# Ready Steady Grow Childcare Centre, Ballybofey — inspection reports and findings > Ready Steady Grow Childcare Centre (Ballybofey, Co. Donegal): what Tusla inspections found — 2 published inspection(s), non-compliances and the provider's corrective actions. ## Ready Steady Grow Childcare Centre Sessional · 0 - 6 Years · Ballybofey, Donegal · Tusla ID **TU2015DL122** · Registered since 11 January 2026 An inspection records what inspectors saw **on one day**; services respond with corrective actions — [how to read this](/methodology.md). #### Inspection of 9 May 2025 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment - (4) It could not be determined if one adult who provided direct care to the pre-school children had achieved the required qualification in early childhood care and education as no certification was available on the day - Staff members will not commence working directly with children until all necessary information regarding their qualifications has been obtained. The registered provider has confirmed that, prior to any staff member engaging in direct care, either the official qualification certificate or a confirmation letter of recognition from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth will be secured ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: • Although a record of all children in attendance was maintained, it was not consistently updated in real time. The inspector was informed that some children begin their day in the toddler room before transitioning to the preschool room. However, the attendance records in the toddler room were not updated to reflect these movements. As a result, the number of children recorded in the toddler room was higher than the number present. For safety and accountability, it is essential that children are signed in and out of each room as they move, ensuring staff have an accurate and up-to-date list of all children in their care, particularly in the event of an emergency. Infection Control: • Some of the older children were observed having their nappies changed on a changing mat placed directly on the floor, which could pose a risk of cross-contamination and compromise hygiene standards. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Changes have been made to the attendance records in each room to improve visibility and clarity for staff. The updated format allows for easier tracking of transitions between rooms, making the process more understandable and efficient. Staff training on the importance of accurate attendance recording has been incorporated into regular team meetings, emphasizing its role in ensuring health and safety. Although this procedure is outlined in the staff induction file, it was not consistently followed on the day of the inspection. To address this, the manager and deputy manager will now conduct regular checks throughout the day to ensure proper use and compliance with attendance recording procedures Infection Control: The practice of changing a child on the floor was initially introduced to accommodate a larger child for whom the counter was not suitable. However, I acknowledge that I was unaware this method was also being used by some staff for other children who could have been appropriately changed on the provided counter. To address this, I have included a sketch from a carpenter outlining proposed steps to assist children in accessing the changing counter safely. Unfortunately, due to his current workload, he is unable to complete the project. I have since contacted two additional carpenters, both of whom have committed to arranging a visit to discuss the construction of the steps as soon as their schedules allow. I am aiming to have the steps completed and in use within the next four weeks. Summary Comment Following receipt of the corrective and preventive actions and the evidence submitted for this regulation, the requirement for this regulation has been met. Evidence of the action will be submitted to the Early Years Inspectorate on completion and will be reviewed on next inspection ##### Regulation not named in the report text - • On the day of inspection, the service was found to be operating outside of registration status. (1) The service was operating from 7:45-17.45 there registered hours are 08.00-17.30. The Register provider was informed of the requirement to submit a change of circumstances to Tusla registration panel. The inspection focused on an examination of compliance under regulations 9,11,17,19,23,26 and 28 however, on inspection additional non-compliance which posed a risk was identified under Regulation 8. These findings are outlined within the relevant regulation within this report. Inspection findings are documented in the inspection report which is first issued in draft format to the service with an opportunity to respond to any findings. Where statutory requirements are identified as not being met, the registered provider must demonstrate how they have rectified the non-compliance and will prevent any non - compliance from re occurring. The Corrective Action and Preventive Action plan (CAPA) will be used to inform decisions about compliance with regulatory requirements. Where the registered provider fails to meet the statutory requirements an escalation process may be commenced. The inspectorate reserves the right to edit responses received for reasons including clarity, completeness and compliance with administrative and legal processes. The contents of the report are compiled by the inspectorate body. Acknowledgments The inspector wishes to acknowledge the cooperation of the registered provider, staff and children who were present on the day of the inspection Found compliant: Regulation 11, 17, 19, 28. #### Inspection of 16 April 2024 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The low-level windows in the baby room were not fitted with a restrictive opening mechanism posing the risk that a child may exit the service through the large opening. 2. While it is acknowledged that a record was maintained in the service of all children attending, the record of children’s attendance in each room was not updated on a real-time basis. The inspector was informed that some children attend the toddler room for a period in the morning before moving to the preschool room. The attendance records in the toddler room were not updated to show that some of the children had moved to another room, as a result, there were more children recorded present than were physically present in the room. Children are required to be signed in and out of each room to ensure that staff have an accurate list of all children in the room in the event of an emergency. Infection Control: 3. The covering on the sofa in the toddler room was torn, exposing the foam underneath, which cannot be effectively cleaned and poses a risk of infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Restrictive opening mechanisms have now been fitted. All windows have been checked for any risk factors. 2. We have now added a larger column to accommodate time out and in. We have also included in our induction book a reminder to show new staff the proper procedure for maintain an up-to-date attendance record. Infection Control: 3. The sofa has been removed. Staff have been asked to inform management immediately of any damaged furniture Found compliant: Regulation 9, 11, 16, 19, 25. ### Other services in Donegal - [Rosie and Jim's Playschool](/creche/rosie-and-jim-s-playschool-castlefin.md) Castlefin - [Saimer Community Childcare Group Ltd](/creche/saimer-community-childcare-group-ltd-ballyshannon.md) Ballyshannon - [Shelly's Childcare Service](/creche/shelly-s-childcare-service-buncrana.md) Buncrana - [Smallworld Childcare LTD](/creche/smallworld-childcare-ltd-donegal-town.md) Donegal Town - [Tir na nOg Naionra](/creche/tir-na-nog-naionra-donegal-town.md) Donegal Town - [Ceímeanna Cliste Naíonra](/creche/ceimeanna-cliste-naionra-letterkenny.md) Letterkenny - [Little Acorns Nursery](/creche/little-acorns-nursery-buncrana.md) Buncrana - [Ballaghderg Pre-School](/creche/ballaghderg-pre-school-letterkenny.md) Letterkenny - [Fairytales Day Care](/creche/fairytales-day-care-letterkenny.md) Letterkenny - [Niall Mor Childcare Centre](/creche/niall-mor-childcare-centre-killybegs.md) Killybegs [Alert me when a new report is published](/help.md) · [Dated report on this service — €19](/report.md) --- Página: https://creche-inspection-reports.pages.dev/creche/ready-steady-grow-childcare-centre-ballybofey/ Fonte: Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Recolha: 2026-09-11