# Regulation 23 (Safeguarding Health, Safety and Welfare of Child) — non-compliances in Wicklow > What inspectors found under Regulation 23 (Safeguarding Health, Safety and Welfare of Child) at 62 early years services in Wicklow, with providers' responses. ## Regulation 23 in Wicklow Safeguarding Health, Safety and Welfare of Child: **62** 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](/methodology.md). 18 June 2026 ##### [R.O.S Early Years Ltd](/creche/r-o-s-early-years-ltd-arklow.md), Arklow · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. On the day of inspection, the handle of the door to the Creche room was broken. There was a risk that children could exit the room as the door could not be closed properly. Infection Control: 2. On the day of inspection, the cleaning sheet in the Creche room sanitary area had not been completed for the previous two days. 3. Extra beds and cots were being stored in Creche room sanitary area. 4. The general condition of the Pre-Ecce room, Creche room and the sleep room needed upgrading as they could not be effectively cleaned for infection control purposes. 5. There were residual tape marks on the tables of the Pre-Ecce room which prevented tables being cleaned effectively for infection control purposes. Safe Sleep: 6. On the day of inspection, in the Creche sleep room, there was no recorded evidence of sleep checks being carried out between 12.10pm and 12.35pm. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety 1.The door in the Creche room is fixed to ensure it is closing correctly. Risk assessments will be carried out daily and regular maintenance checks will be carried out throughout the building to ensure all areas remain safe. Any maintenance issues identified will be recorded and addressed properly. Infection Control: 2. Further staff training was carried out with all staff to ensure they understand and consistently implement the services policies and procedures. Staff training will be implemented for new and existing staff and will be carried out regularly. 3. All beds have been moved to a secure storage room. All beds will remain in this designated hygienic area. 4: All rooms have been freshly painted. Painting will be carried out regularly by our maintenance team to ensure the upkeep of the service. 5: Residual tape has been removed from the table in the pre-ecce room. Ensuring that cleaning is carried out to the highest standard throughout the day. Safe Sleep: 6: Ensuring all staff are aware of the safe sleep policy and procedures. Sleep policy will be displayed in all rooms where children sleep 20 May 2026 ##### [Little Stars On The Lane](/creche/little-stars-on-the-lane-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. On the day of inspection, two nappy changes were observed and, on both occasions, protective gloves removal and hand washing were not carried out at the correct times during the procedure. In addition, one child was not cleaned during the nappy changing procedure. It was noted that there was no written guidance or visual nappy changing procedure cues present in the sanitary area for staff to follow. 2. There was no foot pedal operated bin within the sanitary area of the Moon room on the day of inspection. 3. No table cleaning was observed before lunch time in the Moon room. The purple paint the children were using during the morning, was still present on the tables when the children’s food was being served. 4. In the Moon room and Sun room, both adults and children were observed to lift the foot pedal operated bin by hand when disposing of used paper towels. 5. At 11.55am an adult in the Sun room was observed letting children who had just washed their hands before mealtime, open the lid of the foot pedal bin with their hands, to dispose of used paper towels. 6. At 12 Midday an adult in the Sun room was observed pushing down the contents of the foot pedal operated bin in the room with their hand, then put on gloves to collect the hot food that was being delivered to the room, without washing their hands between one procedure and the next. 7. The windowsills in both the Sun and Moon rooms were chipped and in need of repair. The wall beside the large window in the Moon room was chipped and needed repainting. These surfaces could not be effectively cleaned for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - What actions have you taken to correct the non-compliance? Infection Control Points 1-7 All staff have been retrained in our nappy changing procedure, which is updated and on the wall in each room, nappy changing area, staff room and toilets. We have reviewed our nappy changing policy and procedure to ensure we follow the correct steps and this is on the wall. We have also created a number of wall reminders for every action required. We have purchased a new suite of pedal bins for all bathrooms and care rooms. We have also commissioned stickers from SITE MATE, which are now place on all bins and walls beside bins to remind staff to use the foot only. All staff have been retrained on use of pedal bins, handwashing, table cleaning and strong infection control practices. All windowsills and surrounds have been painted and repaired. We are going also purchasing plastic windowsill covers, to maintain the new paintwork as they are low and children like to sit on them, causing the paint to damage. Regular spot checks will take place on a weekly basis by managers and owners to ensure the training is being implemented and quality of nappy changing, handwashing, pedal bin usage and table cleaning is being upheld and slippage of good practices does not occur. New pedal bins to ensure easy opening for our team. Repeat training every month. Purchase of windowsill covers 11 May 2026 ##### [Blath na hOige Montessori](/creche/blath-na-hoige-montessori-blessington.md), Blessington · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. In the Daisy room, the cupboard beneath the sink was not safely secured and cleaning agents were accessible posing a safety risk if accessed by a child. Infection Control: 2. There were no lids on the pedal operated bins in the Sunflower room and in the sanitary area of the Daisy room posing a risk of the transmission of infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Cupboard has been cleared of all cleaning agents. Cleaning agents shall be kept in the staff room. Infection Control: 2. New Bins with lids and pedals have been placed in all rooms. All bins going forward shall have lids and pedals 20 April 2026 ##### [Little Poppets Creche & Montessori](/creche/little-poppets-creche-montessori-kilcoole.md), Kilcoole · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The side door leading to the rear of the premises was secured with a latch located at a height which was accessible from outside the premises. This posed a danger of unauthorised access into the outdoor area. 2. In the outdoor area used by the children from the playschool room the door from a playhouse was missing exposing sharp plastic sides which could pose a risk of injury to a child. Infection Control: 3. In the outdoor area used by the children attending the Montessori room there was no cover on a sand/ clay digging area. This posed a risk as it could be contaminated by animal excreta. Safe Sleep: 4. In the Bobblers room one child aged 22 months slept on a mattress in their room. Sleep beds must be provided for all children who are less than two years of age. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. There is a bolt also on the side gate, this will be bolted along with the high latch. Staff members have been notified that the bolt on the side gate to the rear of the garden must be bolted in conjunction with the latch to avoid unauthorised access to the rear garden. 2. The playhouse has been removed from the garden. Infection Control: 3. A lid has been made for the sand/clay digging area and placed on top. Safe Sleep: 4. All children aged 1-2 years will sleep on the new sleep beds which have been purchased with immediate effect 14 April 2026 ##### [Little Harvard Childcare Ltd](/creche/little-harvard-childcare-ltd-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. On the day of inspection in Wobbler (1) no hand washing of the children’s hands was observed before the children were sat at the table for their lunch. Hand washing is an essential part of infection control. 2. On repeated occasions in Wobbler (1) the lid of foot operated pedal bin was lifted by hand by staff members to dispose of used tissues and other items. The pedal was in full working order. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: 1. Staff have been reminded of the importance of hand washing before meal and training has been carried out with all staff in relation to ensuring all children wash their hands before every meal. Ongoing supervision checks by local management will be carried out to ensure the correct practice is now being carried out consistently. 2. All staff have been reminded of the importance of using the foot-operated pedal bin correctly at all times to minimise the risk of cross contamination and maintain effective infection control practices. Refresher training through training cards were carried out with staff to reinforce correct hygiene procedures and ensure compliance going forward. Local management will carry out spot checks to ensure that all staff are following the correct practice and ensure compliance with all aspects of regulation 23 26 March 2026 ##### [Naíonra Ghleann na Darach](/creche/naionra-ghleann-na-darach-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: Garda vetting was available for one staff member. However, this vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence with the regulatory notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: We have reapplied for the vetting. Both management and the staff member have been in touch with the organisation who manages Garda vetting for early years services. There appeared to be a technical issue on their end, and they have advised sending another application once the site is operational. Renewal reminders have been added to yearly admin checklist 4 March 2026 ##### [Sonasámh Montessori Scoil](/creche/sonasamh-montessori-scoil-baltinglass.md), Baltinglass · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The registered provider did not have in date emergency medication for a child in the Montessori who required it. There was no care plan in place for the child should an emergency arise. An immediate action notice was issued on the day of inspection and the registered provider responded the following day and this response was accepted by the inspectors. Infection Control: 2. There was no hot water and the tap could not be opened in the sanitary area of Joanne/Sophie’s room. Warm water is required to support effective handwashing. 3. Following a review of the nappy changing procedure, the correct time to remove soiled gloves was not noted. Removal and disposal of soiled gloves should follow cleaning of the child and bagging of the soiled nappy. The correct disposal of soiled gloves is an essential part of cross infection prevention. The practice observed during one nappy change on the day of inspection, was soiled gloves were not removed and disposed of until after the child had been redressed and the child’s hands were washed. