There were two references available on file for one staff member which were not validated. All written references for staff working directly with the children are required to be validated before staff commence working in the service
Provider's corrective action:
The references are now validated and available on file in the service. There is now a template in place to ensure all required documents are in place in the service prior to staff commencing work in the service
Regulation 10 — Policies, procedures etc. of pre-school service
The healthy eating policy had not been updated and did not contain the measures to ensure that sufficient, suitable and nutritious food and drink were available to each child depending on their age, development needs and specific dietary, cultural or religious requirements. For example, the policy did not contain the number of snacks and hot meals required for parents to provide for children who were attending the service on a full times basis. This non-compliance was found on the previous inspection in March 2025 and has not been rectified since the last inspection. A corrective and preventive response was submitted to the inspector following the last inspection. Despite this submission it has not prevented a recurrence of the non-compliance
Provider's corrective action:
There is now a healthy eating policy in place in the service. The policy has been shared with parents. The service will continue to encourage parents to provide healthy choices of food for their children
Regulation 17 — Information for parents
There was no system in place to inform parents of a child proposing to attend the service to provide information on subparagraphs (a) to (g) of Regulation 16(1). There was no handbook or alternate electronic system in place to share this information with parents. Services are required to provide information for parents including the details of the class of service, the age profile of children for which the service is registered for, details of the adult child ratios in the service and the type of care programme provided in the service. There was no evidence available that the policies procedures and statements of the service are shared with parents. It is acknowledged the provider stated that parents were informed informally of the information required to register their child in the service. The information on the running of the service was given informally at drop off and collection
Provider's corrective action:
There is now an information booklet available for parents who are proposing to send their children to the service. This booklet contains information for parents including the ethos, opening times and funding schemes available
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
There was no rest area available in the classroom for children to rest if they were tired
Provider's corrective action:
The rest area has been reinstated in the preschool room
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
There was one child attending on a full day care basis. They had their main meal at 12:30. They had a meal consisting of cold pasta with cheese. National standards for preschools require services to provide a hot meal to children attending on a full day care basis. This meal should consist of food from three food groups. For example, rice / potato / pasta, with a vegetable /salad, and a protein such as meat, fish, eggs, or beans
There was a child attending on a part time basis who was given a snack at 12:30 consisting of dry crackers and juice to drink. This snack was not sufficient to meet their nutritional needs as children attending on a part time basis are required to have a snack consisting of food from 2 food groups
The children were observed to drink a high quantity of juice on the day of the inspection. This practice posed a risk of tooth decay for the children
Provider's corrective action:
1.2. There is now a healthy eating policy in place which has been shared with the parents. The service will continue to encourage parents to provide healthy choices of food for their children. Information leaflets have been displayed in the service and shared with parents via the mobile phone application in place in the service
The service will continue to encourage milk or water as the main drink served to children in the service
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
The front door was open on arrival of the inspector. This posed a risk of unauthorised people entering the service and children leaving the service unsupervised
Perishable foods provided by parents were not stored in the fridge. This measure is required to prevent cross infection in the service. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
The unlocked door was an error on the day. Staff now ensure the door remains locked and is checked during the time the children are in the service
The healthy eating policy states staff will store perishable food in a cool designated area on the arrival of the children
Regulation 25 — First aid
On arrival to the service at 10:15 there was no staff member trained in a first aid responder course available to the children
Provider's corrective action:
There are 2 staff members trained in a first aid responder course working in the service. This number is sufficent to cover the rota in the service
One staff member had two written references on file in the service which were not validated. All references available on file in the service should be validated
Provider's corrective action:
The inspector received evidence of two validated references available on file in the service for the staff member
Regulation 10 — Policies, procedures etc. of pre-school service
The healthy eating policy did not contain the detail of the national standards of healthy food required for parents to provide to children attending the service. For example, the policy did not contain the number of snacks and hot meals required for parents to provide for children who were attending the service on a full times basis. The policy did not set out the measures to ensure that sufficient, suitable and nutritious food was available to children. Day 2 The Healthy eating policy has not been updated
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider has stated that the healthy eating policy will be updated to include the nutritional requirements for children attending the service as sessional, parttime and full day care
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
(b) There was no rest area in the room for children to rest on during the day
Provider's corrective action:
The rest area has been reinstated in the service. The registered provider will ensure the rest area is available to the children always attending the service
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
1 The inspector observed that some of the foods available to the children were high in sugar or salt and inadequate to meet nutritional requirements for a full day care setting. As evidenced by the following observations on the day of inspection
The morning snack was observed by the inspector. Many of the children had large bottles of juice to drink. Juice drinks are not recommended in preschool services as they can cause tooth decay in children
Children had chocolate spread sandwiches, chocolate croissants, chocolate rice cakes and crisps at snack time
The children who were attending the full day care service were served their main meal at 12.30pm. One child had a roll with butter and juice to drink. Another child had chocolate biscuits, crackers and juice. National standards for preschools require services to provide a hot meal to children attending on a full day care basis. This meal should consist of food from three food groups. For example, rice / potato / pasta, with a vegetable /salad, and a protein such as meat, fish, eggs, or beans
