All procedures outlined in paragraph (2) were not completed prior to staff being appointed. One reference for one adult employed on 06 October 2025 was validated on 21 November 2025
Provider's corrective action:
Management reviewed the document procedures and staff file requirements following the inspection findings. The service ensured that all relevant policies and procedures relating to recruitment, references and staff documentation were reinforced with management to support compliance. Management will ensure that all recruitment policies and procedures are fully implemented moving forward. A checklist outlining all required documentation has now been added to staff files to support management in ensuring that all references and required documents are obtained, validated and in place prior to any staff member commencing employment within the service
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. A Garda vetting disclosure available for one staff member was not dated within the previous three years in adherence with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Infection Control: 2. On the day of inspection, tables in the Wobbler Room were not cleaned before dinner was served. Only one table in the Senior Preschool room was cleaned. Not effectively cleaning the tables prior to serving meals to children, poses a risk of cross contamination and infection. 3. On the day of inspection, the adults and children in the Junior Preschool room were observed to lift the lid of a pedal bin by the lid to dispose of waste. This practice was also observed being carried out by the adults in the Wobbler Room. This practice poses a risk of infection to adults and children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. The Garda Vetting renewal was applied for immediately once management became aware of the oversight during the inspection visit. The updated Garda Vetting disclosure was received within the following weeks and has now been added to the staff file. A copy of the renewed Garda Vetting disclosure is attached as supporting evidence. A Garda Vetting tracking system has now been implemented to support management in monitoring renewal dates for all staff members. Moving forward, management will regularly review staff files to ensure Garda Vetting is renewed every three years as required. Infection Control: 2. All staff were re-trained on the importance of cleaning and disinfecting tables before serving meals to children to reduce the risk of cross contamination and infection. 3. All staff were re-trained on the importance of using pedal bins correctly and avoiding lifting the lid by hand to reduce the risk of infection within the service. Management also reviewed the Health and Safety procedures with the team to ensure safe practices are followed at all times. Moving forward, all new staff members will receive training during induction on the importance of cleaning tables before and after meals and use of pedal bin to ensure safe hygiene practices are maintained within the service. Management will also do regular spot checks to ensure that these practices are being maintained continuously throughout the service
On the inspectors arrival to the service at 10.00am the designated person in charge and the named deputy were not present. During discussions with staff they were unsure of who was in charge. The designated person in charge arrived to the service at 10.38am. The named deputy arrived from another service operated by the registered provider at 11.25am
The procedures specified in paragraph (2) were not completed prior to three staff members and one student commencing in the service as follows: • Seven past employer references and one reference from a reputable source for three staff members and one student were not validated prior to them commencing in the service. • Two Garda vetting disclosures for two staff member was not sought or reviewed prior to the staff members commencing employment in the service. Documentation reviewed stated the first staff member commenced working in the service on 2nd April 2024 and the second staff member commenced working in the service on the 19th January 2024 and Garda vetting was obtained on 19th January 2024. The above Regulation was found non-compliant on the last inspection dated 6th November 2023. The corrective and preventive actions submitted by the registered employer did not prevent the reoccurrence of the non- compliance
There was no evidence that one staff member held a qualification at minimum level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications
Provider's corrective action:
We will ensure that the designated person in charge or the deputy person in charge will be in the building at all times. If the designated/deputy person in charge is not going to be in the building, this will be communicated beforehand and a separate person in charge will be appointed
We will ensure that all references are validated prior to the employee commencing in Play and Learn. We will ensure that new employees will commence employment after we have received their completed garda vetting
We have a letter stating that this staff member met minimum qualification requirements from their college. We were unaware that this letter expired on the 2nd of September. This staff member has made an application to get her qualification properly recognised by the DCYA and she will not work here until we receive official confirmation of her qualification
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
(i) A staffing roster was available and given to inspectors on arrival, however it did not detail the correct hours of work for each staff member on the day of inspection. The person in charge was rostered to be on the premises from 8.00am to 5.00pm and the deputy was rostered to be in on the premises from 7.30am to 4.30pm however, neither person was onsite on the inspectors arrival. This Regulation was found non-compliant on the last inspection dated 6th November 2023. The corrective and preventive actions as stated by the registered provider did not prevent recurrence of this non-compliance
Provider's corrective action:
(i) The roster will now reflect any changes that might happen throughout the working week. We have added extra lines at the bottom of the roster to reflect these changes
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
There were no documented individual education and care plans to inform practice and support staff to meet the specific care needs of four children who attend the service. Through discussion with inspectors, staff confirmed that these children require additional supports and that there was no documentation regarding the children’s individual personal needs and preferences
