Regulation 27 in Dublin
Supervision: 18 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.
15 June 2026
Ringsend Creche Ltd, Dublin 4 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- Children in the 3 to 6 years age range were observed to be unsupervised while using the toilet. This posed a potential risk to the children due to the following hazards which were identified: • The kitchen door was not fully secured throughout the inspection, with the handle of the door to the kitchen within reach of the children. On occasions the door was observed to be open. This was not in line with the service policy on the supervision of children which stated staff will always be within hearing range of the children, which was not observed on inspection. • The door to the Toddler 1 room was propped open, and the emergency exit which was in the care room was propped open for a period of time as children went to the outdoor play area. There was potential risk that the children could have exited the service unsupervised. It is acknowledged that staff were monitoring the door as children made their way to the outdoor area. The risks identified with the kitchen being accessible had been identified as a non-compliance on the previous two inspections and the actions submitted failed to prevent a recurrence
Provider's corrective action:
- A gate has been installed on the kitchen door; this will restrict access to the kitchen. Staff have been informed to ensure that the doors within the service are secured, and to be within hearing range of the children while they independently use the toilet
2 June 2026
Isabella’s Childcare Beresford 2, Dublin · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- Adequate supervision was not provided at all times in the service as evidenced by the following: At 16:10 pm a child aged 2 years 11 months was observed alone by the early years inspector in the internal corridor of the service. The inspector immediately liaised with the assistant manager who returned with the child to the bathroom. It emerged that the child had been brought from the garden to use the sanitary facilities adjoining the Little Caterpillars room. The staff member sought support from the staff of the Little Caterpillars room, as they returned to supervise children in the garden. The child subsequently left the bathroom onto the internal corridor of the service
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action The incident was discussed with the staff involved immediately . Staff were reminded that children must remain under the supervision of a staff member at all times, including during toilet visits. Preventive Action Staff will clearly communicate and confirm responsibility when a child is being supervised by another staff member. Children brought in from the garden to use the toilet will remain with the staff member until they have safely returned to the room or outdoor area. Previous practice of free flow between areas is no longer permitted. Children must now be accompanied and supervised by a staff member when moving between rooms, corridors, bathrooms, and the outdoor area. This will be discussed with the team at the staff meeting to ensure a consistent approach
26 May 2026
Cocoon Childcare Citywest, Dublin 24 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- Children were not appropriately supervised when eating as follows : At 10:34 the inspector observed a child aged 1 year in the Wobbler room sitting at a table on her own eating a rice cake. The two adults in the room had their backs to the child doing ‘Circle Time’ with the other children. The child then walked around the room eating the rice cake. At 11:41 the inspector observed one child aged 1 year in the Wobbler room sitting at a table on her own eating the main meal when the other children had finished. At 11:47 in the Baby room, the inspector observed two children both one year of age eating their dinner and the staff member who had been feeding one of them, turned away from them and did not adequately supervise them. In the incidents described above the adults were engaged in tasks including cleaning and preparing the other children for sleep. Further information regarding this is outlined under regulation 19(1)(b), 2. (a). Failure to adequately supervise young children when eating can place them at an increased risk of choking and hamper their ability to develop positive eating habits
Provider's corrective action:
- - The Branch Manager reviewed the Supervision Policy with the Baby and Wobbler Room team and reinforced the expectation that educators remain seated with the children throughout mealtimes, in line with the service's practice and supervision procedures. Children are encouraged to self-feed, with educators providing support using an additional spoon where required, promoting both independence and responsive care. The Branch Manager reinforced the importance of slow relational pedagogy, remaining present, actively supervising, and engaging with children during mealtimes. The Branch Manager has implemented ongoing observations and support during mealtimes in the Baby and Wobbler Room to ensure that children are appropriately supervised and that educators remain fully engaged with the children throughout the meal experience. These observations will continue as part of the service's ongoing quality assurance and supervision processes to support consistent practice
26 May 2026
The Village Creche, Portmarnock · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- 1. The registered providers did not ensure that pre-school children attending the service were appropriately supervised at all times, leading to a risk of possible injury through choking or an accident while children are left unattended, as follows: From 2.59pm to 3.14pm, in the Tweenie room 1, when the staff member was changing the nappy of each child one by one in the sanitary facility, the two children that remained in the care room were left unsupervised by an adult and not visual to the staff member by sight or sound, leaving the children to play alone in parts of the room and climb a wooden climbing frame with no direct adult supervision or assistance
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Afternoon nappy changing time is now from 2pm to 2.20 pm and 2.45pm to 3pm when floating staff are free. If a child nappy is soiled at other times, staff member will call management for extra supervision. Staff meeting held 17 June 2026 with Tweenie staff re nappy change time. Management will take the responsibility of supervising children during nappy changing when additional support is required for supervision
11 May 2026
