Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
19 (1)(b) Sleep practices were observed on the first day of inspection. The practices did not provide for the individual sleep needs of children to be met as outlined below. 1. Two children in the Toddler 2 room who did not show any signs of tiredness were required to sleep at the service’s designated sleep period. The children were observed attempting to resist this for an hour whilst a staff member made repeated efforts to have the children lie down and sleep. This was contrary to the service’s safe sleep policy which stated “…a child should never be forced to sleep if they do not wish to.” 2. When the inspector arrived at the Toddler 3 room in the afternoon, a child was observed lying under a table asleep. The adult in the room proceeded to take the child out from under the table but did not make any efforts to accommodate the child to sleep. The child tried to lie back down on the floor, but the adult took him up and asked him if he’d like to read a book. When questioned regarding this, the adult reported she did “not know if he was allowed to sleep”. When another adult entered the room, a discussion was had about the child, and the child was placed to sleep in the Pre-Montessori room. However, the child was woken by staff after approximately 40 minutes when the designated sleep period ended. The child immediately started to cry, and the inspector observed the child crying and rubbing his eyes for an hour afterwards. Failure to facilitate children to sleep according to their needs can lead to increased irritability and can impact negatively on their emotional and physical development. Practices and procedures relating to this were found to be non-compliant on the last two inspections dated 9 December 2024 and 4 March 2025. The actions submitted by the registered provider following those inspections had not corrected or prevented the issue
Provider's corrective action:
1. All educators were instructed to immediately stop requiring children to lie down or sleep when they do not show signs of tiredness. Educators were reminded verbally of the service’s safe sleep policy: “A child should never be forced to sleep if they do not wish to.” Alternative rest options (quiet play, books, puzzles, drawing, calm corner) are provided for children who are not tired. Families were invited to review or update their child’s sleep routines and preferences. The two children involved had updated sleep/rest preference documentation completed and placed in their room’s planning folder. 2. A reflective discussion was held with the educator who was unsure of whether the child “was allowed to sleep.” Clear expectations were set that all staff must know and follow the safe sleep policy at all times. All staff were instructed that children must be supported to sleep whenever they display tiredness cues, regardless of the scheduled routine. All staff participated in a refresher training session covering: • Safe sleep policy and regulatory requirements • Responding to individual sleep cues • Respectful interactions during rest periods Plans will be reviewed at least every three months or as children’s needs change. Manager will conduct weekly audits to ensure: • Staff awareness of sleep requirements • Individual needs are being met • No child is being forced to sleep due to parents’ request • That children must never be prevented from sleeping or woken unnecessarily • Correct accommodation of sleep needs
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
Infection Control: The inspection focused on the management of soothers in relation to infection control. It is acknowledged that soothers were stored appropriately in individually labelled containers and a sample of staff reported they are cleaned daily in adherence with the service’s cleaning schedule. However, two staff from separate care rooms reported that they clean the soothers every second day contrary to the cleaning schedule, posing an increased risk of infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
Infection Control: All educators were immediately reminded that soothers must be cleaned and sanitised daily as per the service’s infection control policy. All staff participated in a refresher session covering: • Infection control protocols • Correct soother handling and cleaning • The importance of accurate reporting A protocol has been introduced requiring staff to immediately report any uncertainties or misunderstandings regarding hygiene procedures to their Room Leader or the Manager
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 10, 11, 16, 20, 27, 32.
Immediate action notice. Non-compliance was identified during this inspection relating to regulations 9(7)(a), 19(1)(b) and 23 where practices observed were not in line with service policies and procedures and regulatory requirements. Practices and procedures relating to these regulations were found to be non-compliant on the last inspection on 9th December 2024.