Provider's corrective action:
1,2,3,4. Parents were made aware once again national healthy eating standards and asked to ensure healthy food and drinks were provided for snack time. The service has asked parents that children attending school for full daycare be provided with two healthy snacks and one hot meal. The service aims to help and guide parents with this ongoing issue. Leaflets were shared and put on the notice board in the service. Suggestions have been shared with parents on healthy snacks and meals
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
Garda vetting disclosures had been obtained for all staff. However, the service did not adhere to the revetting time frames for one staff member. Day 2 There was no evidence available that renewed garda vetting had been applied for the staff member. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider has stated the staff member is no longer working in the service
Regulation 25 — First aid
Day 1 There was no staff member trained in a First Aid Responder course employed in the service. It is acknowledged both staff members who were present on the day were trained in paediatric first aid. Day 2 There was still no staff member available to the children who was trained in a first aid responder course. There was evidence that the registered provider had attended the online component of a first aid responder course. Following day 2 of the inspection the inspector received evidence that the registered provider and staff member had attended and achieved a certificate in a first aid responder course on the 1 March 2025
Provider's corrective action:
The two staff in the service are now trained in a first aid responder course
Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures
Day 1 There was no record of the annual maintenance of the firefighting equipment or smoke alarm in the service. Day 2 There was no evidence of the annual maintenance of the smoke alarm in the service. A referral was sent to the fire officer on the 13 March 2025. The registered provider stated the smoke alarm had been reviewed by a competent professional since the last inspection on 23 October 2024. However, that person was unable to supply an annual maintence certificate for the smoke alarm in the service. The fire officer has reviewed the smoke alarm in the service on the 4 April 2025 and recommended works to be carried out
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider has sent a statement declaring a competent professional has been employed to carry out the work recommended by the fire officer in June 2025 when the service is closed
One staff member had two written references on file in the service which were not validated. All references available on file in the service should be validated
Provider's corrective action:
The inspector received evidence of two validated references available on file in the service for the staff member
Regulation 10 — Policies, procedures etc. of pre-school service
The healthy eating policy did not contain the detail of the national standards of healthy food required for parents to provide to children attending the service. For example, the policy did not contain the number of snacks and hot meals required for parents to provide for children who were attending the service on a full times basis. The policy did not set out the measures to ensure that sufficient, suitable and nutritious food was available to children. Day 2 The Healthy eating policy has not been updated
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider has stated that the healthy eating policy will be updated to include the nutritional requirements for children attending the service as sessional, parttime and full day care
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
(b) There was no rest area in the room for children to rest on during the day
Provider's corrective action:
The rest area has been reinstated in the service. The registered provider will ensure the rest area is available to the children always attending the service
Regulation 22 — Food and drink
1 The inspector observed that some of the foods available to the children were high in sugar or salt and inadequate to meet nutritional requirements for a full day care setting. As evidenced by the following observations on the day of inspection
The morning snack was observed by the inspector. Many of the children had large bottles of juice to drink. Juice drinks are not recommended in preschool services as they can cause tooth decay in children
Children had chocolate spread sandwiches, chocolate croissants, chocolate rice cakes and crisps at snack time
The children who were attending the full day care service were served their main meal at 12.30pm. One child had a roll with butter and juice to drink. Another child had chocolate biscuits, crackers and juice. National standards for preschools require services to provide a hot meal to children attending on a full day care basis. This meal should consist of food from three food groups. For example, rice / potato / pasta, with a vegetable /salad, and a protein such as meat, fish, eggs, or beans
Provider's corrective action:
1,2,3,4. Parents were made aware once again national healthy eating standards and asked to ensure healthy food and drinks were provided for snack time. The service has asked parents that children attending school for full daycare be provided with two healthy snacks and one hot meal. The service aims to help and guide parents with this ongoing issue. Leaflets were shared and put on the notice board in the service. Suggestions have been shared with parents on healthy snacks and meals
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
Garda vetting disclosures had been obtained for all staff. However, the service did not adhere to the revetting time frames for one staff member. Day 2 There was no evidence available that renewed garda vetting had been applied for the staff member. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider has stated the staff member is no longer working in the service
Regulation 25 — First aid
Day 1 There was no staff member trained in a First Aid Responder course employed in the service. It is acknowledged both staff members who were present on the day were trained in paediatric first aid. Day 2 There was still no staff member available to the children who was trained in a first aid responder course. There was evidence that the registered provider had attended the online component of a first aid responder course. Following day 2 of the inspection the inspector received evidence that the registered provider and staff member had attended and achieved a certificate in a first aid responder course on the 1 March 2025
Provider's corrective action:
The two staff in the service are now trained in a first aid responder course
Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures
Day 1 There was no record of the annual maintenance of the firefighting equipment or smoke alarm in the service. Day 2 There was no evidence of the annual maintenance of the smoke alarm in the service. A referral was sent to the fire officer on the 13 March 2025. The registered provider stated the smoke alarm had been reviewed by a competent professional since the last inspection on 23 October 2024. However, that person was unable to supply an annual maintence certificate for the smoke alarm in the service. The fire officer has reviewed the smoke alarm in the service on the 4 April 2025 and recommended works to be carried out
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provider has sent a statement declaring a competent professional has been employed to carry out the work recommended by the fire officer in June 2025 when the service is closed