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The child with out-of-date medication- this was immediately corrected and evidence sent through to Tusla Inspectorate. A Monthly review is taken on children who use medication in the service. Date of expiry is noted. Infection Control: 2. A plumber came to fix the tap in the care room. We will keep on top of broken fixtures and fittings in the service as a matter of urgency. 3. Detailed step by step guide to Nappy Changing Procedure is hung on the wall over the nappy changing area 19 February 2026 ##### [Little Harvard Childcare Ltd](/creche/little-harvard-childcare-ltd-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: On the day of inspection in the Toddler 1 at 13:10 hrs, a child was found holding a small, hard plastic dinosaur toy. Eleven such small toys were found in a play box in Toddler 1, which were accessible to all the children in the room. The toy was small with sharp edges and posed a serious choking and injury risk to a child in the age range present in the service room. This was brought to the attention of the manager who immediately took charge of removing any similar toys in the room. All toys must be age appropriate, suitable and safe for the children who are playing with them. Infection Control: On the day of inspection, failure to clean tables before serving lunch was observed in two pre-school rooms, Pre- school room 2 and Pre-school room 5. The cleaning of tables before the serving of food, in addition to other hygiene practices, are essential for the prevention of cross infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Smaller plastic toy animals were removed on the day of the inspection from the Toddler rooms. Age suitability as per toy packaging will be monitored going forward. Local and Regional Management will ensure that all toys are age-appropriate before being placed in rooms. Ongoing monitoring will form part of routine room checks to ensure standards are consistently maintained. Infection Control: The issue was highlighted with staff on the day, refresher training completed for all staff, as per the attached training card. Local and Regional Management will implement ongoing monitoring of mealtime practices to ensure tables are cleaned appropriately before serving food. Regular spot checks will be carried out in all rooms in adherence to hygiene procedures to ensure compliance 12 February 2026 ##### [Mini Hands Montessori](/creche/mini-hands-montessori-kilmacanogue.md), Kilmacanogue · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. During snack time, the inspector observed that a child had whole grapes in their lunchbox which posed a choking hazard to the child. It is acknowledged that the staff member cut these for the child when it was brought to their attention by the inspector. 2. A wooden frame containing a sink for children to play with in the outdoor area was broken and had jagged pieces of wood which poses a safety risk to children. Infection Control: 3. In the sanitary area adjacent to the care room, paper towels for hand-drying were placed loosely in a basket beside the handbasin. This poses a risk of cross infection and cross contamination for staff and children. Administration of Medication: 4. An Immediate Action Notice was issued to the registered provider on the day of inspection, 12 February 2026, as a detailed care plan and emergency medication required for one child was not immediately available in the service. This posed a risk to the health and safety of the children concerned. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Following the inspection, a message was sent to parents to remind them that grapes are a choking hazard if given to a child whole and they have been asked that grapes be cut length ways and in quarters. A photograph of how the grapes should be cut was provided with the message to assist with their understanding. All staff are responsible to check lunchboxes for whole grapes in the future. 2. The wooden frame at the outdoor sink has now been removed and a concrete surround is now in place. In future all staff will report any equipment that is damaged and a weekly review will be undertaken to review all equipment. Infection Control: 3. The basket containing the tissues for hand drying has been removed from the sanitary area and replaced with an enclosed holder containing paper towels. This will be used going forward and children have been shown how to remove the paper towels for use after handwashing. Administration of Medication: 4. A response to the Immediate Action Notice issued on 12 February 2026 was submitted to the inspector on the 13 February 2026 which addressed the fact that emergency medication and a detailed care plan were unavailable for a child who required this. The medication is now stored in the service and is in date as required. A care plan has been updated and this new template will be used in the future. The deputy manager has been assigned responsibility to ensure that everything is in place for children requiring emergency medication in the future 3 February 2026 ##### [Charlesland Park Montessori](/creche/charlesland-park-montessori-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Safe Sleep: 1. In the Baby sleep room two cots for use by children aged 1-2 years were unsuitable. The two cots had a gap between the mattress and the cot frame at the end of the cot. One gap measured 4cms and the second gap measured 6 cm. There should be no more than 2.5cm between the mattress and the side of the cot to reduce the risk of suffocation if a child gets stuck between the mattress and the side of the cot. 2. Children aged between 15 and 23 months slept on thin mattresses which were 4cm in thickness. A floor bed is required for children of this age group and the mattress must be at least 6m in depth. Action submitted by the Registered Provider Safe Sleep: 1.The two mattresses on the cots have been replaced and now fit correctly. Going forward the mattress will be checked prior to each child being placed to sleep to ensure fitting correctly. 2.Ten floor beds have been purchased for use by children 15 to 23 months. Going forward floor beds will be used for children aged 15-23 months. Supporting documentation submitted Receipt for the purchase of 10 Floor beds. Summary Comment The registered provider has addressed the non-compliance as identified on inspection in relation to Regulation 23 29 January 2026 ##### [Enniskerry Montessori and Afterschool](/creche/enniskerry-montessori-and-afterschool-enniskerry.md), Enniskerry · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. On their return indoors from playing in the outdoor play space, children were not supervised in handwashing, and the adults were not observed to wash their hands. The children were observed to access resources from the shelves to play with them. This poses a risk to staff and children in cross contamination and cross infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: To correct this non-compliance, the registered provider discussed this non-compliance with all staff on 13 February 2026 and the importance of hand washing for all children and staff when returning from outside play. This will be applied to our daily routine along with being checked and monitored by the manager and the registered provider. To prevent this non-compliance from re-occurring in the future, the registered provider in addition to holding a meeting with staff, has also erected new signage (with hand washing image) to remind staff and children of the requirement to wash hands after outdoor play. These are located at each exit and entry points to the service and in the sanitary area 12 December 2025 ##### [Castle Kidz](/creche/castle-kidz-newcastle.md), Newcastle · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Upon arrival of the inspector at the service twelve children, aged two years and six months to 4 years, were playing outdoors on scooters and bikes at the front of the premises. The two gates at the entrance were unlocked and the latches on the gates were easily accessible to the children. This posed a risk as a child could leave the premises and have access to the roadway. Additionally, an unauthorised adult could enter the premises - Locks will be used at all times and all staff members made aware of procedures. A review of the risk assessment for the use of the carpark has been completed. A staff member will be positioned near the locked gate. As advised, we will also use cones to section part of the carpark to make supervision more manageable 10 December 2025 ##### [Kangakare Childcare Ltd](/creche/kangakare-childcare-ltd-arklow.md), Arklow · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. In the baby and in the fledgelings rooms inflated balloons were accessible to the children who were aged 13 months- 22 months. This posed a risk of choking and inhalation. Balloons are not advised for children aged 3 years or less. 2. In the fledgelings room five cord blinds on windows were not secured. 3. In the playschool room a trailing flex from Christmas tree was on the floor posing a hazard. 4. In the outdoor area the following was observed: • A metal hook was protruding from a low position on the side wall. This posed a hazard as a child could fall onto it causing an injury. • There were sharp edges at the top of a low wall where plastering had been damaged. This posed a risk of injury if a child fell onto it or scraped against it. Safe Sleep: 5. In the Fledgelings room one baby aged 13 months was put to sleep on a “Cocoon bed”. No written risk assessment and parental consent to support this decision was available. It is acknowledged that when this was brought to the attention of the manager, this child was immediately changed to sleep in a standard cot. Infection Control: 6. In the baby room the infection control measures for the cleaning of toys which children have put into their mouth was unsatisfactory. This increases the risk of infection spreading from one child to another. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1.All inflated balloons were removed immediately from the baby and fledgelings rooms. Staff were reminded that balloons are not permitted for children under 3 years, and this will be reinforced during room safety checks. The service’s risk assessment and safety checklist will be updated accordingly, and a use of ballons’ s policy was developed. 2. The five unsecured cord blinds were secured using appropriate safety cleats on the day of inspection. A full environmental safety check of all rooms was be completed to ensure all window blinds comply with safety standards. 