Regulation 21 in Dublin
Equipment and Materials: 19 non-compliance(s) in the latest reports we read.
An inspection records what inspectors saw on one day; services respond with corrective actions — how to read this.
28 January 2026
Balbriggan Community Childcare, Balbriggan · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. The play kitchen in the outdoor area used by the children in the Farm and Flower room had no supporting materials such as cups, plates, pots or pans. This reduced the fun and enjoyment for the children and limited the possible learning opportunities for them
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. In response the registered provider has stated that kitchen toys were purchased for the garden. We will ensure that the toys in the garden are maintained and that there is enough supporting materials for children to engage in play such as pots, pans and play food
19 November 2025
Footprints Early Years, Dublin 8 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Some materials in the care room were limited in their amounts which were not adequate to support the children in spontaneous or imaginative play. 2. Although a cosy area was included in the room design, the area was not inviting for the children. Blankets and pillows were folded up and stored in a shelving unit alongside a selection of books that were stacked on top of one another, potentially restricting the children’s wish to engage in rest or quiet activities
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Management will ensure that there is an adequate number of materials and equipment so the children can be successful in spontaneous or imaginative play. Staff have been updated on the importance of checking the toy quantity and reporting the need for additional toys or equipment when required. Weekly checks of toys will also be carried out. 2. The cosy area has been rearranged; blankets and pillows are now set up to make the area more inviting and with easier access to books. All staff members have been updated on ensuring areas in the care room are accessible and inviting to the children
13 November 2025
Daoine Beaga, Dublin 6 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Resources in the care room were not displayed in an inviting and accessible manner to encourage children’s play. The room was observed to be cluttered with resources poorly organised reducing opportunity for extended and meaningful play experiences. The following was observed: • Boxes containing toys were disorganised with a jumble of random items inside. • Resources were not grouped into defined areas for play. • The play kitchen had no supporting resources available and the shelves contained out of place items. • The library area was cluttered with torn and damaged books. This non-compliance was observed on the previous inspection in March 2025. The preventive action has not been maintained in line with the information provided to the inspectorate following the last inspection
Provider's corrective action:
- Resources in the care room are now displayed in an inviting manner and accessible to encourage children’s play and damaged books have been removed. Management have added another cleaning slot to the cleaning schedule specifically for the care room. This is to allow for any clutter or random mixed boxes to be kept on top of. With this in place we will be able to continue to keep the care room in an inviting and accessible
10 July 2025
Buttercup Creche, Dublin 14 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Supporting equipment and props were not available for the kitchen in the outdoor play area, which impeded the play opportunity for a child who was observed to show an interest in this area on the day of inspection
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Additional resources, such as pots, bowls and utensils have been added to the outdoor kitchen to create a more defined area, giving the children the opportunity to extend their interests. This area will be checked and maintained through the outdoor risk assessment
4 July 2025
Little Rugrats, Skerries · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- In the kitchen area where children sit to eat their meals together, one of the chairs was not age appropriate for one child in the Toddler room as it was too big
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action New highchairs have since been purchased which are more comfortable and slightly lower, so they allow for more interaction with toddlers and older children. Preventive Action At a recent meeting this noncompliance was communicated to staff
11 June 2025
Park Drive Day Nursery, Dublin 15 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Suitable and inviting cosy areas were not available to the children to allow for rest and participation in quiet activities, for example, there was no cosy or rest area provided to children in the Front room, and although a sofa was provided in the Back room, it was not adequate for the number of children present
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Management have purchased new child sized armchairs and a footstool for the back room and added a cosy corner to the front room to facilitate rest time for the children and opportunities for quiet activities
5 June 2025
Once upon a time, Dublin 15 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. A ride on car which was present in the outdoor area accessible to the children was unsuitable for play due to a broken wheel
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The damaged ride on car was immediately removed from the outdoor area upon identification. It was replaced the following day with a suitable alternative to ensure continuity of safe and appropriate outdoor play experiences for the children. While a daily garden safety checklist was already in operation, all staff have now received refresher training highlighting the importance of thorough and consistent equipment checks
21 May 2025
