Inspection of 9 December 2025 — Inspection Report
Immediate action notice. Two Immediate Action Notices (IAN) were issued to the registered provider, in relation to three identified safety risks. Immediate action was taken by the person in charge which mitigated these risks. Further details are available under Regulation 23.
Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment
- (3) There was evidence that all the procedures specified above under 9(2) had not been carried out prior to the commencement of employment of two adults in the service. Evidenced by the following: o Discussion with staff and documentary evidence available indicated that one adult had commenced employment within the service two weeks prior to receipt of Garda vetting disclousre. o There was no evidence to determine if references from a source other than a past employer had been validated prior to the commencement of a second adult as the date of validation had been left blank on both forms. o Although a Garda vetting disclosure was available for a staff member, there was no consideration of the disclosure such as a risk assessment undertaken by the service. Any disclosures should be assessed to determine any potential risk to the children. The procedures specified under 9 (2) must be carried out in advance of commencement of any adults in the service. This posed a safeguarding risk
Provider's corrective action:
- (3) The management team are now familiar with Tusla guidance documents in relation to Garda Vetting and have updated the service Garda Vetting policy. A risk assessment was completed immediately in relation to a garda vetting disclosure. The references were validated immediately, and all documents have been filed. Management have developed a staff checklist with the required staff documents to prevent this from happening in the future. Management will carry out a risk assessment for any Garda vetting disclosure in advance of commencement of any employee who requires one
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
- 1. The cosy area in the Jungle room was not appropriate for the age and developmental stage of the children in the room which made it difficult to access and unsafe for resting and relaxation use. The area consisted of soft topped bench with cushions on top which was observed to be of a height where children needed to climb up on to it and once seated their legs would dangle off it. The area was observed to be used by the children during the day and at one stage a child was lying down resting their body on it. Children need a cosy area which is easily accessible to them, and which provides a safe place for them to sit and rest as needed. A similar non-compliance had been observed in the previous inspection 14 June 2023. The preventative actions outlined by the registered provider had not been maintained
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Management changed the cosy area in the Jungle room to reflect the children’s development. The management team will look at the children’s age and development when setting up areas of rest and revised Tusla inspection report to ensure that all non-compliances are addressed
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
- General Safety: An immediate action notice was issued in relation to points 1, 2 and 3 on the day of the inspection. A response was received by the person in charge on 10 December 2025 which mitigated these risks. 1. The surface temperature of the radiator in the Jungle room was measured at 55.8°C at 10:59am. There were five children present, and this posed an immediate risk of scalding. The staff member in the room was informed and immediately turned down the temperature of the radiator mitigating the risk to children. 2. A sharp object was observed to be stored at a level accessible to children in an unlocked press in the kitchen area. The door to the kitchen was fully open and there was no adult present. The kitchen was positioned in a corridor where the children from the Jungle room and Montessori room accessed the children’s sanitary area unsupervised. This posed a safety risk. 3. A cleaning agent was observed to be stored beside the toilet at a level accessible to children in the adult sanitary accommodation. The door to the adult sanitary accommodation was unlocked and left ajar throughout the inspection. The adult sanitary accommodation was positioned in a corridor where the children from the Jungle room and Montessori room accessed the children’s sanitary area unsupervised. This posed a safety risk. 4. Two of the five Garda vetting disclosures reviewed were not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. This posed a safeguarding concern. 5. A blind cord in the Jungle room was observed to be unsecured. It is acknowledged this blind cord was not directly accessible to the children. However, this posed a potential risk of injury if the children were to climb on surrounding furniture and access the blind cord. 6. Flexes and cables were observed to be accessible to the children, evidenced as follows. • A cable from a mobile phone charger was observed to be left hanging on a low positioned plug in the corridor which the children used to access the sanitary accommodation unsupervised. • There was a flex observed to be hanging from under the radiator in the Jungle room which was at a level accessible to the five children present. • There was a flex observed to be hanging from a piece of equipment outside the kitchen room. All the above posed a potential risk of strangulation. 