3. The inflatable Christmas tree and trailing flex was removed from the floor immediately All staff were reminded to ensure that all electrical items are safely positioned and flexes secured or removed when not in use. 4. Access to the affected outdoor area was restricted immediately. The protruding metal hook was removed, and sharp edges filled, and temporary measures were put in place to prevent children accessing the damaged wall area. The wall will be repaired and made safe, including smoothing and sealing sharp edges. Outdoor risk assessments will be reviewed and included in routine premises checks. Safe Sleep: 5. The child was immediately transitioned from the cocoon bed to a standard cot, in line with safe sleep guidance. All staff will be reminded of safe sleep policies, and compliance will be monitored through routine room checks and sleep audits. 6. Infection control: On the day of inspection, staff were instructed to remove all toys that had been mouthed by children and to clean and disinfect them immediately using an approved cleaning method before reuse. A separate labelled container was introduced for toys awaiting cleaning. All staff received refresher training on infection prevention and control. A mothing toy policy was developed, and compliance will be monitored through daily room checklists and monthly audits by the person in charge 2 December 2025 ##### [St. Gerard's Montessori School](/creche/st-gerard-s-montessori-school-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: While it is acknowledged that hand wipes were left on the tables in the Montessori room at snack time for the children to wipe their faces and hands, no hand washing took place between children transitioning from Music and Movement and having their snacks. Handwashing by adults and children should be carried out using warm water and liquid soap, before snack time, following using the toilet facilities and following outdoor play. Regular hand washing is essential for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: We have now revised our routine before mid-morning snack - and the children are now supervised while washing their hands, using warm water and liquid soap, directly before being seated for their snack. Staff also wash their hands at this time. This routine is now in place since 03/12/2026 and is working well. To prevent non-compliance from re-occurring in the future, our Montessori Infection Control Policy has been updated to now make specific reference to children and staff washing their hands before morning snack – see Section on “Hand Hygiene” 20 November 2025 ##### [Little Bunnies Montessori](/creche/little-bunnies-montessori-bray-3.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting disclosures for two adults were not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’ Infection Control: 2. In the sanitary areas adjacent to the care rooms, there were no facilities for hand-drying on the day of inspection. In the sanitary area beside the staff toilet, the hand dryer was not working, and a roll of toilet paper had been placed on top of it. In the sanitary area with two toilets and handbasins, the paper towel dispenser was empty, and a roll of toilet paper had been placed on top of it also. This poses a risk of cross contamination and infection for staff and children. Administration of Medication: 3. An Immediate Action Notice was issued to the registered provider on the day of inspection 20 November 2025 in relation to the fact that emergency medication required for one child was not immediately available in the service in addition to a care plan. This poses a risk to the health and safety of the children concerned. 4. Anti-febrile medication was not available in the service should it be required in an emergency. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting disclosures have been renewed for 2 adults employed in the service. To prevent recurrence of this non-compliance, responsibility for staff files and ensuring garda vetting disclosures are always in date has been assigned to a member of staff and will be reviewed regularly. Infection Control: 2. To correct this action, additional paper towel dispenser has been fitted and re-filled and staff reminded to ensure daily that there is sufficient hand towel available. Paper towels are ordered monthly. Administration of Medication: 3. A response to the Immediate Action Notice issued on 20 November 2025 was submitted to the inspector on the 21 November 2025 which addressed the fact that emergency medication was unavailable for a child who required this. This medication is in-date and is now stored in the service as required. A care plan has been updated and a new template will be used in the future. 4. The registered provider has stated that anti-febrile mediation is now available and stored safely in the service 19 November 2025 ##### [Little Harvard Childcare](/creche/little-harvard-childcare-rathnew.md), Rathnew · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: The toilet seat in the Toddler room was loose on its mounting which posed a risk of a fall to two children attending this room who used the toilet. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Maintenance was made aware of the issue on the day of the inspection, and the toilet seat has been tightened. Local Management will do spot checks and ensure that a similar situation does not occur in the future 4 November 2025 ##### [Cosy Kids Creche](/creche/cosy-kids-creche-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1.In the ECCE2 room a blind cord was not secured and therefore was hanging loosely from a glass door. This posed a serious risk of strangulation to a child as although not within reach of the children from the floor, the children present could climb on a chair to gain access. It is acknowledged that once this was identified by the Inspector, the blind was immediately removed. 2.Garda vetting was available for two staff members. However, this vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 3. At 10:30 it was observed that the side gate entrance leading to the ECCE 1 Room a lock was in place, however this lock was open. This posed a risk of unauthorised access as the lock could be accessed and opened from outside. 4. No adult was present in the Little Stars room at 13:10 while five children aged over 2 years were sleeping on low beds. Music was playing very loudly in the room. Following discussion with staff members it was understood that the children were monitored every 10 minutes by staff from the room next door. This posed a risk to sleeping children as they would not be seen or heard if they awoke. When children are asleep on low beds a staff member must be with them at all times. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The blind was removed immediately on the day of inspection. It has been re-fitted and is no longer accessible to a child. The observation of the blind has been included on our daily safety checklist. 2. The renewal of Garda vetting process for the two staff members has commenced and email confirmation received. Going forward there will be regular checks on staff files to ensure that all vetting is up to date. 3. Code lock was purchased and placed on the gate – keycode displayed for staff members only, and to act as an egress route in the event of a fire. There is a designated person to ensure gate is locked at all times. 4. A designated staff member is now present in the Little Stars room from 12pm to 2pm daily while the children are sleeping 23 October 2025 ##### [Curious By Nature Preschool](/creche/curious-by-nature-preschool-baltinglass.md), Baltinglass · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: Garda vetting disclosure, which was available for one relief staff member, was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: A new Garda vetting application was completed and received 21 October 2025 ##### [Little Green Giants](/creche/little-green-giants-kilcoole.md), Kilcoole · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: On the day of inspection between 13:11 and 13:32 there were two children asleep on low level beds in the designated sleep room. While it is acknowledged that the children were checked in on by an adult every 5 to 7 minutes, no one adult remained in the room with the children. Safe sleep of children in low level beds, requires an adult presence, in the sleep room while children are sleeping. Infection Control: On the day of inspection, the nappy changing practices were not seen to be effective for infection control purposes. One staff member failed to remove their gloves until after a nappy change was completed, this included using nappy cream with the soiled gloved hands. The Nappy Changing Procedure was posted in a conspicuous place in each sanitary area and the Nappy Changing Procedure was robust to ensure good infection control practices. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: A staff member is now rostered to sit in the room with the children as they sleep on the low beds at nap time. When a staff member from the room goes on lunch another staff member now signs into the room and remains with the children and signs out when the sleep time has finished. Managers will monitor the staff on the CCTV to ensure the toddler sleep room is always staffed while the children sleep. Infection Control: The error in changing the nappy did highlight our need to refresh our training in this area. This training was carried out with all relevant staff on 22/10/2025. Managers will regularly bring the nappy changing policy to the attention of staff both informally during routine feedback and formally through supervision and impress upon staff the importance of infection control for both the children who attend and indeed the staff themselves 8 October 2025 ##### [Little Bunnies Montessori](/creche/little-bunnies-montessori-bray-2.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. While it is acknowledged that a care plan was available for a child in the service, this plan requires greater detail. The care plan for this child evidenced the fact that vital information relating to the child’s medical care needs was not documented and located centrally within the care room. This poses a risk to the health and safety of the child concerned. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: The registered provider has advised that the service has updated the care plan template and only this will be used in the future. Staff have been advised of this 8 October 2025 ##### [The Marian Centre CLG](/creche/the-marian-centre-clg-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: The entrance door into the service was not adequately secured to ensure the safety of the children within and to avoid unauthorised persons accessing the service or children exiting unsupervised. The inspector was able to gain unauthorised access to the service and the pre-school rooms on arrival to the service. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: All staff have been spoken to about the importance of ensuing the entrance door remains locked at all times. A sign has been placed on the door as an extra reminder, see attached evidence. We have contacted our Alarm contractor to see if he can install a buzzer door system as a more efficient way to ensure door safety 8 October 2025 ##### [Willow House Childcare](/creche/willow-house-childcare-ashford.md), Ashford · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: In one room three children’s nappies were changed consecutively. The practices observed during nappy changing did not demonstrate best practice in relation to infection control as follows: • During the nappy changing procedure the staff member did not wash her hands after changing each child’s nappy. • The children’s hands were not washed after nappy change. • The nappy changing mat was not cleaned after each nappy change. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: Corrective Action: The following actions were implemented immediately: • Hand Hygiene: All staff have been reminded of the requirement to wash their hands thoroughly after changing each child’s nappy. This has been reinforced through immediate supervision and refresher training. • Children’s Hands: Staff have been instructed to ensure that each child’s hands are washed after nappy changes to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. • Nappy Changing Mat: Staff have been reminded to clean and disinfect the nappy changing mat after every use. Additional visual reminders and checklists have been implemented at each station to ensure ongoing compliance. Preventive Action To prevent recurrence of this non-compliance ongoing supervision and refresher training has been put in place. Posters regarding handwashing have been displayed in each changing room as a visual reminder. Management will carry out spot-checks to ensure adherence to infection control procedures. Summary Comment The registered provider has addressed the non-compliance as identified on inspection in relation to Regulation 23. As this is a non-compliance relating to staff practices, it will be re-checked on next inspection 29 September 2025 ##### [Mother Goose Montessori](/creche/mother-goose-montessori-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for all staff members. However, one staff member’s vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years contravening the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI- RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: The registered provider has re applied for garda vetting of the staff member on 17 October 2025. A schedule of staff vetting dates, including the dates of issue and expiry, has been established. This will be reviewed before the start of each year 23 September 2025 ##### [Scallywags Childcare](/creche/scallywags-childcare-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for all staff members. However, two staff members’ vetting disclosures were not dated within the previous three years contravening the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Garda vetting was applied for for the two staff members. A renewal form has been completed to remind the person in charge when garda vetting needs to be renewed 6 August 2025 ##### [Little Feet Creche & Pre-School Limited](/creche/little-feet-creche-pre-school-limited-baltinglass.md), Baltinglass · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: On the day of inspection, a staff member was observed carrying out a nappy change. The correct nappy changing procedure was located on the wall in the changing area. The adult failed to wash their hands before applying their gloves at the start of the nappy change, failed to remove their gloves before applying cream to the child and reclothing them and failed to wash the child’s hands before returning them to their care room. Strict care practices around nappy changing procedures are essential for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: The registered provider has undertaken staff training with all staff to refresh understanding of the services policy and procedures in relation to nappy changing. The nappy changing policy has been updated and the procedure placed on the wall in the nappy changing area. Staff have been supervised in nappy changing to ensure they are completing the process correctly and they will continue to be monitored monthly by the registered provider 31 July 2025 ##### [Ray of Sunshine Morning and Afterschool](/creche/ray-of-sunshine-morning-and-afterschool-rathnew.md), Rathnew · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: On the day of inspection, during the walk through of the pre-school, it was noted that the room temperature in the Junior Preschool room was 23.3°C at 11.15am. The room windows were fully open, but this did reduce the room temperature to a safe range between 18°C and 22°C. This was brought to the attention of the manager, and at 11.45am an air conditioning unit was brought to the room. While this managed to bring the room temperature down to 22°C by 12.05pm, the room temperature continued to fluctuate between 22°-23°C throughout the day. Infection Control: 1. The bin for the safe disposal of soiled nappies or food waste in the Junior Pre-school room was not operated by a foot pedal. Foot pedal bins are needed for infection control purposes. 2. Both adults and children were observed opening the soiled nappy bin with their hands and not washing them afterwards. 3. In the Junior Pre-school room there was no effective system in place for the sterilisation of mouthing toys. An adult in the room observed a mouthed toy being dropped on the floor by a child and ignored it. Effective sterilisation of mouthed toys is essential for infection control purposes. 4. During the walk through the service, clean, spare clothes were noted lying on the floor underneath a cot in the sleep room. Clean clothes need to be stored in a suitable area off the floor for infection control purposes. Safe Sleep: While there was written evidence that staff recorded the position, colour and breathing of children who were sleeping in cots, on the day of inspection, between 11.40am and 12.20pm, no sleeping children’s observations were documented. Safe sleep practices require that sleeping children’s observations need to be recorded at 10-minute intervals., Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Fans have been installed in all rooms to maintain the correct temperature. Infection Control: 1. A foot pedal bin has been put in place in the preschool junior room and at the staff meeting it was talked the importance of foot pedal bins for nappies. 2. Pedal bins are in all the rooms and the staff have been retrained in our nappy changing policy, the use of foot pedal bins and handwashing. 3. We spoke about infection control during our staff meeting and all the rooms now have and use their mouthed toy box throughout the day and make sure all the materials are sterilised at the end of each day. 4. We moved out spare clothes into our storage room on a shelf to keep them clean and read to use if needed. Safe Sleep: Training has been carried out with all the staff on safe sleep and there is a new system in place in the sleep room. The first staff member in the sleep room is in charge of the sleep checks and if they are going on lunch, they hand the clipboard straight to the person in charge. Sleep checks to be carried out every 10 minutes and recorded 23 July 2025 ##### [Riverside Childcare Rathdrum](/creche/riverside-childcare-rathdrum-rathdrum.md), Rathdrum · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting disclosure for one adult was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. The outdoor play area was in need of attention. The grass in the front play area needed to be cut and areas needed reseeding. The outdoor area at the rear of the premises, had a large number of mixed weeds growing through the gravelled area and under the larger pieces of permanent play equipment for the children. Outdoor areas need to be safe and suitable places for children to play in. Play areas need to be regularly examined and treated for weeds and other noxious plants if necessary. These plants could pose a health risk to children. Infection Control: 3. There were no foot pedal bins in the Butterfly care room. Bins need to be pedal operated to prevent them from being opened by hand and risking hand contamination and for infection control purposes. 4. Following an observed nappy change in the Caterpillar room at 11.10am, both the child and the adult in the room used their hands to open the pedal bin to dispose of used paper towel. The adult was also observed opening the bin with their hand following cleaning down of the changing mat. Foot pedal bins need to be used correctly to prevent hands touching bin lids and risking cross contamination and for infection control purposes. 5. The tabletop surface in the Caterpillar room was in very poor condition, with numerous areas of chipped paint across the top, which prevented effective cleaning of the table for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1.Garda Vetting Renewal was in process at the time of the inspection and arrived shortly after. It has been attached here. We have a new system in place to detect Garda Vetting going out of date with enough time to anticipate and reapply for the Renewal so it returns in time. 2. The grass was cut shortly after our inspection and regular visits are arranged. Daily risk assessments are carried on ensuring the safety of the children at all times while using the garden. We do not use chemicals in our garden as they could be harmful but we do hand-weed the garden regularly. Our gardens are risk assessed daily and no plants that could pose a health risk to children have been found. Hand weeding has been arranged more regularly. Regular maintenance visits have been arranged to get the grass cut regularly as well as to control the amount of weeds in our garden. Infection Control: 3. The pedal bin had been replaced by a bigger non pedal bin before the inspection. The pedal bin was brought back in and a bigger bin was purchased and is now in the room. We made sure all team members were aware of the need to use pedal bins at all times and not to remove them from the room or replace them. 4. All hand paper bins were replaced by bigger, taller bins as a suggestion by the inspector to encourage children to use the pedal instead of their hand. Staff were reminded of the use of the pedals instead of using their hands to open the bin. We placed pictures around the bin area reminding the children and staff to use the bin’s pedal. 5. We covered the tables with a counter film protector as a temporary fix. New tables will be purchased next month 3 July 2025 ##### [Jolly Tots Creche](/creche/jolly-tots-creche-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - On inspection of the service, the following were found to be a risk to the safety of the children: Infection Control: 1. While it is acknowledged that a paper towel dispenser was available next to the sink in the sanitary area adjacent to the care room, the paper towels for hand-drying were not appropriately stored here. The towels were stacked together on top of the dispenser and staff and children were observed handling the stack of towels prior to taking one. At the sink in the care room where children were also observed to wash hands, paper towels were stacked on the countertop with children and staff observed handling these prior to taking one. These actions pose a risk of cross contamination and the spread of infection. 