Lámha Beag, Swords · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- During the dinner time in the Baby room one child had to wait until their peers had finished their dinner to eat. The inspector observed, and staff stated, that there was not a sufficient number of high chairs available to accommodate the number of children requiring them in the service
Provider's corrective action:
- (1)(a) The registered provider purchased another highchair. They did also state that low level chairs were available, and staff could have availed of them, therefore the registered provider has spoken with staff members concerning the equipment available for the children
13 May 2025
The Nest Ranelagh, Dublin 6 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Practices that restricted opportunities for imaginative and spontaneous play experiences were observed as follows: o Supporting props and equipment for kitchens in the Tweenie and Toddler rooms were not available. o Supporting props and equipment for the kitchen and playhouse in the big outdoor play area were not available. o Chalk or mark making materials were not available for use with chalkboards in the big outdoor play area
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Additional kitchen toys have been added to ensure children have materials for both indoor and outdoor play. Chalk is always available in the garden storage and is made accessible to the children during outdoor play. A box clearly labelled “kitchen toys” will be placed in the Tweenie room, Toddler room and Garden. Staff members will inform management when additional chalk is required
10 March 2025
Happy Tots Crèche & Afterschool, Dublin 5 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- The registered provider did not ensure the following: 1. The furniture in the following rooms was not at a suitable height for the age range of the children using it: o The chairs in the toddler room were too high for three of the children. The children’s feet were unable to reach the floor while they were seated on the chairs. o Some of the chairs were too low for the children in the Senior Preschool room, leaving the table too high for the children to engage comfortably in mealtimes and table top activities while seated. 2. Two wooden shelving units in the outdoor play area were broken and were no longer fit for purpose
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The chairs in the care room were swapped around and are at the right height for the children in the rooms. The service will make sure that the chairs are age suitable in all rooms going forward. 2. The wooden shelving units were removed and was replaced with more durable equipment
25 February 2025
St. Lawrence Creche, Dublin 3 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Children in the Wobbler room did not have access to table and chairs throughout the day except at mealtimes. This restricted the children’s opportunities to sit down and take part in tabletop activities if they so wished. 2. Resources in the Wobbler room were inaccessible to the children, limiting their choice and opportunities for play. Evidenced by the following: o A selection of foam blocks was stored out of reach on top of a shelving unit. o Dolls and soft plush toys were blocked by a plastic room divider. o A low-level table was blocking access to cars and trucks. o Sensory play materials were stored in a bowl on a high shelf
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The children’s chairs were brought back into the Wobbler room and remain there all day. Management spoke with the staff in the Wobbler room about the importance of giving the children the choice to sit down or stand during activities. 2. Materials and equipment have been moved to lower shelving, ensuring they are accessible to the children and used daily. The table has been moved to allow children to move freely around it. A review of the timetable will ensure daily use of the toys
25 February 2025
The Children's Place, Dublin 1 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- The registered provider did not ensure the play and work materials in the Wobbler room adequately met the needs of the children in that room: 1. The play kitchen in the room was not a suitable height for the children in the room. It was too high for the children to adequately engage in successful play, for example the microwave press section was out of reach of the children. 2. The materials in the room were not displayed or organised in manner to encourage children to meaningfully engage in successful play experiences: o The materials were not stored in a grouped or themed manner; for example, a play box contained unrelated items such as rattles, cars, plastic fruit and blocks. o The props for the kitchen were not stored adjacent to the kitchen
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The kitchen was replaced with a smaller unit more suited to the children in the room. 2. The room has been divided into specific areas, and the service will ensure to keep these clear divisions in place
30 January 2025
St Helena's Resource Centre, Dublin 11 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. The registered provider did not ensure an adequate space for rest and relaxation for the older children attending the service. There was no cosy area in the care room for children of differing age ranges to rest and relax during their time within the service. 2. Materials present within the care room were not sufficient for younger babies, specifically those under 1 year of age, who were present on the day on inspection. This is evidenced in the following ways: o The low wooden chairs within the care room were too high for the three children who were less than one year old to navigate or sit in safely. An 11-month-old child was observed trying to sit on these chairs but due to the height was unable to do so, with the chair becoming wobbly. A child of seven months old was observed being fed in a highchair that was secured to the low-level table, the child was too far from the table and could not engage with the food independently, therefore preventing a child’s ability to feed and play independently. o The care room did not provide an appropriate play space for young babies for example: A child 6- month-old baby was cared for between a bouncer chair and a staff members lap during the course of the inspection. Limiting their gross motor development and play opportunities. o On the day of inspection there was a lack of suitable and developmentally appropriate toys for the younger babies attending the service. For example, those children under one year were observed walking along low-level shelving with another playing with a plastic battery-operated toy and car. The lack of age-appropriate materials limits children’s decision-making opportunities and prevents independent play. 3. The outdoor area had no visible play equipment
