Creche Inspection Reports

Simbas Childcare Limited

Part Time · 2 - 6 Years · Blackrock, Dublin · Tusla ID TU2015DR047 · Registered since 1 January 2026

An inspection records what inspectors saw on one day; services respond with corrective actions — how to read this.

2published inspections
2non-compliances at latest report read
0immediate action notices
0registration conditions

Inspection of 8 August 2025 — Inspection Report

Full report (PDF, Tusla)

Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment

  • (4) There was no evidence available to show that 2 adults who were working directly with the children held a relevant major award in Early Childhood Care and Education on the National Framework of Qualifications
  • The registered provider did not demonstrate that they had taken all reasonable measures to ensure that all employees were appropriately supervised and provided with appropriate information, training and policies to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of children attending the service and to comply with the regulations as follows: 1. The registered provider was unable to provide completed training and induction records for 3 adults who had recently commenced employment in the service. 2. Staff stated during discussions with the inspectors that they did not have any formal induction training and were emailed the service policies and procedures by the person in charge when the commenced employment. Staff members stated they were not asked to confirm they had read and understood the policies and procedures. This may directly impact on the care provided to the children and is at variance with the staff training policy in the service. 3. The registered provider was unable to provide evidence that regular staff meetings, support and supervision sessions or individual meetings had taken place in the service, this is at variance with the supervision policy in the service which states that staff meetings and supervision meeting s will be held on a monthly basis. 4. The registered provider was unable to provide evidence that four staff members including the registered provider had completed Children First training , the four staff members work directly with the children in the service
Provider's corrective action:
  • 9 (4) The registered provider has stated that the 2 adults working directly with the children have now enrolled in an early years training programme to secure a recognised early years qualification. One adult was employed for the summer and is no longer employed in the service, and the second adult remains in the service to complete her early years qualification. Both adults were surplus staff and not included in ratio. 7(a) The registered provider has stated that: 1. The 3 adults recently employed in the service have now completed necessary training and induction. 2. All staff have now received policies and completed induction and training. All staff have signed to confirm they have received policies and completed training. 3. Staff meetings are now documented, and a formal meeting is scheduled for each month. A formal meeting was held in September and documented. 4. Four adults who work directly with the children have completed Children First training

Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child

  • General Safety: 1. In the outdoor area, the wooden fence in the middle of the garden was loose and leaning over this posed a potential risk of harm to children if it fell over. 2. In the outdoor area, an elastic strap was used to keep an opening on the fence closed, the strap contained hooks at both ends, these hooks were rusted and sharp and assessable to children posing a potential risk of harm. 3. In the outdoor area, close to the main building, the fence was broken and sharp with a metal bracket exposed, this was assessable to children and posed a potential risk of harm. Infection Control: 4. In the toddler room, the pedal on the pedal operated bin was broken, the bin was in use and required staff and children using their hands to open bin to dispose of waste. This posed a potential risk of cross contamination. 5. In the toddler room the tap on the sink was loose and difficult to use, as a result the sink surround was water damaged, and the laminate and tiled surface above and below the sink had broken away in places exposing unfinished, porus wooden surface. This could not be cleaned effectively posing a potential risk of infection to children. 6. In the toddler room, appropriate infection control measures were not taken during nappy changing. A staff member was observed to use the same gloves throughout the full nappy changing procedure, including re-dressing the child. This is at variance with the nappy changing policy of the service and poses a significant risk of cross contamination to children. 7. In the nappy changing area used by the toddler room, a child’s potty was used by a child but was not cleaned and sanitised after use, this poses a significant risk of cross contamination to children. 8. In the toddler room, the lacquered surface on the 2 tables was worn with porus wood exposed, this table was used for play activities and for eating. The surface could not be cleaned effectively and poses a risk of cross infection to children. 9. In the outdoor area a bin containing mixed waste was overflowing and unlidded, this bin was accessible to children and poses a potential risk of cross contamination. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
  • General Safety: The registered provider has stated: 1. The fence has now been secured and is no longer loose or leaning, the fence is now included in the daily risk assessment carried out by staff. 2. The elastic strap has been removed from the fence, any additions to the fence will be assessed for suitability before use. 3. The metal bracket has been removed from the fence, any additions to the fence will be assessed for suitability before use. Infection Control: 4. The pedal operated bin has been removed and replaced by a new bin. Pedal bins will be purchased from a new supplier in the future. 5. The taps on the toddler room sink have been replaced and the surround has been repaired. The taps are included on the daily risk assessment completed by staff. 6. Staff have received additional training on nappy changing policy and have all staff have been reminded of the policy and procedures for nappy changing and hand hygiene during the recent staff meeting. Staff have been supervised during nappy changing procedure to ensure they are following the policy. 7. Staff have been reminded of the importance of sanitising the potty following use. Staff have been supervised during the potty sanitising procedure. 8. The two tables in the toddler room have been removed and replacement tables have been ordered. Temporary tables are in place until the new tables are delivered. Regular checks will be carried out to ensure tables are suitable for use. 9. The bin in the outdoor area has been removed. Only lidded bins will be used in the service