2. Nappy changing practices were at odds to the services policy and procedures on nappy changing. • One staff member was observed to wear the same gloves while removing a soiled nappy, replacing a clean nappy and re-dressing the child which poses a risk of cross contamination. • Staff members did not sanitise the nappy changing unit after use and this poses a risk of the spread of infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: 1. All paper towels/Toilet Rolls are now appropriately stored within the dispensers in the children’s toilet next to the care room. A new paper towel dispenser was fitted to the wall beside the small sink in the crèche room to limit cross contamination and control infection. 2. A review session was held with all staff on the nappy changing procedure as per policy. The manager will ensure that future reviews will be carried out on a 3 monthly basis through staff meeting structure 3 July 2025 ##### [Saran Wood Creche and Montessori School](/creche/saran-wood-creche-and-montessori-school-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. On the day of inspection, the nappy changing practices were not seen to be effective for infection control purposes. Two nappy changes were observed on the day of inspection. The staff member failed to remove their gloves until after a nappy change was completed and the child’s clothes were put back on. The staff member did not wash their hands before the first nappy change and did not wash the hands of the child before returning them to their care room. On the second nappy change the staff member washed their hands before the beginning of the procedure but again failed to remove their gloves after the nappy change until they had redressed the child. 2. A review of the Nappy Changing Procedure of the service was found not to be robust enough to ensure good infection control practices and needs updating. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: Points 1&2 We have again updated the nappy changing policy to remove gloves at an earlier point during the procedure. All team members have been informed of the policy update and have been reminded of the importance of following each point of the procedure on every occasion 26 June 2025 ##### [Charlesland Park Nursery](/creche/charlesland-park-nursery-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: One child in the Montessori room had a medical condition requiring two injections to be available in the event of an emergency. In the event of this child needing treatment the effectiveness of this child’s treatment could be compromised because both injections were out of date with an expiry date of November 2024. It is acknowledged that when this concern was brought to the attention of the manager, the father of the child was contacted, and he delivered one injection to the service with an expiry date of November 2025. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Two injections with an expiry date of January 2026 are now available for the child. The date of expiry is recorded. Two staff members will now check all medicines available for children and the expiry dates. A written record will be maintained. Parents will be notified two months in advance of the expiry so that expiring medicines will be replaced 26 June 2025 ##### [Cocoon Childcare- Blessington](/creche/cocoon-childcare-blessington-blessington.md), Blessington · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting disclosures for two adults were not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. An electrical cable in the Junior Pre-school room was not secured to the wall and was in easy reach of the children in the room. This posed an injury risk to children. 3. An electrical cable in Pre-school 2 was within easy reach of the children in the room. This posed an injury risk to the children. 4. Between 11.55am and 12.20pm the recorded room temperatures in five of the care rooms, Pre-school 1, Senior Wobbler, Pre-school 2, Junior Pre-school and Toddlers, were between 23°C and 23.7°C. Room temperatures need to be maintained in care rooms between 18°C and 22°C. This was found on last inspection on the 8th of August 2024, and the corrective and preventive actions failed to stop the non-compliance from re-occurring. Infection Control: 5. In all six care rooms the tables and chairs were visibly chipped and worn, which prevented effective cleaning of equipment for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting renewal applications were submitted by the centre manager on the day of inspection, and both disclosures are now on file 2 & 3. Trailing flexes were secured by the maintenance team in both care rooms on the day of inspection. The maintenance team is scheduled to replace laminate flooring in the Wobbler junior. Junior preschool, and Preschool 1 care rooms, with completion expected by the end of this year. The centre management team will notify the Operations team of any maintenance repairs required within the centre. 4. The maintenance team installed a wall mounted air conditioning unit in the wobbler room on the day of inspection, which has successfully maintained room temperature. Portable air coolers are available for all care rooms. Infection Control: 5. A centre cleaner has been appointed to support the upkeep and hygiene of premises, care rooms, and equipment. The centre management team will actively monitor the effectiveness of the cleaning schedule and ensure all furniture is well-maintained 17 June 2025 ##### [Little Harvard Child Care Ltd](/creche/little-harvard-child-care-ltd-wicklow.md), Wicklow · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. In Wobbler1 room there was no written record of the cleaning of the ball-pool which was available to the children. When examined there was dust and debris at its base which required cleaning. As children of this age put toys in their mouth, this is an infection control risk. 2. The practices observed during nappy changing did not demonstrate best practice in relation to infection control as follows: Nappy Changing Wobbler 1 Sanitary Area During the nappy changing procedure in Wobbler 1 each time the bin was required the foot pedal operation was not used which caused over-handling of the bin, posing a risk of cross infection. The staff member did not remove gloves at the required time to avoid the risk of contamination. One staff member did not wash her hands following nappy-changing and one child’s hands were cleaned using a baby wipe. Nappy Changing between Toddler 1 and Pre-school 1 Sanitary Area The changing of five children’s nappies were observed. The staff member did not wash her hands between each nappy change, the protective apron used was not changed between nappy changes and the changing mat was not cleaned between uses for each child. Toilet Training Pre-school 1 Following assisting a child using the toilet, a staff member and the child did not wash their hands. The foot-pedal function for opening the bin was not used. Strict handwashing, nappy changing and cleaning practices are essential for infection control purposes Safe Sleep: 3. The sleep room temperature was not maintained between the required temperature of 18°C-22°C for the comfort and safety of the pre-school children who were aged 1-2 years. At 12.30 the temperature of the cot 1 sleep room was recorded at 23.4°C when nineteen children aged 1 to 2 years were sleeping. The air conditioning unit in the room was used and the temperature reduced to 21°C when four children were asleep. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: 1. Daily/Weekly cleaning record has been updated to include mandatory cleaning of the ball pit. 2. Staff have been reminded of the importance of complying with our nappy changing policy. Further training has taken place for all staff on 18/06/25. Local and senior management will closely monitor that our policy on nappy changing is being followed at all times. 3. Air conditioning dials were reset on the day of the inspection by maintenance staff, allowing for cooler settings to reduce room temperature quickly. Management will ensure that the correct temperatures are maintained by the use of our air conditioning system. Management will contact our maintenance staff immediately if temperature gauges need to be reset 4 June 2025 ##### [Knockeevin Montessori & Nature Schools](/creche/knockeevin-montessori-nature-schools-delgany.md), Delgany · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting was available for five staff members; however, one vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. The three toilet seats in the sanitary areas were loose, this posed a safety risk of a child falling off them. Point 2. was noted on the last inspection report of the 8th of May 2023 and the CAPA process failed to resolve the non-compliance. Infection Control: 3. There was no splash back or tiling behind the sinks in both sanitary areas. The paint on the wall directly behind the sinks had started to chip, this is ineffective for cleaning and infection control purposes. Point 3. was noted in the last inspection report of the 8th of May 2023 and the CAPA process failed to resolve the non-compliance. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Garda Vetting has been updated for the adult in the service and we will check Garda Vetting on a yearly basis and redo every two years. 2. We have added checking the toilet seats to our daily risk assessment, we will check the toilet seats every morning and at the end of the day. Infection Control: 3. Backsplashes have been put up behind the sinks and checking them has been added to our risk assessment sheet 14 May 2025 ##### [The Cove Preschool](/creche/the-cove-preschool-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. On the day of inspection, the inspector was able to gain access to the service through the main door which was unlocked. Service doors should remain secure throughout the day to prevent children leaving the premises unsupervised and unauthorised people gaining access to the service. Infection Control: 2. On the day of inspection, no hand washing took place between the children returning from playing outside and starting their snack indoors. Hand washing by both adults and children is essential for the prevention of the spread of infection and infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. A new lock has been added to the garden gate. Signs are now displayed to ensure the main door is locked during the day. A staff meeting was held to brief all staff on the new policy. Reminders are set to ensure all doors and gates are lock by a designated time. Infection Control: 2. Staff meeting was held to reiterate the importance of hand washing for the children and staff. Posters are now displayed at the wash area to aid the children along with books, songs and social stories at circle time. All staff signed a signed copy of the minutes of the meeting and will comply with the policy. Hand washing in factored into the daily timetable 29 April 2025 ##### [Early Days Montessori School](/creche/early-days-montessori-school-ashford.md), Ashford · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. In the outdoor area the fence between the play area and the “woodland walk area” had become loose and there was a risk that it may fall on a child. 