Immediate action notice. An immediate action notice was issued on the second day of inspection for non-compliance identified under
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
The registered providers have not demonstrated effective governance measures to ensure that all employees were provided with appropriate information and training to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of children attending the service and to comply with the regulations. It was not evident that management and staff had received appropriate training in relation to ensuring there were appropriate and suitable care practices in place in the service to meet the needs of children attending. Further information regarding this is outlined under regulations 11, 16, 19, 23 and 27. Repeat non-compliance was found during the inspection relating to regulations 9(7)(a), 19(1)(b) and 23. Practices observed were not in line with service policies and procedures and regulatory requirements
Provider's corrective action:
The area manager and operations manager have been onsite regularly since the inspection, we provided evening training and on-site training, observing and directing the staff in the classrooms. We’ve hired a new manager who has more experience with the company and understands all our policies and procedures and has proven to be extremely effective in communication, organisation and compliance. All staff have been retrained in all regulations. The area manager and operations manager will provide more consistent support and training
Regulation 10 — Policies, procedures etc. of pre-school service
The registered providers did not ensure that the healthy eating (nutrition) policy and settling in and transition policies contained the required information as follows; Nutrition policy 1. The policy stated that any special dietary requirements or preferences can be met on request. However, apart from managing nut allergies on special occasions the policy did not specify the way the service ensures that food and drink provided complies with the dietary requirements of children. 2. The policy did not make any reference to ensuring food is appropriate to each child’s age and stage of development or make any reference to portion sizes. Settling in and transitions policies 1. The transition policy described how children are moved between rooms to facilitate ratio requirements at drop off/pick up and how they are signed in and out at these times. The policy did not make any reference to how the children are supported with these or any other transitions within the service. The absence of the above information in the service policies could lead to inconsistent or unsafe practices and could fail to support children’s developmental needs effectively
Provider's corrective action:
Nutrition Policy 1. & 2. This policy has been amended. All policies will be carefully reread and updated as needed or quarterly. Settling in and transitions policies 1. The policy has been updated to include all our steps of supporting children’s transitions. Policies will be reviewed to ensure all the steps we take in practice are included in the policy
Regulation 11 — Staffing levels
The registered providers did not ensure that there were an adequate number of adults working directly with the children at all times as outlined below; 1. On the first day of the inspection when the inspector entered the Wobbler 1 room at 10:10 there was one adult present with four children aged one year – two of whom were attending for their first day in the service. All four children were showing signs of distress including high pitched and persistent crying. Two children were clinging to the staff member, one was sitting on the floor sucking their fingers between cries, and one was standing at the side of the room. The staff member was not able to adequately attend to all the children according to their needs and the level of comfort they required. A manager entered the room at 10:17 to assist. 2. On the second day of the inspection when the inspector entered the Wobbler 1 room at 11:49 there was one adult present with five children aged one year. The first two children were eating a meal in high chairs, the third and fourth children were crying. The fifth child was showing signs of distress including high pitched and persistent crying and clinging to the adult. The adult was not able to adequately attend to all the children according to their needs and the level of comfort they required. Further information regarding this is detailed under regulation 19
The registered providers did not ensure the minimum required ratio of adults to children was maintained at all times as outlined below; 1. On the first day of inspection in the Toddler 1 room at 10:43, the inspector observed that there were 2 adults allocated to care for 11 children aged 1 year and 3 children aged 2 years. The minimum adult to child ratio for children aged 1 year is 1:5. The minimum adult to child ratio for children aged 2 years is 1:6. Three adults were required at this time. 2. On the first day of inspection in the Toddler 1 room at 11:20 and at 15:54 the inspector observed that there were 2 adults allocated to care for 9 children aged 1 year and 3 children aged 2 years. The minimum adult to child ratio for children aged 1 year is 1:5. The minimum adult to child ratio for children aged 2 years is 1:6. Three adults were required at this time. 3. On the second day of the inspection at 10:47 there were 2 adults allocated to care for 11 children aged 1 year in the Wobbler 2 room. The minimum adult to child ratio for children aged 1 year is 1:5. Three adults were required at this time. One of the children was on their second day transitioning into the service and was crying persistently. A second child was crying intermittently and displaying signs of over-tiredness. The adults were unable to provide the children with the comfort and care they required as they were preparing the other children for their meal. Further information regarding this is detailed under regulation
Provider's corrective action:
