(a) (b)There was no second written and verified reference available for the adult. (3) Documentation reviewed showed that the procedures specified above under Regulation 9(2) had not been carried out prior to the adult commencing employment in the service
Provider's corrective action:
The registered provided submitted a second written and verified reference for the staff member and stated staff will only be employed when they have two written and verified references
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. During discussions with the inspector, it was identified that not all staff were fully aware of the signs and symptoms to recognise if a child with a serious allergy required emergency medical attention. This practice poses a risk to the child’s safety. This issue was also identified as non‑compliant during the previous inspection on 9 June 2025, the corrective and preventive actions submitted by the registered provider did not prevent the non‑compliance from recurring. 2. A wire from a stereo in the preschool room was not securely fixed to the wall, creating a potential hazard and posing a risk to children’s safety. Infection Control: 3. Children were not provided with the opportunity to wash their hands before snack time. Although handwashing facilities were available, children were given hand sanitiser instead of being supported to wash their hands with soap and water. This practice increases the risk of infection spreading. 4. Paper towels were not stored hygienically in the children’s bathrooms. While paper towel dispensers were available, the paper towels were observed to be stored on a soiled ledge beside the sink, creating a risk of cross‑contamination. 5. There were no lidded, pedal‑operated bins available in the children’s bathrooms. All three bins in this area are required to be lidded and pedal‑operated; however, two of the bins had no lids, and the third, although lidded was heavily soiled and required hand contact to dispose of waste. This presents a risk of the spread of infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: The registered provider stated the following corrective and preventive actions were taken: 1. Staff have the administration of medication records available on the wall in the kitchen and will attend training with the local County Childcare Committee to ensure they understand the requirements for supporting children who may need emergency medication. 2. The wire has been secured to the wall and going forward unsafe items will be fixed immediately. Infection Control: 3. There is a new system in place to support handwashing. Children will now be brought in pairs to wash their hands with a staff member. In addition, there is a rota in place to remind staff. 4. The paper towels are now stored in the paper towel dispenser and staff will check the bathrooms regularly to ensure they are fully stocked. 5. Two new bins have been purchased and the bins will be kept clean and replaced when needed
Immediate action notice. 09 June 2025 An immediate action notice (IAN) was issued to the registered provider on the day of inspection in relation to a significant risk identified under
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
(b) References had not been sought from any source known to the student. This regulation was non- compliant on the previous three inspections in 2017, 2020 and 2022. The preventive actions submitted following these inspections have not prevented the non-compliance from recurring. (d) Documentation was unavailable to establish whether two staff members had lived outside the State for a period of longer than 6 consecutive months as an adult. (3) Documentation reviewed evidence that the procedures specified above under 9(2)(b) and (d) had not been carried out prior to the two adults and student commencing employment and work experience in the service
Provider's corrective action:
(b) The registered provider will seek references and all paperwork prior to students starting their work experience and ensure that everything is in place. A new file for students has been put in place with a list of all required paperwork. (d) The staff have provided their CVs and they were placed in the file. (3) The registered provider will ensure that all paperwork for each staff member is in the file and up to date by keeping a list of all paperwork needed at the front of the file
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: An Immediate action notice was issued under general safety for the following areas of non -compliance: 1. During the inspection, it was identified that staff knowledge regarding the current medication requirements for a child with a serious medical condition was inconsistent. It was evident following discussions with the inspector that two staff members were not aware of the current medication requirements of a child with a serious medical condition. The inspector was advised by a third staff member that there was a change in requirements, however there was no update on the child’s care plan or any documentation from the parents stating that a change to the child’s care plan was required. 2. Medication for a child with a serious medical condition was observed to be out of date. Two auto adrenaline injectors stored within the service had passed their expiry date. 3. Medication was not stored safely in the service. A child’s prescribed medication was observed to be stored inside the child’s bag on the floor in an area that was accessible to other children. During lunch the child was observed retrieving medication from their bag and handing it to a staff member. 4. Appropriate measures were not taken to ensure the safety of a child who staff reported had a medical condition that could require emergency intervention. There was insufficient evidence in the child’s care plan to support appropriate care. The plan lacked essential details, including the specific allergy and associated symptoms or signs to watch out for. In addition, the service did not have signed consent from the parent to administer the medication. Inadequate practices regarding the management of medication presents a serious risk to the health and safety of the children attending the service. These practices were at variance with the services administration of medication policy. Infection Control: 1. There were no single use paper towels available for children to dry their hands following hand washing. Children were observed using a shared cloth hand towel following handwashing. 2. Children’s hands were not washed before lunch. 3. The waste disposal bins in the sanitary area did not support effective waste management. One of the bins did not have a lid and the second bin required hand contact to dispose of waste. Ineffective hygiene practices pose a significant risk of cross contamination and illness to a child. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. A reminder of each child’s medication will be put into the roll book and monthly meetings will be held to remind the team of the medication required for each child, how to administer the medication and the procedure to follow in the event of an emergency. 2. The service will note the expiry date of medication in the roll book and will know when the medication expires and needs to be replaced. The notebook will be used each day and all team members have access to it to ensure they know about each child. 3. Parents will hand the medication to the staff at the door and it will be stored safely and returned to the childminder at home time. 4. A new care plan was provided for the child and the parent signed the consent form and all consent forms will be checked to ensure they are signed and up to date. Infection Control: 1. Hand towels arrived the day after the inspection. The registered provider will ensure there is always a supply and place the order on time. 2. Handwashing was put on the timetable so as not to forget to wash hands before lunch. 3. New bins were provided for the bathroom. The bathroom equipment will be checked as part of cleaning schedule to make sure they are in working order
Regulation 25 — First aid
(1) An Immediate Action Notice was issued as there was no adult available to the children with up to date first aid training. This posed a risk of significant harm to the children. The actions outlined in the response from the registered provider regarding Regulation 25 has not yet been implemented. The registered provider has advised that the actions required to mitigate the risk will be addressed by the 23 June 2025
Provider's corrective action:
Two staff members attended First Aid Responder training and have completed the training. The registered provider will keep a record of renewal dates and the training provider will notify the service when renewal is approaching