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. The registered provider has stated that a referral has been made to a quality improvement service for guidance and support in zoning the creche age appropriately. New equipment will be purchased following the guidance of the service. The registered provider held a meeting on the 11th of February with staff team to discuss use of age-appropriate toys and layout of the creche. Staff will ensure age-appropriate toys are available in the room to promote opportunities for motor development and play. 2. The registered provider has stated that a referral has been made to a quality improvement service for guidance and support in zoning the creche age appropriately. The registered provider held a meeting on the 11th of February with staff team to discuss use of age-appropriate toys and layout of the creche. Staff will ensure age-appropriate toys are available in the room to promote opportunities for motor development and play. 3. The registered provider has stated that a power washer has been purchased for the upkeep of the outdoor space, with works commencing on a sensory garden. This sensory garden area will be utilised for outdoor play and development. Maintenance has been scheduled to power wash the area monthly. Outdoor play equipment to be set up when weather permits, whilst awaiting on the immediate build of the playground
18 November 2024
Small Steps, Dublin 15 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. Two shelving units in one of the care rooms were turned to the wall, limiting children’s access to the play materials. This was identified as a non-compliance on the last inspection held on the 15 November 2022 and actions put in place failed to prevent a recurrence. 2. The layout of the rooms were disorganised and lacked planning, which can limit a child’s ability to engage and focus on their play experiences in a meaningful way. For example: o Equipment and materials were not consistently grouped in defined play spaces which can distract children from engaging in focused play experiences. o Equipment was not consistently stored in easily identifiable sorted play boxes. This can restrict access to play resources and limit comfort in knowing where things belong. o Equipment was not displayed in a pleasing manner which can limit the possibility for the child to engage with the materials
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective actions: 1. The service report that all the points from the inspection have been discussed with staff at a meeting and staff have been advised that all shelving units must be open and accessible for all sessions. 2. The service ensure they have reviewed all care rooms and made more defined areas of interest. Areas have been replenished with art supplies and a home corner added with new materials for all rooms. A commitment was made to have some shelving built in Room 3 which will help with storage. Preventive actions: 1. The shelves will remain accessible to the children. 2. Areas have been defined and the service commit to continuing to enhance all areas
6 November 2024
Cuddles 'n' Care, Dublin 9 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. There was no suitable shelving to provide accessibility of equipment for the children in the Baby Room to support children with independent decision making in their play and development. 2. There was no rest area available to the children in the Baby Room
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action 1. The service will rearrange the baby room to provide accessible equipment. 2. A cosy corner has been introduced to allow children to have a space to rest. Preventive Action 1. The service will ensure rooms have adequate equipment within the children’s reach to help children play independently. 2. Cosy corners and soft mats area will always be available. A daily checklist will be checked every morning before children arrive
27 September 2024
Drumnigh Montessori Primary School, Dublin 5 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. The chalk board in the bottom room did not have a supply of chalk readily available for use which limited it’s use and prevented children engaging with the equipment independently. 2. No supporting equipment was available for a mud kitchen in the outdoor area which limited it’s use and prevented spontaneous imaginative play experiences
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Staff members in the preschool service have been instructed to ensure that chalk is always readily available to the children. A staff meeting was held, and staff informed that they are to check at the beginning of every day that all supplies are accessible to the children. 2. The mud kitchen has since been removed from the garden area. Only fully operational and fit for purpose equipment shall remain in the garden. Items requiring repair are reviewed on a monthly basis by the person in charge with a member of the board then informed of same. Maintenance of equipment is carried out by appropriately qualified parents. This practice will continue in the future
9 September 2024
First Steps Creche and Montessori, Dublin 3 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. In the Toddler room, the play materials and equipment were stored in boxes on a high shelf and not accessible to children, limiting child led play, decision making and independent free play
