# Willowtree Childcare Ltd, Ballinspittle — inspection reports and findings > Willowtree Childcare Ltd (Ballinspittle, Co. Cork): what Tusla inspections found — 6 published inspection(s), non-compliances and the provider's corrective actions. ## Willowtree Childcare Ltd Sessional · 0 - 6 Years · Ballinspittle, Cork · Tusla ID **TU2015CC393** · Registered since 1 January 2026 An inspection records what inspectors saw **on one day**; services respond with corrective actions — [how to read this](/methodology.md). #### Inspection of 2 June 2026 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment - (2) (a) One of the required references from a past employer had not been validated. This was evidenced through staff recruitment files. Failure to fully complete vetting procedures poses a risk to the safety of children - Recruitment files indicated that vetting procedures had not been carried out prior to new staff being allowed access to or contact with children. One reference had not been verified as evidenced in (2) (a) - 9 (2) (a) & 9 (3) In her written response, the registered provider stated that the reference had been verified. The registered provider stated that this would be done going forward, and filed, before a staff member has access to children ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The mud kitchen in the ECCE 2 outdoor area had a wooden hob area which was observed to be splintered, cracked and broken on the day of inspection. This posed a risk of injury to children. 2. The porch area of shed in the ECCE 1 outdoor area, which was accessible to children, had a hole in one of the floorboards. This posed a risk of injury to the children. Infection Control: 3. Barrier creams were not individually labelled in the Toddler nappy change area. It was observed that 6 tubs of barrier creams had been placed in a basket. Only one of these creams had been labelled with a child’s name. This posed a risk of cross contamination to the children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The registered provider stated that the mud kitchen had been repaired and cleaned. 2. The registered provider stated the area had been made inaccessible to children. Infection Control: 3. The barrier creams in the toddler changing area had been individually labelled and a person assigned to ensure the items are labelled in future ##### Regulation 26 — Fire safety measures - (a) The registered provider has kept a written log of fire drills which, upon inspection showed that the last recorded fire drill took place on the 14 April 2026. There was no record of a fire drill carried out in November and December of 2025, and no record of a fire drill carried out in May 2026. Failure to adequately prepare children and staff for the occurrence of a fire poses a risk to the children’s safety. (b) Evidence available on inspection showed the fire extinguishers in the service were last serviced in April of 2025. Failure to properly maintain firefighting equipment, by annual servicing poses a risk to the safety of the children in the event of a fire - (1) (a) In her written response the registered provider outlined how fire drills would be recorded monthly in future. (1) (b) The registered provider stated that the fire extinguishers had been serviced previously, but a certificate had not been received. The registered provider has had the fire extinguishers reinspected Found compliant: Regulation 8, 11, 16, 19, 28. #### Inspection of 11 March 2026 — Change in Circumstance Full report (PDF, Tusla) No non-compliance recorded in this report. #### Inspection of 26 September 2025 — Inspection Report Full report (PDF, Tusla) ##### Regulation 9 — Management and recruitment - (3) It was noted that the Garda vetting disclosure held in respect of one of the adults was dated two days after the staff member had commenced working at the service. Following the inspection, the registered provider forwarded a Garda vetting disclosure in respect of the same adult, which was dated prior to the staff member’s start date. However, this Garda vetting had been obtained through another organisation and was not accepted under part (3) of the regulation, as Garda vetting cannot be transferred from a previous role. Registered providers are required to process their own staff with regard to Garda vetting, before staff are allowed access to or contact with children - The corrective action stated by the registered provider does not address the non-compliance identified ##### Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General safety: 1. The Garda vetting disclosure available for one of the adults was not dated within the previous three years, in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Notice, ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. It was acknowledged that the vetting renewal had been applied for and was awaited. However, this non- compliance was also found at the previous inspection on 14 January 2025. In her CAPA