11(1) 1. & 2. Due to the main care giver being on annual leave on the day, the children were more unsettled than usual. We have spoken to the manager that she must be present in the rooms when staff are on annual leave to comfort the children as they all know her. The manager or assistant managers will be present during the weeks of new children settling in to ensure they can all be comforted in a timely manner and with one to one attention when required. Staff in the wobbler room will not be permitted to book annual leave during settling in weeks. 11(2) 1. Staff have been retrained to ensure they call for cover as soon as another child enters their room who arrives late to the creche. 2. We have changed the name of this room to wobblers so the staff remember that the ratio is 1:5 only and that majority of the children are under 2 years of age. Staff have been retrained to ensure they call for cover as soon as another child enters their room who arrives late to the creche. 3. Staff have been retrained to ensure they call for cover as soon as another child enters their room who arrives late to the creche
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(k) It is acknowledged that a sample of thirteen accident and incident records were reviewed and had been completed appropriately, however, practices contrary to the service’s accident and incident policy were observed during the inspection. On the first day of inspection in the Toddler 1 room at 15:54, an accident was observed by inspectors and a staff member where a child fell and banged their head on the ground. A record of this accident was not completed. The service’s accident and incident policy states that “the person who witnessed the accident will complete an accident form. This will be read and signed by the manager and signed by the child’s parent/guardian.” Failure to record incidents and to ensure that parents have been informed of an injury to their child may pose a risk to the continuity of care of the child
Provider's corrective action:
(k) Staff forgot to write an accident report as there was no bruise or cut but they told the manager it happened, and the manager called home to inform them. Staff have been retrained on the accident and incident policy and the forms to use even if there’s no bruise or cut
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
1. Through observations, review of documents and discussions with staff and parents it was evident that there were inadequate procedures in place to support children’s initial transitions into the service. The initial transition planning process did not adequately consider the individual routines and sleep needs of the children or provide opportunities to foster key relationships as follows; a. Children who were settling into the service were scheduled to start their induction at their regular nap time. On the first day of the inspection two children aged 12 months were scheduled to attend the Wobbler 1 room between 09:30 and 10:30. The children were showing signs of distress as documented under regulation 11(1). The parents of both children stated on collection that the time allocated by the service was their children’s sleep time. One of the parents had emailed the service with this information beforehand but the timing had not been changed. Disrupting children’s schedules and introducing them to a service when they are overtired could further increase anxiety associated with an initial transition into the service. b. The service did not provide consistency of staffing in the Wobbler 1 room or support key worker relationships to provide for continuity of care and secure attachments. On the first day of inspection at 11:57 there were two children aged one year showing signs of distress including persistent crying and clinging to the staff member. When the inspector asked the staff member if these children were new or if they were usually this upset the staff member said they did not know as they normally worked in a different room. c. On the second day of the inspection at 11:49 a staff member who had started working in the service the previous day was allocated to care for five children in the Wobbler 1 room. The staff member said they were not sure of the children’s names and did not know their routines as the staff member had been moved between rooms four times since starting at 08:15. Two of the children were eating a meal. The staff member was unsure if the children had any food allergies. Three of the children were crying, one was crying persistently and clinging to the adult. When the inspector asked if the child had slept or was perhaps tired, the adult told the inspector they did not know. A parent of a child who had spent their second day in the service told the inspector that although they had spoken to management, they had not spoken to any of the staff directly caring for their child and had not been told their names. Failure to ensure staff are provided with information essential to the children’s care could impact negatively on care provision and pose a risk to the health and wellbeing of the children. Failure to provide opportunities for consistent key relationships to be established could impact on children’s continuity of care and the development of secure attachments with their caregivers. 2. Provisions for children’s sleep requirements were observed to be service led rather than child led in the Wobbler 2 room. On the second day of the inspection inspectors observed a one-year-old child displaying signs of tiredness at 09:47 and again at 10:30. At 10:56 the inspector observed the child lying on the floor sucking a soother and holding a comforter. The child was carried from the floor to sit at the table for a meal. The child cried, rubbed their eyes and sucked on a soother intermittently while the other children ate. Although the adults had acknowledged the child was tired, the child was not placed to sleep until the designated Wobbler 2 room sleep time after the meal at 11.38. Failure to facilitate children to sleep according to their needs can lead to increased irritability and can impact negatively on their emotional and physical development. Practices and procedures relating to this regulation were found to be non-compliant on the last inspection on 9th December 2024
Provider's corrective action:
