection Control: (4) Upon identification of the non-compliance, all staff were reminded of the service’s nappy changing procedure. Staff were made aware of the need to wash children’s hands with soap and warm water after each nappy change and were reminded to remove and dispose of aprons immediately after completing the nappy- changing process. The step-by-step nappy-changing procedure has been updated to highlight the need to wash children’s hands with soap and warm water after each nappy change and for staff to dispose of aprons after each nappy change. The updated step-by-step routine is now on display in the nappy changing area. Administration of Medication: (5) Following the inspection, individual care plans were completed and documented for all four identified children.Copies of each care plan were placed in the children’s individual files and placed on display in the communal.kitchen area where relevant medication is stored, and in the children’s individual care rooms. All staff were informed of the contents of each care plan, including medical needs, emergency procedures, and location of medication, during the staff meeting. Care plans will be reviewed at least every six months or immediately following any change in a child’s medical or care needs, as informed by parents. For all new children attending Little Meadows parents are asked to declare any medical or additional care needs on the child’s record form. This will trigger the need to complete an individual care plan before the child begins to attend the service
Regulation 24 — Checking in and out and record of attendance
- (1) On the day of inspection, the system for recording the arrival and departure of children was not maintained in real-time. At 1:42 p.m., the check-in-out log for the Busy Bees room indicated that three children were still on the premises, although they had departed at 12:30 p.m. Additionally, at 1:37 p.m. in the Montessori room, two children who had left for the day were not yet recorded as having checked out
Provider's corrective action:
- (1) Upon identification of the issue, the attendance records for both the Busy Bees and Montessori rooms were immediately updated to accurately reflect the children’s departure times. On the day of the inspection all staff on duty were reminded of the requirement to record arrivals and departures in real-time and the importance of maintaining accurate attendance records to ensure children’s safety and supervision. At the staff meeting we reinforced the importance of following the correct sign-in/sign-out system that is inplace and that it’s the staff’s responsibility to maintain the system.The room leader in each room will now monitor attendance records throughout the day by checking them in 3 intervals throughout the day. Morning, mid-day and evening
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 20, 21, 22, 27, 28.