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action 1. The Toddler room staff re-arranged the children’s play areas within the room and introduced more toys at a reachable level to the children. A large box of kitchen toys has been placed beside toy kitchen, in the construction area staff have brought down some large cars from the above shelves and also added a large box of building bricks. The baby doll section has had some pieces added and all areas have photos added to the boxes/areas for recognition by the child. Staff have also lowered family wall down for easier viewing for children. Preventive Action 1. Going forward the staff will be more mindful in the toddler and all other rooms when planning room lay out. They will swap high and lower-level toys around weekly for continued stimulation of play for the children. They will ensure there is always an adequate number of toys on floor level for the children to enhance more child led pay, decision making and independent play of the child
30 May 2024
Hyde and Seek Childcare (Shaw St), Dublin 2 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- 1. The registered provider did not ensure that the following play materials in the Toddler room were maintained in good condition and accessible to the children to support meaningful play experiences; • An art easel was stored in the corner of the room and made inaccessible to the children due to the presence of a sensory tray and bin while supporting equipment such as paint, crayons or colouring pencils were not observed to be present to support mark making experiences. • The books available on the morning of inspection were in poor condition and did not support children’s engagement with early literacy; pages were observed to be severely dog eared and a number of books were not complete with the cover or some pages only present. A variety of well-maintained books are required to promote engagement with literacy and ensure children can follow the sequence of a story ensuring meaningful experiences. It is acknowledged that additional books were added to the bookshelf during the inspection and some damaged books were removed. • Four inset jigsaws were available for use by the children however the jigsaws were not maintained intact and the pieces were not visible to the inspector throughout the inspection. Materials should be grouped appropriately to ensure ease of access to the children to encourage engagement. One child was observed to take one of the jigsaws from the shelf before dinner and stand holding the board for a few moments before it was returned to the shelf. It is acknowledged that following feedback a member of the management team located the jigsaw pieces in a basket on the shelf opposite when the jigsaws were stored however this is not appropriate storage for the jigsaws given the age and stage of development of the children present
Provider's corrective action:
- • The room has been rearranged to ensure the children have easy access to the easel. Daily checklist updated to remind staff to check the art easel is accessible and stocked with materials during activity times. • As stated in the inspection report the books were refreshed during the day. The creche manager/deputy manager will verify that the condition of the children’s books has been checked by staff in the room as per the daily checklist. • Jigsaws will be checked in the evening as part of the tidy up routine. A check of the jigsaws has been added to the cleaning list. Managers and staff have been instructed on this requirement
22 January 2024
Early years service TU2015DY305, Dublin 8 · Regulation 21 — Equipment and materials
- The registered provider did not ensure the following: 1. The was not an adequate and suitable range of books in good condition accessible to the children in the Toddler and Montessori rooms. This could potentially impact engagement of children in early language and literacy experiences. For example o In the Montessori room, there were only ten books observed to be available to the 14 children on the day of the inspection, and of these two were observed to be maintained in poor condition, for example torn or missing pages. o There were 16 books observed to be available to the 10 children on the day of the inspection, and of these six were observed to be maintained in poor condition, for example torn or missing pages and seven were not suitable to the age and stage of the children in the room. 2. There was not a suitable cosy area in the Montessori room for the children to take a break from activities and rest. The small bean bag available was not adequate. 3. There was no adult seating in the Montessori room, as a result a staff member was observed sitting on a table comforting a child in need of support. 4. The outdoor kitchen did not have props or accessories available which limited the play experiences of the children. 5. There was no nappy changing mat available in the nappy changing room used by the Baby room resulting in the children having to lie on a hard surface for nappy changes. This did not support a comfortable experience during nappy changes
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Corrective action: the damaged books were replaced additional books were added to the books available. Books suitable to the age and stage of the children in the room were provided for the Toddler room. Preventive action: the service ensure books will always be available for children and will substitute them if they are in poor condition. The service commits to replace all books on a monthly based. 2. Corrective action: A new sofa was purchased. 3. Corrective action: chairs have been added in the room. Preventive action: no action submitted. 4. Corrective action: the service have added the accessories for the outdoor kitchen. Preventive action: Manager and assistant manager will ensure all the materials will be available in the outdoor area all the time. 5. Corrective action: New Changing mat was added in the changing units in the baby room