Found compliant: Regulation 11, 19, 27, 30, 32.

Inspection of 4 December 2024 — Inspection Report

Full report (PDF, Tusla)

Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment

  • (a) (b) There were no references available for one adult working in the service on the day of inspection. (d) International police vetting was not available for two adults who had lived in another state for a period exceeding six months as an adult. (3) The assessment of regulation 9(3) was limited to four staff members that commenced employment in the service since the last date of inspection on the 10th May 2022. Documentation reviewed evidenced that the procedures specified under Regulation 9(2) had not been carried out prior to three of the adult’s commencing employment in the service, as detailed above. (4) One adult who was employed to work directly with the children on the day of inspection did not hold a recognised qualification in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) on the National Framework of Qualifications. The corrective and preventive actions submitted following the last inspection of the service did not prevent the re-occurrence of the non-compliance
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action
  • (a) (b) References were incorrectly stored for Ruby in the providers other service as the employee had previously worked in that location. The records for have been now correctly stored and are now attached. The service has reviewed all employees to ensure this mistake was not replicated and have incorporated a regular check for our manager to ensure all files are stored in the correct location. (d) Police vetting attached for both individuals. Reviewed the service policies to ensure management are aware of what vetting documents are required. Also, where employees have lived in more than one country to ensure all countries are covered with police vetting. (3) The service procedures are in place to ensure that the requirements of this regulation are completed prior to employee’s start date. (4) On the day in question, there were 4 members of staff unexpectedly sick and the service’s normal relief staff were unavailable. The service called on a trusted neighbour who had previously done work experience in the service to ensure we could stay within ratio. This was a highly unusual, unprecedented occasion. The normal practice is to ensure we have adequate relief staff available

Regulation 15 — Record of pre-school child

  • (g) Two of the records reviewed did not contain details of the name and telephone number of the children’s medical practitioner. (h) Five of the records did not contain records of immunisations received by the children
Provider's corrective action:
  • The registered provider submitted the following response: Corrective and Preventive Action (g) The GP’s phone number for the two records has been obtained. (h) The immunisation records were obtained for the children where the record was missing. The service have improved our jot form-based record form to make all aspects of the form including uploading of immunisation records mandatory before the form can be completed. This will ensure full compliance in terms of necessary information

Regulation 16 — Record in relation to pre-school service

  • (i) An accurate staffing roster was not available in the service detailing hours of work for each staff member on the day of inspection. Following discussions with the person in charge and a review of documentation, two staff members rostered to work in the service on the day of inspection were on planned leave. (j) During discussions with staff members, it was confirmed that medication had been administered to a child in the service in the weeks prior to the inspection. There were no written records of this or any administration of medication available in the service
Provider's corrective action:
  • (i) Management have changed the process to review the roster weekly to ensure that staff included in the week’s roster incorporates any changes for staff on leave etc. (j) Post inspection the service compiled a training document that outlines the steps that need to be taken in the event of any medication given to a child, we also require individual parent signatures in advance if the medication if anything other than anti febrile is given, as anti-febrile permission is covered by the service record form. The service have a training reminder schedule which will be shared every 3 months to ensure all the necessary steps are taken in future

Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child

  • General Safety: 1. The service did not adhere to the re-vetting timeframes as outlined in the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice, requiring services to renew Garda vetting every three years. Four staff members working in the service did not have a Garda Vetting disclosure which was dated within the last 3 years. 2. There was a loose electrical cable trailing in reach of the children in the Toddler room which posed a risk of harm to the children. 3. Four of the accident records reviewed during the inspection did not contain evidence that parents had been informed of an accident which occurred involving their child. This may affect the correct continuity of care being provided to a child following the session and pose a risk of harm to the child. This practice is at variance with the accident and incident policy in place in the service which states accident records must be signed by parents. Infection Control: 4. Some of the nappy changing practices observed on the day of inspection were inadequate for infection control purposes and at variance with the policy and associated procedures in place as follows; • One staff member was observed to change five children’s nappies with no handwashing between changes. The staff member was then observed to assist with opening children’s drinks beakers after this and assist with children’s lunch boxes at snack time. • Children’s clothes were put on with the same gloves used to change and discard of soiled nappies. • The nappy changing mat was not cleaned between nappy changes. The corrective and preventive actions submitted following the last inspection of the service did not prevent the re-occurrence of the non-compliance. 5. The nappy changing mat in use during the inspection was torn and had internal foam exposed which could not be effectively cleaned, posing a risk of cross contamination. 6. Children attending the Toddler room did not handwash prior to snack time posing a risk of cross contamination. This was at variance with the infection control policies in place in the service. 7. An unlidded bin was in use in the Senior Montessori room and the pedal operated bin in use in the Toddler room was broken on the day of inspection, posing a risk of cross contamination. Administration of Medication: 8. Some of the practices in place for the administration of medications to children were at variance with the policy and associated procedures in place in the service and posed a risk of harm to a child; • There were no records of administration of medication available in the service for a child who had received medication in the weeks preceding the inspection. • Some staff demonstrated during discussions with the inspector that they were unaware of the medication policy in place in the service. Medication which had been administered to a child had not been documented, and there was no evidence to show that parents had been informed medication had been given to their child. Some staff were also unaware of what form should be used to record the administration of medication. Action submitted by the Registered Provider The registered provider submitted the following response:
Provider's corrective action:
  • General Safety: 1. All vetting documents have now been submitted. The service vetting process has been updated to ensure mandatory re-vetting every three years. 2. The electrical cable has been made safe. The service risk assessment has been updated to ensure more robust checks are performed daily. 3. Staff have been made aware of the importance of obtaining written signatures to acknowledge an accident communication. All parents were verbally communicated to regarding the accidents in question. Infection Control: 4. All staff have been retrained in the nappy changing procedure. Subsequent to inspection, individual training was given to each staff member, and they were asked to sign a document to confirm they understand the policy and procedures. The service have reiterated to all involved in nappy changing the vital importance of following the service agree procedure which involves handwashing before, between and after changes and cleaning of the mat between and after changes also. 5. A new changing mat has been obtained. 6. Included in the training in part (4) was the importance of handwashing for toddlers pre eating. An immediate review of all handwashing practices was undertaken post inspection. 7. A new bin has been put in place in the Senior Montessori and in the Toddler Room. Administration of Medication: 8. New training has been implemented with a schedule of retraining every 3 months to ensure the administration of medications is documented fully and includes the parents’ signature

Regulation 25 — First aid

  • Although it is noted that one adult working in the service had paediatric first aid training on the day of inspection, an adult trained in First Aid Responder (FAR) training was not available to the children as required. The corrective and preventive action submitted following the last inspection of the service did not prevent the re- occurrence if the non-compliance
Provider's corrective action:
  • The FAR qualification was 1 month out of date at the point of inspection. The service immediately enrolled 2 staff members on the course. The theory has been completed and as of Friday 17th January 25 the full course has been completed and we await a copy of the certs. Email from the FAR course supplier has been attached. More robust management review to ensure all trainings are in date

Found compliant: Regulation 11, 19.

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