Inspection of 13 March 2024 — Inspection Report
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- (a) (b) Two adults were missing one reference and one validation each. Future changes will be notified as required to Tusla. (d) Two international police disclosures were missing in respect of two adults who had lived outside the state for six consecutive months or more as adults
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the registered provider; (2) (a) (b) One adult has since left the service therefore, we have been unable to attain a second reference and validation. (d) Both adults have applied for their international vetting disclosures
Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child
- (f) There were no individual care plans with relevant information for the provision of care for three children in the Montessori Butterflies care room and for two children in the Bumble Bees care room who had individual medical conditions. In conversation with the staff in both care rooms, it was stated that individual care plans for each of the children were not available
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statement were received from the registered provider; (f) Two individual care plans were returned by parents/guardians. The three remaining parents/guardians have stated their children do not require medication. It was explained to parents/guardians that medication for a chronic illness cannot be administered without an individual care plan in place
Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service
- (k) The inspector observed that two accident/incident forms, from a sample of twenty-six accident/incident reports reviewed from all care rooms, had not been signed by parents/guardians. This potentially poses a risk that the parents/guardians were unaware of any accident or incident having taken place, and subsequently the first aid and care response provided
Provider's corrective action:
- (k) Both accident/incident forms have been signed. A staff member has been assigned to ensure all forms are signed
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: (1) Two giant dolls houses were observed to be unsecured, one in the Montessori Butterflies and one in the Caterpillar care rooms, posing a potential safety risk from them tipping or falling on the children. (2) One of the children’s highchairs in the Wobblers Senior care room was fitted with a three-way harness and not a five-way harness, posing a safety risk of a child climbing out over the top of the seat as there were no reins for a child’s shoulders. (3) Three wooden benches in the outdoor play area were in a poor state of repair. The inspector observed that the wood on three of the bench seats was splintered posing a safety risk should a child injury themselves from sitting on the missing and splintered wood. (4) A cot in use in the Toddler sleep room was placed under a notice board which had protruding pins inserted into it, posing a safety risk should a pin drop into the cot of a sleeping child. This non- compliance was also noted on the last inspection on 21 February 2023 in the Wobbler care room in which the registered provider stated that staff had been informed on the need to be vigilant regarding the immediate environment surrounding the cots, this was not found on the day of inspection. Infection Control: (5) A red vinyl sofa in the outdoor play area had four areas of exposed foam making it difficult to keep clean. (6) Exposed foam was visible, and stitching was open on vinyl seating in the Wobblers Junior and Senior care rooms, preventing effective cleaning of the soft furnishings. (7) Children in the Wobblers Junior care room had access to two rows of high chairs stacked three chairs high, posing a safety risk should they tip or fall on the wobbling children in the care room. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- The following statements were received from the registered provider; General Safety: (1) Both doll’s houses have been secured. These have been added to the health and safety checklist. (2) The high chairs have been removed from the Wobbler Senior care room. High chairs have been added to the health and safety checklist. (3) The three wooden benches in the outdoor area were removed and sent for refurbishment. (4) The cot was moved to ensure that no pins could fall into it or onto a child while sleeping. Staff have been reminded to check the area and to ensure that no cot is placed under the notice board. Infection Control: (5) (6) The soft furnishings were removed. Alternative soft furnishings are being considered which are more durable. (7) The chairs have been removed when not in use. These have been added to the health and safety checklist
Regulation not named in the report text
- (1) The registered provider failed to notify the Agency of the change in details of the designated person in charge, leading to incorrect information being recorded on Tusla’s National Register
Provider's corrective action:
- This inspection was unannounced and focused on the area of governance/ health, welfare and development of child, safety, premises and facilities. The inspection may also focus on other areas as required. 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 person in charge, deputy person in charge, named persons, staff and children who were present on the day of the inspection
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 20, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29.