The registered provider did not ensure the following:
(a)(b) Documentation was not available to demonstrate that the references had been checked or validated for two of the staff files reviewed. The following was observed: • One staff member did not have a second validated reference available on the day of the inspection. It is acknowledged a reference was sourced and validated by the service the day after the inspection. • One staff member did not have a validation available for a second reference. (d) International Police vetting was not available for two staff members where a review of documentation showed they had resided outside of the jurisdiction for more than six months as an adult
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective Actions (2)(a)(b) A validated written reference was made available the day after the inspection. The reference that was available for another staff member was validated. (d) Relevant police vetting was applied for and received for both staff members. Preventive Actions (2)(a)(b) The service ensures additional controls to further validate the relevant paperwork. Regular audits will be conducted to ensure compliance with Tusla's regulatory requirements. These controls will be managed on an ongoing basis to ensure full validation and compliance. (d) The service ensures a rigorous tracking system is in place for international hires to ensure that police clearances are completed and filed before employment commences. Should a new international clearance check arrive in, further advice will be sought ensuring this is the appropriate validation for the country. Regular audits will be conducted to ensure compliance with Tusla's regulatory requirements and with best practice
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for two staff members. However, these vetting disclosures were not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI- RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. It is acknowledged there was evidence available that the service had recently applied to have these two vetting disclosures renewed Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: Corrective action: Both staff members were placed on restricted duties pending the renewal of their Garda vetting disclosures. Both Garda vetting disclosures have now been received and are available on their files. Preventive action: To prevent reoccurrence, the service has implemented an automated reminder system to alert the administrator three months prior to the expiration of any vetting disclosures. Additionally, regular auditing of the office administration is in place
Found compliant: Regulation 11, 19, 22, 29.
Inspection of 23 July 2024 — Change in Circumstance
9(4) The registered provider did not ensure that one employee who worked directly with children attending the service held the relevant qualifications. There was no documentary evidence that the qualification available was deemed eligible by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Affairs as being equivalent to at least a major award in Early Childhood Care and Education at Level 5 on the National Qualifications Framework or a qualification
Provider's corrective action:
Corrective action: the service has ensured that the practitioner is now working in an assistant capacity until such time that an outstanding final module is completed. The practitioner is enrolled in a course to complete this
Regulation 19 — Health, welfare and development of child
(1)(a) The registered provider did not ensure that the child’s learning, development and wellbeing was facilitated because of the following: Basic Needs: 1. The sleep needs of four children in one of the rooms were not met. The room did not provide for a restful environment to enable the children to transition to sleep successfully. The following was observed: o The transition to sleep commenced in the room at 12.20pm. Not all of the children in the room were scheduled to sleep and seven children continued to engage in play, it is acknowledged that staff encouraged the children to use lower voices, but the room was observed to be noisy and not conducive for sleep. The inspector observed lots of movement and noisy activity in the room where seven children were engaged in free play in the home corner and construction area while two children slept, and four children were attempting sleep. At 12.50pm the four children had still not slept after 30 minutes and were observed to be wakeful on their beds watching the other children play. Children require the sleep environment to be a space that is conducive to sleep which is quiet with softer lighting which can aid rest and relaxation, as recommended in national guidance on sleep for the early years sector. Physical and Material Environment: 2. The range of books accessible to the children in one of the care rooms were maintained in poor condition; for example torn or missing pages. Children require images in books to be complete and a story to be in sequence for the book to make sense to them and for them to engage at the level required for learning. This could potentially impact on the engagement of children in early language and literacy experiences. 3. Children could not freely access Montessori materials in one of the care rooms. A shelving unit was observed to be covered by blankets throughout the time the inspector spent in the room, leaving the Montessori equipment stored there inaccessible to the children. The daily routine displayed in the room stated this activity was scheduled between 11.30am and 12.30pm. Children should have the freedom to move throughout their environment and have access to their choice of activity. This could have the potential to limit the child’s natural sense of enquiry and curiosity. It is acknowledged that this non-compliance was addressed immediately, as photographic evidence was submitted to the Inspectorate on the 28 November 2023 that the blankets had been removed and children had full access to the equipment
