Inspection of 9 May 2025 — Inspection Report
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
Provider's corrective action:
- 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
Provider's corrective action:
- 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.