a. The manager has been retrained on the inductions and how to organise them around the children’s routine from home. The manager has been retrained and all staff to communicate effectively with the parents about their child’s routine during their settling in week and to amend any times that doesn’t suit. b. The main caregiver was on annual leave, the management team has been informed that they are to be in the classrooms when staff are on annual leave to ensure the children’s routines are followed. c. Management have been retrained on ensuring staff that know the children are in the classrooms with them and ensuring the induction times are readjusted as needs to suit the child’s routine. The staff wall is available to see in reception and when new staff are employed this is sent to parents via an online application. Management have been reminded to ensure they introduce staff to the parents which normally happens but on the day of inspection this was missed. 2. Staff have been reminded of the signs of tiredness for children to observe them more closely. There are enough cots available for children to go to sleep as needed. Retraining for staff on safe sleep policy and the importance of following the children’s needs
Regulation 20 — Facilities for rest and play
Appropriate rest facilities were not provided for all children under 2 years in the Toddler 1 room. On the first day of inspection, five children aged 1 year were observed on low stackable beds. On the second day of inspection, eight children aged 1 year were observed on low stackable beds. These beds were not fitted with firm, flat, waterproof and breathable mattresses. This may impact the safety and quality of sleep for children under 2 years
Provider's corrective action:
The under 2 beds were ordered in January and were delayed due to an issue in the company. We’ve gotten these delivered and all children have the correct beds for their age, we also got spare beds from other centres and then some children have reached 2 years of age and are able to sleep on the over 2 beds now. Managers have been reminded which beds are to be used for under 2 years of age and over 2 years of age
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
The inspectors found by observation of practice, review of documentation and discussion with staff that the registered providers had not taken adequate measures to safeguard all children attending. General Safety: 1. An Immediate Action notice was issued on the second day of inspection as a potential safety risk was observed regarding medication as follows; a. Staff caring for a child with asthma were not aware that the child had asthma and that medication for the child was available in the service. This posed a risk of delaying appropriate medical attention if the child became unwell. b. A review of documentation evidenced that the care plans of three children who were present on inspection stated that they may require medication for mild allergic reactions which was not available during the inspection. Inspectors asked staff if this medication was available, but staff were not aware of the requirement for these medications. This posed a safety risk of delaying appropriate medical attention if they became unwell. 2. An accident form was not completed for an accident which occurred on the first day of inspection as detailed under regulation 16. There was no evidence to demonstrate that parents had been made aware of an injury to their child which had occurred in the service. Failure to record incidents and to ensure that parents have been informed of an injury to their child may pose a risk to the continuity of care of the child. Safe Sleep: 3. In the Toddler 1 room 11 children aged 1 year were observed on low stackable beds during the inspection. There was no evidence available to demonstrate that consultation with parents had taken place to ensure safe and agreed sleep plans were in place and that parents had given consent for their child to sleep on a floor bed rather than in a cot. Practices and procedures relating to safe sleep practices were found to be non-compliant on the last inspection on 9th December 2024. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
a. Staff have been retrained in all children’s care plans to ensure they are aware of everyone and not just those in their primary classrooms. The medication has been moved from the children’s bag to the classroom press for the use in the event on an emergency. Staff have been retrained on using an inhaler for the child. We’ve implemented a monthly care plan reread like the monthly fire drills to ensure staff are constantly aware of all children’s allergies or medical conditions. b. The medication has been moved from the children’s bag to the classroom press for the use in the event on an emergency. We’ve implemented a monthly care plan reread like the monthly fire drills to ensure staff are constantly aware of all children’s allergies or medical conditions. 2. Staff forgot to write an accident report as there was no bruise or cut but they told the manager it happened, and the manager called home to inform them. Staff have been retrained on the accident and incident policy and the forms to use even if there’s no bruise or cut. Safe Sleep: 3. The under 2 beds were ordered in January and were delayed due to an issue in the company. We’ve gotten these delivered and all children have the correct beds for their age, we also got spare beds from other centres and then some children have reached 2 years of age and are able to sleep on the over 2 beds now. Managers have been reminded which beds are to be used for under 2 years of age and over 2 years of age. All staff have been retrained to ensure they receive the risk assessments back from the parents for permission to use the beds and not to accept verbal confirmation
Regulation 27 — Supervision
On the first day of inspection in the Toddler 1 room at 11:33, a child aged 18 months was observed to climb on top of a table and to stand on the table. There were two staff present in the care room at this time. One staff member was supporting a child to wash their hands, and the second staff member was speaking to children at the other end of the room. The inspector immediately brought this to the attention of staff, and a staff member promptly lifted the child down from the table. During this time three adults were required in the care room as detailed under regulation 11. Adequate supervision was not provided during this time to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children present. This is at variance with the service policy on supervision of children which states that practitioners should ensure the safety and wellbeing of the children at all times
Provider's corrective action:
Staff have been retrained on the supervision policy to ensure the well-being and safety of the children