Provider's corrective action:
1. Corrective action: The room is a mix of Year 1 ECCE and a small number of pre-ECCE eligible children. The younger children’s sleep is currently facilitated within the routine; however, the room is working on transitioning out of sleep time. The service acknowledge that the mix of awake and sleeping children can be distracting so in order to mitigate this they have revised their playground timetable for both the junior and senior areas to facilitate awake children availing of the outdoor space during this section of the daily routine. Preventive action: Rooms avail of playground slots during sleep time in order to minimise disruptions. 2. The service have removed the books that were noted during inspection and have placed an order to replace the books. They will make their own copies of books, using a laminator and a book binding machine in order to make books that are more robust and will be enjoyed by the children for longer thus fostering early language and literacy experiences. Preventive Action: Rooms will check the condition of books as part of their maintenance checks. 3. Addressed on inspection
Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child
General Safety: 1. The corner protector on the shelving unit by the kitchenette in the Rowen room was gone leaving a screw protruding on the top corner of the shelf. This posed of risk of injury to the children. Infection Control: The following increased the potential risk of infection: 2. The bins in two of the rooms increased the risk of cross contamination: o The bin in the sanitary accommodation used by the Beech room was not lined or lidded. This increased the potential for cross contamination. It is acknowledged that this was non-compliance was addressed immediately, as photographic evidence was submitted to the Inspectorate on the 28 November 2023 that the bin had been replaced with an appropriate, lidded bin. o The foot pedal in the bin in the Chestnut room was broken, and staff were observed to use the lid of the bin to dispose of waste. This repeated hand touch of the lid posed increased the potential for cross contamination. It is acknowledged that this non-compliance was addressed immediately, as photographic evidence was submitted to the Inspectorate on the 28 November 2023 that the bin had been replaced. 3. The covering on two large, padded blocks in the Beech room was torn leaving the foam exposed, and therefore the surface un-wipeable. This increased the potential for cross contamination. 4. There was an increased potential for cross contamination as a box of toys and a bowl with a paint brush was observed to be at the sink area in one of the sanitary accommodation areas of the service. Only items for use in the sanitary accommodation area should be stored there Fire Safety: 5. The details of the attendance of the children were not accurately recorded in the attendance book in two of the rooms. A child who was present in one of the rooms was not recorded as being present, and a child who had left one of the rooms early had not been signed out. Contemporaneous accurate attendance logs must be maintained to support the safe evacuation of children in an emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider
Provider's corrective action:
General Safety: 1. Corrective action: Corner protector has been replaced in the Rowan room and the screw is no longer a hazard. Preventive Action: Regular review of required maintenance in rooms. Infection Control: 3. Addressed on inspection. 4. Corrective action: The two large, padded blocks in the Beech room have been removed and an order has been placed to replace them. Preventive Action: Regular review of required maintenance in rooms. 4. Corrective action: The box of toys and a bowl with a paintbrush were immediately removed from the sanitary area once brought to our attention on the date of inspection. Preventive action: Sanitary areas will not be used for storage. Fire Safety: 5. Corrective action: update attendance log. Preventive action: Continued regular auditing of the rooms to ensure all room administration is in order and investigations should any discrepancies arise
Regulation 29 — Premises
(d) The registered provider did not ensure the premises was cleaned and maintained as required: 1. The walls in the Rowan room had a sticky residue and paint was observed peeling in areas. This prevented adequate cleaning of the area. 2. The ventilation unit in the sanitary accommodation of the Rowan room had a build-up of dust. This could limit the ventilation unit to work effectively
Provider's corrective action:
1. Corrective action: Repainting of the Rowan room to rectify the peeling paint has been raised with maintenance team with priority. Preventive action: Regular review of required maintenance in rooms. 2. Corrective action: Ventilation unit has been examined by the maintenance team who have conducted a full cleansing of the unit, which is now in full working order. Preventive Action: Regular maintenance checks of bathroom areas and ventilation. Housekeeping cleaning sheet has been amended to include this