7. The door handle between the toddler room and the cot room was observed to be loose and hanging down with the nail exposed. This posed a risk of injury. It is acknowledged the door was temporally fixed by the person in charge during the inspection. 8. There was an exposed nail observed on a pipe covering on the route to the outdoor area. This posed a potential risk of injury. 9. There was a large stack of plastic storage boxes containing equipment observed to be stored on the route to the outdoor area. This posed a risk as they could topple on a preschool child. 10. There was a sharp wire observed to be exposed on the wooden gate into the outdoor play area. This posed a potential risk of injury. Infection Control: 11. Perishable snacks such as yoghurts and cheese brought by the children from home for morning snack time were not stored in a fridge, this increases the risk of bacteria multiplying to levels which could result in food contamination. 12. Nappy changing was not observed to be in line with the HSPC guidelines and was at variance with the service infection control policy. A sample of four nappy changes were observed: • The two staff members were observed to not put on an apron during the four nappy changes. • One staff member was observed to open the foot pedal operated bin with their hands during one of the nappy changes. • The four children did not have their hands washed following nappy changing. A similar non- compliance had been observed in the previous inspection 14 June 2023. The preventative actions outlined by the registered provider had not been maintained. • One staff member did not wash their hands following one of the nappy changes. • The nappy changing mat was not disinfected in between three nappy changes procedures. Appropriate use of aprons, adequate hand washing and disinfection of the nappy changing area are required to prevent the spread of infection. 13. It was observed that a staff member did not ensure that a preschool child, who used the sanitary accommodation independently, wash their hands after toileting. The inspector informed the staff member who then encouraged the child to return to the sanitary accommodation to wash their hands. This posed a risk of cross infection. 14. A section of linoleum flooring in the Toddler cot room was torn exposing a section of concrete floor. This prevented adequate cleaning. A similar non-compliance had been observed in the previous inspection 14 June 2023. The preventative actions outlined by the registered provider had not been maintained. Safe Sleep: 15. Children in the cot sleep room were not physically monitored while sleeping. It is acknowledged that a staff member was present in the cot room and documented recording of the breathing, position, and colour of each child in the sleep cot room. The staff member was observed to be positioned between two children on sleep mats and was observed to comfort a child who had difficulty to sleep. However, the staff member remained seated and did not physically check on the sleeping children every ten minutes. This posed a safe sleep risk. 16. The registered provider did not follow Tusla’s “Guidance for the Early Learning and Care sector on sleep provision for children under 24 months”. Evidenced by the following: • In the cot sleep room, there were three children in cots and four children on sleep mats. Three of the four children on sleep mats were under two years of age and were not provided with a mattress with a minimum depth of 6cms to sleep on. • An individual sleep plan was not available for the three children. Sleep plans should include an assessment of the individual child’s sleep routines and sleep requirements, to be determined and agreed in collaboration with parents/guardians and consideration of the child’s developmental readiness to move from a cot to a floor bed. • A risk assessment was not available for the three children, a risk assessment with appropriate consideration of the risks to children under the age of two years sleeping on floor beds, and how these risks would be mitigated should be developed prior to children under two years of age are transitioned from a cot to sleep mat. Fire Safety: 17. The layout of the cot room did not support the safe effective evacuation of children and staff evidenced by the following: • A door which led to a fire escape route was obstructed by the positioning of two sleep mats with sleeping children making it difficult to safely evacuate the care room if required. • Sleep beds and cots were positioned less than 50cm apart which impeded a clear walkway through the cot sleep room. 18. The corridor leading to an evacuation escape route was cluttered which impeded a safe evacuation of staff and children in the event of an emergency evacuation. Evidenced by the following: • There were carboard boxes stored on the corridor outside the toddler care room leading to the kitchen area. • There were two folded chairs stacked on the wall outside the kitchen door beside the emergency exist to the outdoor play area. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
