Inspection of 29 January 2026 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. 29 January 2026 An immediate action notice was issued to the registered providers in relation to two significant concerns identified under Regulation 23, Safeguarding the Health, Welfare and Development of Child. A response which adequately mitigated these concerns were received on the 30 January 2026. Further details are available under general safety section in Regulation 23.
Immediate action notice. 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.
Regulation 11 — Staffing levels
- (2) The registered providers did not ensure that the minimum ratio of adults to children was maintained. An insufficient number of adults were available to the children in the Preschool 2 room during the afternoon of the inspection. Service Type: Age Range: Number of children present: Number of adults proving direct care: Minimum number of adults required: Full Day Care 3-5 Years 17 Children 2 adults 3 adults It is acknowledged that there was an extra staff member available on the first floor. However, from 2pm to 3pm this care room was out of ratio. The correct adult child ratio for this age group is one adult caring for 8 children attending on a full-time basis
Provider's corrective action:
- This was a managerial oversight that there was one child over ratio on the day of inspection. The service had extra staff on the middle floor so going forward management will check and make sure a third member of staff is available. Management have spoken to the float members of staff and made them aware that they may be needed in different rooms and to check every day
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: 1. There was damage to the glass window of the outdoor play area which posed a potential significant risk of injury evidenced by the following. o There was only one panel of glass remaining in the double-glazing window unit. The remaining glass panel appeared to be compromised due to large cracks across the window making it appear unsafe. o When the inspector moved the equipment which had been positioned in front of this window unit there was shattered glass pieces on the floor surrounding this area. In addition, the remains of jagged glass were observed to be prodding out of the surrounding area where the inside pane of glass had existed before it was removed. It is acknowledged attempts had been made to make this area safe by covering the jagged glass edges with industrial tape and equipment placed in front of the area. However, parts of this area were observed to be exposed as the industrial tape had come undone on the lower part of the unit. An immediate action notice was issued on the day of the inspection. A response was received by the person in charge on 30 January 2026 which mitigated these risks. 2. Several glass windowpanes of the service were observed to have large cracks. One which was observed to be shattered completely from the outside. Through discussion with staff and photographic evidence from the previous inspection showed that damage to the windows appeared to have worsened since the last inspection on 13 February 2025. This posed a potential risk to the children. It is acknowledged that the registered provider has engaged in talks with the building owners regarding a resolution for the windows in the service. 3. The surface temperature of the radiator at the entrance hall of the service was measured at 53.7°C at 10:32am. The surface temperature of the radiator which was positioned at the bottom of the stairs on the ground floor was measured at 50.9°C at 10:35am. The surface temperature of a radiator on the first floor was measured at 51.6°C at 10:38am. All radiators were at a height accessible to children. This posed a potential scalding risk. It is acknowledged that the person in charge and one of the registered providers took immediate action to reduce the radiator temperatures once the identified risk was brought to their attention. A similar non-compliance was observed on the previous inspection on 13 February 2025, and the preventive action had not been sustained. An immediate action notice was issued on the day of the inspection. A response was received by the person in charge on 30 January 2026 which mitigated these risks. 4. The window in the cot room on the ground floor of the service did not have safety restrictors. This window was accessible from a public pathway which posed a potential risk of safety for the children. It is acknowledged this window was closed and secured during the times children were sleeping. However, this window had been observed to be open during the morning while this room was without children and unsupervised. 5. Six of the twelve garda vetting disclosures reviewed was not dated within the three years in adherence with early years inspectorate regulatory notice requiring services to renew staff garda vetting every 3 years. It is acknowledged that this garda vetting was applied for before the inspection date. However, the six garda vetting disclosures had not been received prior to their expiry date. This posed a safeguarding risk. Infection Control: 6. The sanitary accommodation on the first floor did not have a foot pedalled operated bin available for the appropriate disposal of waste. This posed a risk of cross infection. 7. Two of the children’s nappy lotions were not labelled. This posed a risk of cross infection. Safe Sleep: Sleep practices were not in line with current safe sleep guidance or the service policy on safe sleep. The following practices were observed: 8. In the Wobbler 1 cot sleep room, one sleeping child was observed to have a bottle and toy in the cot. The inspector also observed two more cots with sleeping children to have toys present. 9. In the Wobbler 2 sleep area, six children under 2 years old were observed to sleep on stackable low beds. These are not suitable sleep equipment for children under the age of two years. In addition, there were no agreed sleep plans available with parental permission and there was no risk assessment in place for those children under the age of two years who did not sleep in a cot. A sleep plan, incorporating a risk assessment and parental consent, should be completed before moving a child from a cot to a floor bed. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. The large, double-glazed window beside the playground entrance, in which one pane was shattered, has now been replaced with a new double-glazed panel. This new glass panel is toughened on both sides. This should prevent it from shattering in the future should the glass ever become compromised. 2. The registered providers are in discussions with the building owners to have these windowpanes replaced with appropriate glass. The building owners have sent out representatives to inspect the windows, and the registered providers have received an email from them since agreeing to replace some windows. The registered providers will continue to engage with the building owners until all the affected glass is replaced. 3. This was actioned immediately. The registered provider lowered the temperature to the correct one. The service now has a radiator thermometer, and management will check the radiator temperatures daily. 4. Management organised for the handyman to come and fit safety restrictors to the windows in the sleep room. Management will make sure the windows are well maintained at all times. 5. Management was not aware the vetting process was taking much longer and in fact they arrived a couple of days after the inspection. In future we will apply for the vetting’s well in advance. We have set up a notification on the computer to remind management when everyone’s garda vetting needs to be redone. Management have also added it to the diary. Infection Control: 6. A new foot pedal bin has been added to the first-floor sanitary area. Management will check the bins in all sanitary areas regularly. 7. The creams were disposed of and the owners identified and new creams were bought and labelled. Staff were made aware at a staff meeting the risk of cross infection and the importance of labelling everything. Safe Sleep: 8. At a staff meeting staff were made aware that no bottles are to be given to children in the cots even if a staff member is present. In addition, staff were made aware if a baby uses a comfort toy it needs to be removed when the child falls asleep. Management have placed signs in the sleep room reminding staff of this. 9. New suitable beds for under two’s have been ordered for the children. Management have developed a sleep plan with parental permission incorporating a risk assessment that needs to be completed for every child under 2. Staff were made aware that this sleep plan needs to be done for every child moving from a cot to a bed
Found compliant: Regulation 9, 19, 29.