2. A blackboard had become dislodged from its mounting on the fence exposing a screw which could cause an injury to a child. Infection Control: 3. A collection of stagnant water and debris was observed at the base of the water-pump play area in the garden. This was not emptied and cleaned prior to the children playing in the area on the morning of the inspection. The checking and cleaning of this area was not included in the written risk assessment of the outdoor area. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1.The fence was repaired immediately following the inspection. A new post was put into the ground and the fence safely attached to it. Going forward there will be continuous surveillance of the outdoor area, and prompt attention to any risks. More attention will be paid to items already on our risk assessment checklist 2. The exposed screw was removed immediately following the inspection and re-inserted into a different position on the board to allow for continued use by the children. The remaining hole was checked and found to be no danger. There is continuous surveillance of the outdoor area and there will be prompt attention to any risks. Communication of any issues noticed, and more attention paid to items already on our risk assessment checklist. Infection Control: 3.After the inspection, the water pump area was cleaned thoroughly again, and its position was moved to under our shelter, to ensure no debris from trees will fall into it again. We placed an item on our daily outdoor checklist to empty and refill with clean water daily. We also included the cleaning of our water pump play area on our daily risk assessment sheet 29 April 2025 ##### [Rainbows Pre-School](/creche/rainbows-pre-school-wicklow-town.md), Wicklow Town · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting, which was available for two adults, was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Fire Safety: 2.The smoke alarm in the service was last serviced in November 2022. Servicing of the smoke alarm is required at least on a yearly basis. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1.Garda Vetting was immediately received and submitted for the two staff members. All staff now have in date Garda vetting Garda Vetting has now been added to our beginning of the year check list for the future. Dates have expiring vetting has also been noted in a prominent area. We will ensure that Garda Vetting is carried out every two years. Fire Safety: 2. The alarm company were immediately called, and it was serviced within two days. This has now been completed. Going forward the fire alarm system will be serviced annually 11 April 2025 ##### [LMNO Childcare Ltd](/creche/lmno-childcare-ltd-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. On the day of inspection, following a review of the outdoor kitchen area, ten steel pots and frying pans of a type used in a household kitchen were found. The pots and frying pans had a mixture of reinforced steel bottoms and/or so sharp stainless-steel rims that could cause serious injury to a child or an adult. When this was brought to the attention of the manager, they were removed immediately. 2. The wooden radiator cover in the pre-school room was broken and could pose an injury risk to a child. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1&2 The pots were removed on day by the assistant manager. The radiator cover was fixed later that day Any other maintained issues are notified on a weekly basis and are fixed as soon as possible once identified 9 April 2025 ##### [Sakura Montessori, Naionra and Afterschool](/creche/sakura-montessori-naionra-and-afterschool-blessington.md), Blessington · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Electrical wires in both the Playgroup room and Naionra room were not secured to the wall and were in easy reach of the children in the room. This posed an injury risk to children. 2. The right-hand side of the windowsill at the back of the Naionra room had a sharp edge which was at the head level of the children in the room. This posed a risk of injury to a child. 3. The storage area in the Naionra sanitary area was unlocked, posing a risk of unsecured items falling on children and causing an injury. 4. No written risk assessment was available in any care room on the day of inspection. Infection Control: 5. In the Big Monti sanitary area and the Naionra sanitary area the removable toilet inserts were being stored on the floor. Toilet inserts should be stored off the floor for infection control purposes. 6. On inspection of the nappy changing area, a large amount of debris was found underneath the changing mat. Nappy changing areas should be thoroughly cleaned daily for infection control purposes. 7. Tables and chairs were visibly chipped and worn, which prevented effective cleaning for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Electrical wire in Playgroup has been secured and is out of reach of the children. All staff have been asked to thoroughly inspect the rooms regularly for any sharp edges and loose wires. The lights on the wall in the Naionra have been removed. 2. The windowsill in the Naionra has been sanded and is due to be painted in early July when the annual painting is done while the ECCE is closed for the Summer. 3. A lock has been added to the door in the sanitary area in the Naionra. All staff have been asked to ensure that all storage areas are kept locked. 4. Risk assessments were completed weekly prior to the inspection. but no risks detected on the preceding days hence why the forms were blank. Staff have been reminded to present the risk assessment folder from their rooms to Tusla upon inspection. Infection Control: 5. A shelf has been erected to the back walls in the Naionra and Big Montessori sanitary areas to store the removable toilet inserts. All staff have been asked to ensure that when the toilet inserts are not in use that they are placed on the upper shelves over the toilet. 6. The nappy changing area has been thoroughly cleaned. All staff have been reminded that they must ensure they thoroughly clean down the nappy changing area after each use. 7. The tables and chairs will all be painted in July when the annual painting is being done. The tables and chairs will be repainted every summer when the classes are not in use 26 March 2025 ##### [Little Oaks](/creche/little-oaks-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. On the day of inspection, the emergency exit door to the rear of the premises was chained. This poses a risk to the safety of staff and children in the event of emergency evacuation of the service. 2. On the day of inspection, a climbing frame recently purchased for the children was propped against a railing in the outdoor area. While it is acknowledged that the registered provider removed this equipment when brought to their attention during the inspection, this equipment must be secured to a wall as in its current position poses a risk to the health and safety of the children given its weight. Infection Control: 3. On the day of inspection, a fridge was not available to store lunch boxes that included perishable food items in line with safe food guidance. This poses a risk of contamination for children. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: The registered provider has now removed the lock and chain from the rear exit door which allows for staff and children to evacuate in the event of an emergency. The climbing frame has been removed from the outdoor area. In the future any new equipment will be installed correctly and safely prior to use by the children. Infection Control: A fridge has been purchased and installed in the service and children now put lunches in labelled boxes into the fridge on arrival each day 12 March 2025 ##### [Naionra Chill Mhantain](/creche/naionra-chill-mhantain-wicklow-town.md), Wicklow Town · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - The temperature regulator on two radiators, one in Seomra Boin De and the second in the nappy changing area, were not in place. The surface temperature of both radiators was noted to be too hot which posed a risk of a burn to a child - Temperature regulators have been installed on the two radiators. Staff and management training undertaken to ensure the radiator temp is checked each day before being signed off on the daily risk assessment 6 March 2025 ##### [Global Garden Pre-school](/creche/global-garden-pre-school-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: One child attending had a medical condition requiring two injections to be available in the event of an emergency. In the event of this child needing treatment the effectiveness of this child’s treatment could be compromised as the injections available had expired in November 2024. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: The mother of the child was contacted and an email received which stated that the child’s allergic status has changed, and injections are no longer required. Further training of the manager has taken place. The expiry dates of all medication will now be checked monthly at the same time as the first aid box is checked 25 February 2025 ##### [Clare Elizabeth Creche](/creche/clare-elizabeth-creche-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: On the day of inspection one adult was observed to not remove visibly soiled gloves, or their apron following the bagging of a soiled nappy of a child having their nappy changed. The adult then proceeded to apply barrier cream to the child using the soiled gloved hand before the inspector intervened. Removal of used aprons and gloves must follow the removal of the soiled nappy and the cleaning of a child. All soiled elements of the nappy changing procedure must be bagged up together at the same time. This is essential for infection control purposes and is in keeping with the nappy changing procedure of the service. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: All staff have received training from an accredited organisation, on correct nappy changing procedure. We have visual reminders in both nappy changing areas and staff are regularly reminded to follow the correct practices 13 February 2025 ##### [Donard/Glen Daycare](/creche/donard-glen-daycare-donard.md), Donard · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. A Garda vetting disclosure for one adult was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. 2. There was no room thermometer available in the sleep room on the day of inspection. A room thermometer is required to record that sleep room temperatures remains within safe limits while children are sleeping. Infection Control: 3. On the day of inspection, a member of staff did not wash a child’s hands following a nappy change, and the changing mat was not wiped down between one nappy change and the next. Hand washing and correct cleaning of surfaces following a nappy change, are essential for infection control purposes. 4. Following a review of the nappy changing procedure for the service, it was found to not be robust enough for effective infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. Garda vetting has been applied for, and we will ensure Garda vetting renewal will be applied for within the required time frame. 