- General Safety: 1. The surface temperature of the radiator in the jungle room which was high on the day of inspection was reduced immediately, by a member of staff. The radiator was locked to prevent the temperature from being raised accidentally. Staff will check the temperature of the radiator twice per day and will record this on a room check form which is on the wall of each care room. 2. The sharp object was removed immediately from the kitchen press and placed on a high shelf. There is a notice on the kitchen door to keep it closed. This door will remain closed when a member of staff is not present. Management have also added a stair gate to the doorway to prevent any access to the kitchen while there is not staff member present. Checking for sharp objects has been added to the daily risk assessment form. 3. The cleaning agent was removed immediately from the area that could be accessible to children in the adult sanitary accommodation. The door is now kept closed and locked. There is also a notice on the toilet door to remind the staff to keep it locked, and the keys are placed out of reach of the children. 4. The two outdated Garda vetting disclosures have been applied for. One is completed and is in the staff file and one is still being processed. Management will prevent this non-compliance by checking the staff files at the beginning of the year to establish when the garda vetting is due. A note will be placed in the office diary as a reminder to apply for the Garda vetting in a timely fashion. 5. The blind cord was secured immediately. A new daily risk assessment checklist will be completed by management to include checking that blind cords are secure. 6. All dangling flexes and cables have been removed. The mobile phone is no longer charged in this area. The radiator flex has been positioned behind the radiator in the jungle room. The electric fly zapper, which was outside the kitchen has been removed and placed in the kitchen. The management team will carry out a daily risk assessment checklist which includes dangling flexes. The management team will share this responsibility to ensure full oversight of risks. 7. The door handle between the toddler room and the cot room has been repaired. This was on the service maintenance list and management will endeavour to complete all tasks on the maintenance list in a timely manner. 8. The nail observed on a pipe covering on the exit route to the outdoor area was removed immediately. This was completed immediately. The management team will carry out a daily risk assessment checklist which includes protruding objects. The management team will share this responsibility to ensure full oversight of risks. 9. The large stack of plastic storage boxes was removed immediately from the outdoor area. The management team will carry out a daily risk assessment checklist which includes stacked storage boxes. The management team will share this responsibility to ensure full oversight of risks. 10. The sharp wire on the wooden gate into the outdoor play area was removed immediately. The management team will share this responsibility to ensure full oversight of risks. Infection Control: 11. All yogurts and snacks that contain dairy products are removed from the lunch boxes and placed in the fridge. To prevent this from happening again management have developed a checklist in each care room that advises staff to remove yogurts and dairy products to the fridge. 12. Nappy changing procedure as laid out in the infection control policy was reviewed by all staff during a staff meeting on Tuesday the 13th of January 2026. Management went through, step by step instructions as to how nappy changing should be completed. Management will do spot checks, every month to ensure that the staff are complying with the procedure. This will be documented. If a staff member shows that they are not completing the procedure correctly, they will be retrained. 13. Children will be reminded throughout the day to wash their hands after they use the toilet. Staff will monitor this. At circle time staff discussed with the children about self-care and hand washing. 14. This section of linoleum in the sleep room has been patched to cover the concrete floor this will help immediately with the cleaning process. The need for the replacement of this linoleum was noted on our maintenance form and was due to be replaced in March 2026. Management will share the Tusla guidance documents with relevant staff. Safe Sleep: 15. Management went through physically checking sleeping children, safe sleep procedures and safe sleep policy with staff at meeting 13th January 2026. To prevent this non-compliance from occurring in the future management have compiled a daily risk assessment form for the sleep room. This form will be completed by a member of management before the children go to bed and will help to monitor, that the member of staff is checking the sleeping children during their nap time. 16. Management team have been updated on TUSLA’s guidance for the early learning and care sector on sleep provision for children under 24 months. Children under 24 months will be provided with a mattress that has a minimum depth of 6 centimetres to sleep on. Individual sleep plans and risk assessments were completed by 23rd January 2026 for all children under 2 years of age that are using the new sleep mats. Fire Safety: 17. The new layout of the sleep room now supports the safe effective evacuation of children and staff at the escape routes are not blocked. A new floor plan of the sleep room has been created which ensures that there is enough space around each cot and sleep mat. 18. All fire exit escape routes are now clear. A new daily risk assessment checklist which management will complete includes keeping all fire exist escape routes clear of obstruction. The management team will share this responsibility to ensure full oversight of risks
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 26, 28, 32.