Inspection of 30 June 2025 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. • An Immediate Action Notice (IAN) was issued to the service on the 30 June 2025 in relation to the Regulation 9- Management and Recruitment. On the 1 July 2025 the registered provider responded adequately to the IAN with the measures implemented within the service. Please see details in the body of the inspection report. • A Regulatory Compliance Meeting (RCM) was held on the 14 October 2025 with the registered provider due to outstanding non compliances following completion of the CAPA process. Acknowledgments The inspectors wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the deputy person in charge, staff and children who were present on the day of the inspection.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- 1. One staff member had no validated written references on file for inspection. 2. One written reference from a source other than a past employer did not have evidence of validation available for inspection. (c) A Garda vetting disclosure was not available for one adult. As a result, an Immediate Action Notice was issued to the deputy person in charge on the 9 April 2025. A response was received from the person in charge on the 1 April 2025 with the revised practices and procedures put in place to reduce the risk. (d) International police vetting disclosure was not available for four staff members who had lived outside the State as an adult for more than 6 consecutive months (3) Evidence was not available to demonstrate that the procedures specified in paragraph (2) were carried out prior to six adults being appointed, assigned or allowed access to or contact with a child attending the pre-school service. (4) There was no documentary evidence available to determine if six staff members who were working directly with the children in the service on the day of inspection held a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) at Level 5 or higher on the NFQ or a qualification deemed by the Minister to be equivalent
Provider's corrective action:
- In response to the non-compliances the registered provider has stated that all staff members now have validated written references on file. Management will ensure that there are always written validated references available on file. (c) Garda vetting disclosure is now on file for the staff member. Management will ensure that there are always Garda Vetting on file for all staff members. (d) Management will endeavour as far as is possible to ensure international Police Clearance is available for all staff members going forward. (3) Management will endeavour to insure all the requisite documentation for all staff to be always readily available. (4) Management will endeavour to ensure that staff have recognised qualifications
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- Basic Needs: 1. The sleep needs of three children in the Montessori room were not met. At 3.05pm, the inspector observed three children in the Montessori room at the table with their heads on the table and sleeping. Staff confirmed they had been asleep since 2.50pm when relaxation time in the room began. On discussion with staff, they explained parents had asked for the children to not sleep. However, children’s needs must be met. The service did not engage with the parents to discuss ways in which they could meet their parental requests but also the needs of the children who evidently still required rest. 2. When a child was moved at sleep time from the Toddler room to the Baby room, staff were not aware of the individual needs of this child who required assistance with using the toilet and did not accompany them to the toilet and as a result of going to the toilet alone, the child required a full change of clothing. 3. In the Baby room at dinner time, additional food was not made available or routinely offered to children that showed signs of hunger or interest in eating more food. Physical and material environment: 4. Cause and effect toys in the Baby and Toddler room were not operating and therefore removing the learning and developmental functionality of the toy
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. In response to the non-compliances the registered provider has stated that the following actions have been taken. • Sleep and rest policy in the Montessori room reviewed and updated. • Suitable mats are now available at all times to respond to our children’s sleep requirements. • All staff have been reminded of the importance of providing appropriate rest facilities for children at all times throughout the day. • Staff will ensure that parents wishes are considered while also prioritising the development and well- being needs of the children. • Staff have received refresher training in responsive care and the importance of rest to the children’s holistic development. These were conducted verbally. 2. In response the registered provider has stated that a new handover procedure has been introduced for all children transitioning between rooms. These were conducted verbally. This includes a verbal update of the child’s needs. This revised process will ensure that the non-compliance is not repeated. 3. To address the non-compliance the registered provider has stated that the Food and nutrition policy has been revised to ensure that additional portions are always available to children who show signs of hunger or intent in eating. Snacks will always be available should a child show signs of additional food needs. 4. In response all toys, learning resources and materials in the Baby and Toddler rooms have been checked to ensure they are in good working order
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for one staff member. However, this vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI -RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. The temperature of the Baby room was not maintained within the recommended 18 to 22oC. It is acknowledged that it was a warm day, and staff had ensured that the care room windows were open and air conditioning unit was turned on at 11.50am following a query from the inspector, but temperatures were recorded as follows, 23.7 0C at 10.41am and 23.6 0C at 11.52am. 3. Staff did not ensure that children’s time of departure was accurately reflected in the service roll book to ensure the safe evacuation of children in the event of an emergency. 