Provider's corrective action:
We have since completed an inclusion profile for each of the children. We have completed this with the children’s keyworkers to ensure that the individual needs of each child are clearly explained and met. Going forward, we will use the inclusion profile to help us to support children with additional needs in the service
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. There was no risk assessment in place for use of climbing equipment in the garden. A preschool child was observed to jump off a climbing frame which measured 1.2 metres five times in the space of five minutes. Staff were observed trying to discourage the child from jumping off the climbing frame. During this time, one staff member was observed providing one to one care to this child. There were 41 children in the garden at this time with four staff present as detailed under Regulation 27. In discussion with the inspector, staff stated that the child had been doing this for the last two weeks when playing in the garden, however there was no documented risk assessment available to demonstrate how this risk was being managed to ensure the safety of the child. 2. Through discussion with the inspector staff detailed an incident that took place in the service however, there was no record of the incident and no evidence that the information had been passed on to the parent of the child. 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. Infection Control: 3. A child in the senior Montessori room was observed leaving the toilet without washing their hands. 4. Children in the junior preschool room were observed handling the lid of the bin. This poses a risk of cross contamination. 5. The pedal was broken on the two bins in the sanitary accommodation of the Senior Preschool room. This poses a risk of cross contamination as adults and children are required to handle the lid when disposing of rubbish. Administration of Medication: 6. Procedures and practices in place for children attending the service requiring medication were inadequate and at variance with the service policy, posing a potential risk to the health and safety of children as follows: • Medication for two children in the Senior Preschool room was not stored in its original packaging and was not clearly labelled. • There were two children who required emergency medication. Both medications were stored loosely, were not in their original packaging or labelled with names or dosage requirements. This was at variance with the service policy and can affect the care given to the children as no information was available for the prescribed medication. 7. A sample of eleven written records of administration of medication to preschool children were available in the service and reviewed, however, no parental pre-consent for administration of medication was available for two records reviewed and five records did not detail the date the medication was administered documented. Failure to accurately complete medication administration forms may affect the continuity of care a child receives. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. A risk assessment is now in place for the climbing frame in the garden. This risk assessment has been communicated with staff. To ensure the safety of all children, we will teach the children how to use the equipment appropriately, in line with our risky play policy. 2. We have ordered and received the accident/incident book from Early Childhood Ireland. We will use this going forward as opposed to ChildPaths as it is easier to ensure that parent’s sign off on any accidents/incidents. Any future incidents will be documented in our incident book which will then be communicated back to parents and will require their signature. Infection Control: 3. New handwashing signs have been displayed in all the children’s toilet areas. A personalised notice has been displayed in the children’s toilet to inform and remind all staff working with children who require assistance to give help when needed. 4. We will encourage children to use the pedal bin properly and not to touch the lid of the bin. We will encourage children to use the pedal bin properly and not to touch the lid of the bin. 5. Pedal bins have been disposed of and replaced. We will carry out regular checks to make sure the bins are in working condition. Administration of Medication: 6. Each child now has an individual storage box for their medication, clearly labelled with name and expiry date. Going forward, for any child that needs medication, we will store medication in an individual storage box, clearly labelled with name and expiry date. 7. We are now using the Early Childhood Ireland administration of medication book to document all medication administered in the service. Management will make sure to ensure that parental consent is signed properly
Regulation 27 — Supervision
1. Between 11.10am and 11.50am the children from the junior preschool and senior preschool room were in the garden. A total of forty one children were present with four staff members supervising. During that period two staff members were required to supervise two children on a one to one basis leaving two staff members to supervise thirty nine children. Adequate supervision was not provided as children were observed jumping from the climbing frame, running into other classrooms and trying to run through doors leading back into the service from the outdoor area during this time. This is at variance with the service policy which states that ‘staff are in constant supervision and all children are in sight of at least one staff member’. The policy also states that a number of considerations will be made in regard to supervision including individual care needs of children, staffing levels and adult to child ratios. 2. At 1.20pm whilst observing children in the garden, the inspectors asked the two staff supervising how many children were present, they were unaware of how many children were in their care and told staff there were fourteen children present, however inspectors counted sixteen children. This is at variance with the service policy which states regular head counts will take place when children are in the garden
Provider's corrective action:
1. In light of the inspector’s observations on the day of inspection in the garden, we will ensure to have a 3rd staff member in the garden as much as is practically possible to monitor areas of risk such as the climbing frame. 2. We have facilitated a staff meeting since the inspection to discuss and rectify this issue. All staff know the importance of headcount protocols and completing a garden roll when entering or exiting the garden. The creche supervisor will monitor this every day to make sure it is being done