2. A new thermometer in is in the sleep room Infection Control: 3. There is a new paper roll in use on the changing mats and the revision of the nappy changing policy reinforces the practice of washing the children’s hands after nappy changing. 4. The nappy changing policy has been revised 10 February 2025 ##### [Dee's Montessori Pre-school](/creche/dee-s-montessori-pre-school-wicklow-town.md), Wicklow Town · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. At snack time two of the children had whole grapes in their lunch boxes which is a potential choking hazard. The grapes were not seen by staff members and cut up until asked to do so by the Inspector. 2.A variety of cleaning agents were accessible to a child in a press under the sink in the care room. This posed a risk to a child were they to access the press unsupervised. 3.The fire alarm in the service was not serviced annually as required. Infection Control: 4.The foot operated pedal bin located in the sanitary area was broken causing over-handling of the bin posing a risk of cross infection - 1. A text has been sent to parents to remind them to cut the grapes in half from stem down. A new policy has been adopted to ensure that all lunches are visually checked daily by staff. 2. The press has been locked, and the key is hung on a designated hook. Reminded staff to lock and remove the key after each use. Written procedures for locking and removing the key to safe hook. This new procedure has been shared with staff. 3. The fire alarm has been serviced. A written reminder has been added to the fire drill record so as to ensure that going forward it will be carried out annually. 4. A new pedal bin is now in place in the sanitary area. The checking of the pedal bin has been added to the written cleaning schedule 6 February 2025 ##### [Tiny Feet Montessori](/creche/tiny-feet-montessori-glendalough.md), Glendalough · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: On the day of inspection, it was observed that both the adults and the children in the Pre-school room did not wash their hands before sitting down to their snack. Hand washing, by both adults and children, is an essential practice for the prevention of the spread of infection and for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: There was a revision of hand washing practices with the children and the book ‘Wash your hands Rufus’ was used as a guide. All staff revised hand washing policy. One staff member will remain in bathroom before snack time to ensure all children wash their hands thoroughly 10 December 2024 ##### [Small Talk Playschool](/creche/small-talk-playschool-glenaly.md), Glenaly · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: Garda vetting was available for two adults; however, these vetting disclosures were not dated within the previous three years in adherence to the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: Garda vetting has been applied for and staff files will be checked at the beginning of each year for vetting dates 26 November 2024 ##### [The Corner House Kindergarten](/creche/the-corner-house-kindergarten-newtownmountkennedy.md), Newtownmountkennedy · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. A sand box located in a wooden table in the outdoor area was broken and sharp edges of the material were exposed posing a risk to a child. Infection Control: 2. The paper towels available to the children in the sanitary area were on a roll which caused overhandling of the towel prior to hand washing increasing the risk of cross infection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The broken sandbox was removed immediately. The garden equipment will be checked daily and any defective equipment will be removed. Infection Control: 2. Single use paper towels are now available from a dispenser. Going forward we will continue to use this system for hand drying 21 November 2024 ##### [Cois Cairn Community Playgroup](/creche/cois-cairn-community-playgroup-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: There were no daily indoor and outdoor risk assessment records available for the service. Daily recording of Risk assessments is required for the safety of both the adults and the children attending the pre-school service. Infection Control: There were no consistent cleaning schedule records available to review within the service. Daily recording of completed cleaning tasks within a service is essential for infection control purposes - Corrective & Preventive Action General Safety: Risk assessments have been updated and are now in place. We have also put a checklist in place. The board of management intend to add this to the agenda for staff meetings to ensure they are carried out. Infection Control: Cleaning schedule records are provided. The staff have been reminded of how important it is to clean and record. A member of staff has been asked to take on responsibility for ensuring the correct cleaning and recording is carried out 21 November 2024 ##### [The Little Rascals Pre-school Wicklow](/creche/the-little-rascals-pre-school-wicklow-wicklow-town.md), Wicklow Town · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Electrical wires from Christmas lights which were located at the rest area and also adjacent to the play area at the back of the room were not secured, posing a safety risk. Infection Control: 2. The bin in the sanitary area was not pedal operated, which increases the risk of cross infection. 3. The paper towels available to the children in the sanitary area were on a roll which caused overhandling of the towel prior to hand washing increasing the risk of cross infection. Administration of Medication: 4. There was no medication available to reduce a child’s temperature, in the event of a child developing a high temperature while attending the pre-school - Corrective & Preventive Action General Safety: 1.The electrical wires have now been clipped to the wall using closed clips. At the start of each day, we will check the clips on the wall to make sure that there are no wires hanging down. if any wires are hanging down make sure to securely clip them to the wall. Infection Control: 2.The bin in the sanitary area has been replaced with a pedal operated bin. Going forward pedal operated bins only will be used in the sanitary area at all times. 3.A dispenser with single use paper towels is now in use. We will check the stock available daily and order as needed. Administration of Medication: 4.Medication is now available which can be used if a child has a high temperature. This will be checked regularly and replace as needed 8 October 2024 ##### [Nexus ASD Pre-School](/creche/nexus-asd-pre-school-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: On the day of inspection there was no hot water available for the children or adults to wash their hands. The water temperature was recorded at 19°C. Hot water is an essential part of good hand hygiene practices for effective infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: The hot water had not been switched on by a staff member on the day of inspection (this was an oversight). All staff members have been reminded to turn on the hot water as soon as they enter the building in the morning, before the start of the session 18 September 2024 ##### [Orahova Montessori School](/creche/orahova-montessori-school-greystones.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: A fan used to circulate cool air in the room was visibly dirty with the accumulation of dust on its surface. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: The fan was cleaned and going forward the fan will be checked daily and cleaned on a weekly basis 18 September 2024 ##### [Stepping Stones Pre-School](/creche/stepping-stones-pre-school-ashford.md), Ashford · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The climbing frame and slide structure located in the garden was in need of repair. All access points to the climbing frame showed visible signs of wood rotting and fixed screws being exposed. In addition, the climbing handles at one access point were loose as the wood around them was degrading and in need of replacing. This could pose an injury risk to children and was noted on the last inspection. 2. A set of climbing steps into an outdoor shed showed clear signs of being cracked and loose. This could pose a risk of injury to a child. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The climbing frame has been sanded and support boards have been attached. A more thorough survey of the wood will be carried out in future. 2. The climbing area has totally been replaced. Assessment of the climbing steps will be incorporated into the perimeter check list 22 July 2024 ##### [Little Stars On The Lane](/creche/little-stars-on-the-lane-greystones-2.md), Greystones · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. Two flexes attached to electrical equipment in the Rainbow room were not secured and created a trip hazard. Infection Control: 2. Two pedal bins one in the sanitary area off the Where’s Wally room and the second in the Rainbows room were broken which posed an infection control risk. 3. The nappy changing practice was inadequate. The inspectors observed the following while two staff member changed children’s nappies: • The staff members observed did not change their gloves after changing the child’s nappy and before dressing the child. • There was overhandling of the pedal bin lid as it was broken. Action submitted by the Registered Provider General Safety: 1. Flexes were tacked up to the wall with nails and surrounds in the Rainbow Room and photos were submitted to the inspector. Training was carried out with all our team so that they know the importance o ensuring that flexes are secured. Infection Control: 2. We purchased 3 new pedal bins to replace the two which had broken. We conducted a full creche training to ensure that all our team know the importance of ensuring any breakage is reported immediately so we can replace as required. 3. We have repeated one to one nappy changing training with each staff member and repeated this training as a group. We also have the protocol on display on the wall in front of the nappy changing area. Supporting documentation submitted Photographic evidence of the flexes secured and the new bins. Summary Comment The registered provider has addressed the non-compliances as identified on inspection in relation to Regulation 17 July 2024 ##### [First Steps Playschool & Creche](/creche/first-steps-playschool-creche-arklow.md), Arklow · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. The armrests of small armchair in the Creche room were torn exposing foam This posed a risk of choking to a small child. 