4. Water exceeding the recommended 43 0C was accessible to the children in the Baby room. The water temperature was 45.80C at 10.30am. This increased the potential risk of scalding a child. Infection Control: 5. It was observed that infection control practices within the service were at variance with the service policy on infection control and best practice guidelines. For example. • Pedal-operated bins were not available in the service to reduce the potential risk of cross infection, touch to open lids were in operation. • Hand washing of children was not completed after outdoor play and before meals. • Toast and fruit for afternoon tea were served directly on the tabletops of the highchairs rather than on plates in the Baby room. 6. The nappy changing procedure observed was not completed as per the service policy, for example. • The staff member used the same apron for five children, which was then worn by the staff member as they entered the care room. • The staff member used the same gloves for two nappy changes of children. • The mat was not cleaned between seven nappy changes observed Administration of Medication: 7. The service did not have a plan of care in place or visibly accessible to staff for a child that required medical treatment in the event of becoming unwell while attending the service. This reduced the effective identification of symptoms by staff and the required assistance in the event of an emergency. This is at variance with the service policy on Administration of medication. 8. It was observed that administration of medication forms were used to record more than one medication, this increased the potential risk of staff error in the correct administration of a medication to a child. Safe Sleep: 9. It was observed that safe sleep practices in place within the service were not in line with the service policy and safe sleep guidelines. For example. • Staff did not maintain or visually check children that slept in the cot room from 12.10 – 12.43pm. Staff were then observed retrospectively completing sleep logs on the sleeping children. • Staff in Toddler room did not record each child’s colour, breathing and position every ten minutes, it was only recorded once at the beginning of sleep, when they fell asleep. • Staff were not familiar with the safe sleep temperatures for children under two years of age and as a result they did not record the room temperatures while children slept to ensure it was maintained between 16-200C for under 1-year olds and 18-220C for 1–2-year-olds. 10. The temperature of the rooms were children slept were outside of the recommend range. The temperatures recorded by the inspectors as 22.80C in the Cot room and 23.90C in the Toddler room while children slept. 11. Eight cots in the sleep room were not positioned with the required 50cm apart to reduce the potential risk of cross infection. This non-compliance was observed on the last inspection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. The registered provider has stated that a new system has been implemented to ensure all staff Garda vetting is renewed every three years, a compliance tracker has been introduced to monitor expiry/renewal dates. 2. The registered provider has stated that a thermometer is now in place in all the three rooms in the creche. This allows the staff to continuously monitor and record the rooms temperature at regular intervals and take immediate action if it falls outside the required range. Daily checklists have been introduced to ensure all room temperatures remain within the recommended 18-22̊ C. 3. To address the registered provider has stated that staff have been instructed and retrained on the importance of recording the arrival and departure times of each child in the roll book without delay. To ensure compliance daily spot checks of roll book will be conducted. 4. The registered provider has stated that the hot water system valve has been adjusted to ensure the water temperature in the Baby room remains at or below the recommended 43 ̊ C. The temperature range on the boiler will be continuously monitored on a regular basis. Infection Control: 5. To address the non-compliances the registered provider has stated the following. • Pedal operated bins have now been purchased and placed in all of our rooms to ensure hands free waste disposal. • Staff have been advised of the importance of hand hygiene, and clear procedures have been reinforced to ensure that all children wash their hands after outdoor play, before meals and any other key times throughout the day. • Staff have been instructed that all food for children must be served on a clean plate. Plates have now been supplied to the Baby room. • The corrective actions will ensure that non-compliances should not reoccur. 6. In response all staff will be provided with immediate refresher training to all our staff the nappy changing procedures, highlighting the importance of changing aprons and gloves for each child. A clear step-by-step hygiene guideline has been displayed in the nappy changing areas as a visual reminder for all staff; which also incorporates the need to clean the changing unit after each change. Administration of Medication: 7. An updated personal care plan for children who need specific medication is in the child’s file and on display. These care plans will now be on permanent display in a place of easy access and clear view in the room. 8. Staff have been advised that medicine administration has to be recorded separately in our medicine administration book, avoiding risk of staff error. This recording will be carried out on a continuous basis. Safe Sleep: 9. In response to the non-compliances the service has stated the following. • Training and refresher sessions has been provided to all staff to reinforce the importance of safe sleep practices and compliance with policy. • Service sleep log amended to incorporate the checking of the children’s colour, breathing and position of the child every ten minutes. • Service implemented a system for recording room temperatures during sleep times. Each room has a log sheet displayed on the wall with the thermometer beside it. The above corrective actions will be easily maintained going forward. 10. Management will try and ensure maximum ventilation on the premises in the event of future extreme temperatures. 11. In response to the non-compliances the registered provider has stated that it is not possible to carry out construction work given the restrictive nature of the building. The registered provider stated they were open to suggestions, which were discussed at the regulatory compliance meeting
Regulation 25 — First aid
- (1) The registered provider did not ensure that a staff member was trained in First Aid Responder (FAR) and available to the children during the operation of the service. It is acknowledged that 19 staff within the service had in date paediatric first aid
Provider's corrective action:
- (1) In response the registered provider has stated that a staff member has volunteered to enrol in a FAR coarse starting in September
Regulation 29 — Premises
- (d) Water was observed squirting and dripping from the base of the tap lever rather than flowing from the spouts. This resulted in an inadequate flow of water directly from the taps. This non-compliance was observed on the last inspection
Provider's corrective action:
- (d) In response the registered provider has stated that this issue has been fixed, and a visual inspection of taps will take place on a regular basis
Found compliant: Regulation 11.