response following that inspection, the registered provider outlined that she would endeavour to keep on top on this paperwork, however, this was not found in practice. Safe sleep: 2. Whist the staff in the Toddler/ECCE 1A room were conducting sleep checks of three sleeping children on the 23 September 2025, they did not maintain a written record of all sleep checks as they were carried out. Two sleeping children each had one complete sleep check record, and the subsequent required five records were noted to be blank when reviewed. A third sleeping child was noted to have three completed sleep check records, and three incomplete records when reviewed. Staff were noted to be completing these records subsequent to the review by the inspector. Upon discussion, the staff stated, “we write them when we can”. Whilst it was acknowledged that sleep records were accurately maintained for two children on 25 September 2025, which were reviewed on 26 September 2025, the records reviewed on 23 September were retrospectively completed, as observed by an inspector which posed a safety risk to children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General safety: 1. The Garda vetting had been applied for. The registered provider stated that Garda vetting for staff will now be applied for in advance. Safe sleep: 2. The registered provider stated they had reminded staff to ensure sleep logs were completed in line with the sleep checks being completed ##### Regulation 28 — Insurance - It was acknowledged that the insurance certificate was in date and was suitable for the type of service provided. However, the maximum number of children covered to attend at any one time was 65 and a sample review of past attendance records demonstrated that this number had been exceeded on the following dates: • On 7 May 2025 and 21 May 2025, there were 68 children in attendance on both days • On 28 May 2025, 66 children attended the service • On 3 June 2025, there were 67 children present at the service. As a result, the service may not be adequately covered in the event of an insurance claim - The registered provider stated they will ensure that adequate insurance is in place ##### Regulation not named in the report text - The service was found to be operating outside of its approved registration status, in relation to the number of preschool children that the service was authorised to accommodate, on day one of this inspection. At the time of inspection, the setting was registered to cater for a maximum of 44 early years children at any one time, however 48 children were observed to be in attendance during the morning of 23 September 2025. It is acknowledged that 42 children were observed to be attending on the morning of 26 September 2025. On discussion with the registered provider, she stated that since September 2025 the maximum they are currently accommodating is 52 children at one time on a Wednesday. A review of September 2025 attendance records recorded a maximum of 53 children present, as outlined below. On 23 September 2025, a sample review of an additional 30 days of children’s attendance records during the months of February, March, April, May, June and September 2025, found that the number of children recorded as in attendance exceeded 44 children on all 30 of the 30 days reviewed. For example: • On 7 May 2025, there were 68 children present • On 21 May 2025, there were 68 children present • On 28 May 2025, there were 66 children present • On 3 June 2025, there were 67 children present Acknowledgments The inspectors wish to acknowledge the cooperation of the registered provider, staff and children who were present on the days of the inspection Found compliant: Regulation 11, 16, 19, 29. ### Earlier inspections - 28 January 2025 — Inspection Report · PDF - 24 January 2024 — Inspection Report · PDF - 12 September 2023 — Inspection Report · PDF ### Other services in Cork - [Wise Guys Afterschool](/creche/wise-guys-afterschool-fermoy.md) Fermoy - [Yellow House Montessori](/creche/yellow-house-montessori-skibbereen.md) Skibbereen - [Zenith Childcare](/creche/zenith-childcare-douglas.md) Douglas - [ABC Academy](/creche/abc-academy-fermoy.md) Fermoy - [Allstars Preschool Ltd](/creche/allstars-preschool-ltd-ballyphehane.md) Ballyphehane - [Baltimore Community Playgroup Service CLG](/creche/baltimore-community-playgroup-service-clg-baltimore.md) Baltimore - [Cherryblossoms Cullen](/creche/cherryblossoms-cullen-cullen.md) Cullen - [Happy Days Montessori Pre-School](/creche/happy-days-montessori-pre-school-bantry.md) Bantry - [Teach na Leanaí](/creche/teach-na-leanai-fermoy.md) Fermoy - [Playdays Pre-School](/creche/playdays-pre-school-bweeng.md) Bweeng [Alert me when a new report is published](/help.md) · [Dated report on this service — €19](/report.md) --- Página: https://creche-inspection-reports.pages.dev/creche/willowtree-childcare-ltd-ballinspittle/ Fonte: Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Recolha: 2026-09-11