2. The protective cover on the edge of the wall in the rest area of the Creche room had broken, exposing foam. This was a potential risk to a small child. Infection Control: 3. The nappy changing practice was inadequate. The inspector observed the following while one staff member change two children’s nappies: • The staff member did not change their gloves after changing the child’s nappy and before dressing the child. • The children’s hands were not washed after nappy change. • The staff member did not change her apron between nappy changes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The armrest of small chair has been repaired with strong tape. We have added the checking of the chairs for tears to weekly check list. 2. A New protective cover on the edge of the wall has been fitted. This has been added to our weekly check list. Infection Control: 3. Spoke to staff member asking that they always follow the correct procedure. During our weekly meetings I will remind staff to follow procedures. Click or tap here to enter text 16 July 2024 ##### [Little Explorers Childcare](/creche/little-explorers-childcare-wicklow-town.md), Wicklow Town · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. On the day of the inspection the adults observed carrying out a nappy change in Cocoon and Junior Hive rooms, failed to remove their gloves and apron until after the clean nappy was put on. This is not in line with the nappy changing procedure of the service and is not effective for infection control purposes. 2. In Cocoon room, following a nappy change and washing of the child’s hands, then put the child on the floor and allowed the child to crawl around while they finished cleaning up. The child found a toy on the floor and began to play with it. The staff member then brought the child back into the room, without re-washing the child’s hands. This posed a risk of cross contamination to the child 3. On the day of inspection, the children in Cocoon were not observed having their hands washed before having their lunch. This is not effective for infection control purposes. 4. On the day of inspection in Junior Hive, a member of staff was observed, lifting the bin lid in the sanitary area with their hand and not using the foot pedal. Foot pedals bins are used for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: Points 1 to 4 All staff have been given non-contact time to read up on our policies relating to handwashing, infection control and nappy changing. We have repeated training in these areas and carried out surprise inspections also. We have retrained all staff in these areas. This training has improved confidence and our inspections have been successful 17 June 2024 ##### [Little Acorns Playschool](/creche/little-acorns-playschool-carnew.md), Carnew · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: 1. The pre-school service does provide nappy changing facilities should a child require it, but they have no nappy changing procedure for the service. A robust nappy changing procedure is essential for effective infection control within a service. 2. The toilet seat in the disabled toilet facility was broken and the children using the toilet had to hold directly on to the toilet bowl. This is inadequate for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - Infection Control: 1. I have done a nappy changing policy I will review this policy every year. 2. I have replaced the broken toilet seat. If this happens again the toilet seat will be replaced immediately 10 June 2024 ##### [Happy Faces Community Playschool](/creche/happy-faces-community-playschool-blessington.md), Blessington · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: It was noted that while the windows in the pre-school room were not directly within the reach of a child, the blind cords were not secured. This was brought to the attention of the manager on the day of inspection. Infection Control: 1. There were no cleaning schedules available on the day of inspection to record the cleaning of care room, sanitary areas, or equipment in the care room. The schedule and recording of the cleaning of all areas and equipment within the care room is essential for effective infection control purposes. 2. On the day of inspection, hand cleaning, before snack time, using hand sanitiser was not robust enough for effective infection control purposes. This was brought to the attention of the manager. 3. The two sanitary areas within the care room setting were being used to store a variety of items belonging to the pre-school room. This is inadequate for infection control purposes. 4. Following a review of the Infection control policy, it was noted that a nappy changing procedure or policy was not available on the day of inspection, this was noted on last inspection. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: The cord blinds are now securely hooked up out of reach. Infection Control: 1. We now have daily cleaning schedule present and signed daily. 2. Children are now washing their hands with running water and soap before snack time. 3. Both sanitary areas have been cleaned out and shall remain clear of equipment. 4. There is a new nappy changing policy on display in the sanitary area 15 May 2024 ##### [Newcastle Community Playgroup](/creche/newcastle-community-playgroup-newcastle.md), Newcastle · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1.Garda vetting was available for one staff member. However, this vetting disclosure was not dated within the previous three years in adherence to with the Early Years Inspectorate Regulatory Notice ‘EYI-RN12.3 Renewal of Garda Vetting’. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. We applied for updated Garda vetting immediately. A reminder has been put on our phone calendar to inform us to renew the vetting when it is due again 9 May 2024 ##### [Kilmacanogue Playgroup](/creche/kilmacanogue-playgroup-bray.md), Bray · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - Infection Control: The cover on a bench seat located in the care room and used for storage and as a sitting area, was torn in three places and therefore could not be cleaned adequately. Action submitted by the Registered Provider Infection Control: - This seat has been removed for repair and will be completed in approximately in one week. Summary Comment The registered provider has addressed the non-compliance as identified on inspection in relation to Regulation 23 21 February 2024 ##### [Pine Trees](/creche/pine-trees-newtownmountkennedy.md), Newtownmountkennedy · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: The outdoor area to the rear of the premises was found not to be secure to prevent unauthorised persons entering the playground. A section of fencing in the playground was broken and lying on the ground, while a temporary fix was in place it was not secure. The sections of fencing on either side of the broken section were unstable and also required repair. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: The fence to the rear of the premises has been removed and children now have access to the entire enclosed garden, when the fence is replaced, it will have sufficient foundations put in first 26 May 2023 ##### [Little Explorers Pre-School](/creche/little-explorers-pre-school-blessington.md), Blessington · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. In pre-school room 1 the radiators in the two sanitary areas had chipped paint work and were rusty, the peeling paint posed a safety risk to children in the pre-school room. 2. An electrical water heater located on the floor beside the sink in the first sanitary area in pre-school room 1 was accessible to children, this posed an electrical risk to children and required to be boxed in. Infection Control: 1. Foot pedal bins in both pre-school rooms and the sanitary areas were in poor condition with rust and over all damage present to the bins. This is inadequate for safe disposal of waste and infection control purposes. 2. Staff belongings and other equipment were stored in all three sanitary areas. This is inadequate for infection control purposes. 3. There was no hot water present in the two sanitary areas in pre-school room 1. Hot water is required for effective hand washing and infection control purposes. 4. A toilet seat insert was stored on the floor within the first sanitary area of pre-school room 1. This is inadequate for infection control purposes. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. The radiators have been sanded and re-painted. We will check radiators for rust in the future. 2. The electrical water heater has been boxed in permanently. Infection Control: 1. The foot pedal bins have been replaced. We will check bins for rust in the future. 2. Staff will no longer hang up coats on the doors of the bathroom. The staff will not store personnel items in the bathroom areas. 3. Hot water will be available at all times and we will check the temperature of the water with the thermostat. 4. The toilet insert has been removed from the sanitary area 16 November 2022 ##### [Enniskerry Pre-school](/creche/enniskerry-pre-school-enniskerry.md), Enniskerry · Regulation 23 — Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of child - General Safety: 1. In a press area staff members handbags were stored and were accessible to a child posing a risk of injury to a child. 2. Electrical wires which were connected a TV and a DVD were not secured posing a risk as they could be pulled from the shelf. 3. The lock was broken on a press where cleaning agents were stored posing a safety risk. Fire Safety: 4. The servicing of the smoke alarm was not carried out annually as required. The most recent date for the servicing of the smoke alarm was 20th of June 2022.This could pose a risk to the safety of the children and staff in the event of a fire. Action submitted by the Registered Provider - General Safety: 1. A child proof lock now in place on the press where staff members personal belongings are stored. 2. The electrical wires are now cable tied and are out of reach of children. 3. A new chid proof lock has been fitted to the press where cleaning agents are stored. Fire Safety: 4. The smoke alarms were serviced on 15/12/2022. Summary Comment The actions taken by the Registered Provider and the evidence submitted have been considered by the Inspectorate. The non-compliances identified on inspection in relation to Regulation23 have been addressed ### Regulation 23 in other counties - [Carlow](/regulation/23/carlow.md) - [Cavan](/regulation/23/cavan.md) - [Clare](/regulation/23/clare.md) - [Cork](/regulation/23/cork.md) - [Donegal](/regulation/23/donegal.md) - [Dublin](/regulation/23/dublin.md) - [Galway](/regulation/23/galway.md) - [Kerry](/regulation/23/kerry.md) - [Kildare](/regulation/23/kildare.md) - [Kilkenny](/regulation/23/kilkenny.md) - [Laois](/regulation/23/laois.md) - [Leitrim](/regulation/23/leitrim.md) - [Limerick](/regulation/23/limerick.md) - [Longford](/regulation/23/longford.md) - [Louth](/regulation/23/louth.md) - [Mayo](/regulation/23/mayo.md) - [Meath](/regulation/23/meath.md) - [Monaghan](/regulation/23/monaghan.md) - [Offaly](/regulation/23/offaly.md) - [Roscommon](/regulation/23/roscommon.md) - [Sligo](/regulation/23/sligo.md) - [Tipperary](/regulation/23/tipperary.md) - [Waterford](/regulation/23/waterford.md) - [Westmeath](/regulation/23/westmeath.md) - [Wexford](/regulation/23/wexford.md) --- Página: https://creche-inspection-reports.pages.dev/regulation/23/wicklow/ Fonte: Tusla Early Years Inspectorate Recolha: 2026-09-11