Just Like Home, Lusk · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- Adequate supervision was not provided at all times in the service as evidenced by the following: 1. At 3pm in the Toddler room both staff members were in the nappy changing areas changing children’s nappies whilst 8 children were in the care room, most children were asleep or in the process of waking up. One child who was awake was observed by the inspector who entered the room throwing conkers at the children who were in bed. This was not observed by the staff members who were nappy changing. Whilst one staff member was positioned beside a viewing panel, she did not have complete sight of the care room. The early years inspector requested that the staff member return to the care room to supervise the children. 2. At 10.10am in the wobbler room the staff member went to change a child’s nappy in the nappy changing area, whilst the second staff member was in the cot room. There were four children in the book area in the care room. Whilst there it is acknowledged that there is a viewing panel in the nappy changing area, the book area is out of the sight of the staff member
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action 1.&2. Following the inspection findings , the supervision arrangements in the Toddler and Wobbler rooms were immediately reviewed. Staff deployment during nappy changing routines has been adjusted to ensure that at least on e staff member remains in the playroom at all times to maintain active supervision of children . The practice of both staff members leaving the room simultaneously has been ceased . Immediate corrective action was taken to ensure that children were appropriately supervised at all times, and staff were reminded that nappy changing must not compromise supervision of children remaining in the care room. Preventive Action 1.&2. A formal arrangement has been introduced whereby staff must coordinate nappy changes so that one staff member remains fully present and actively supervising children in the playroom , including all areas not in direct sight from ancillary spaces . Staff have been re -briefed on their responsibility for maintaining line -of-sight supervision and conducting dynamic risk assessments during routine care activities . Room leaders will monitor staff deployment during nappy changing and daily routines to ensure compliance with supervision requirements. This will be re inforced through ongoing supervision che cks and management oversight to ensure children are never left without adequate supervision in any area of the room. Summary Comment The inspector has reviewed the actions and evidence submitted. The non-compliances under Regulation 27 have been addressed
20 April 2026
Tigers Childcare, Dublin 15 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The inspector observed that following outdoor play within one of the care rooms, all children were brought indoors except for one child who remained in the outdoor area unsupervised. Staff were unaware that the child had been left outside. This was brought to the attention of staff by the inspector, and the child was subsequently brought back into the room. The service policy states a ‘count – move – count’ routine will occur when transitioning. The services policy and procedures were not followed in this instance resulting in the child not being supervised at all times
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider confirmed that the management have completed a thorough overview of the incident interviewing the colleague in question. It is conformed signage for reminders to complete ‘Count, Move, Count protocol was added to the outdoor areas. It is confirmed the staff member was re-trained in the ‘head count and documentation’ policy and ‘transitions’ policy and a risk assessment was completed
1 April 2026
Early Journeys, Dublin 9 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The registered provider did not ensure that children were adequately supervised at all times during the inspection. The following was observed: 1. The layout of the baby room and the positioning of staff within in the space resulted in the corridor area which was part of the room at times being out of staff’s view. On both days of inspection children were observed to be present in this area out of staff sight which posed a potential risk to the children. 2. A child was observed to approach the door in the baby room which was propped open with the potential to exit the room unsupervised as staff were engaged in other duties
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Following the inspection, the layout and supervision arrangements within the baby room were immediately reviewed. Staff were instructed that children must remain within sight and sound supervision at all times and that no child is to access the corridor area unsupervised. Furniture and play areas were reorganised to improve visibility throughout the room, and staff positioning was adjusted to ensure all areas, including the corridor space, are fully supervised at all times. All staff were reminded of their responsibilities under Regulation 27 regarding supervision and child safety. Room leaders and management will carry out regular supervision checks and daily observations of staff positioning to ensure compliance with supervision procedures. Supervision practices will be reviewed during team meetings, staff supervisions, and induction training to reinforce the importance of maintaining sight and sound supervision. The environment will continue to be monitored and adjusted where necessary to eliminate blind spots and reduce any potential risks to children’s safety. 2. The door was immediately secured and monitored, and the use of a door stopper was ceased without delay. The faulty handle was removed and replaced with an appropriate, robust commercial grade fitted by a qualified contractor. Implementation of a daily safety and security checklist, including verification that all doors in baby and toddler rooms are secure, fully operational, and appropriately closed. Strengthened supervision procedures to ensure that access points are actively monitored at all times, particularly during periods of staff engagement in other duties
27 January 2026
St Mary's Early Years Service, Dublin 1 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The service did not ensure adequate supervision of the children when an incident which required notification to Tusla occurred. It is acknowledged that on the day of inspection staff members were observed to adequately supervise the children attending the service
Provider's corrective action:
- A meeting was held on Friday 16th January with Manager, Deputy Manager, Director of Service, Family Support Worker, the Grad Lead, Educator and AIM Support worker, to review and reflect on the incident, harness the lessons learned and to discuss the statem ents being implemented . The NOI was also discussed during a staff meeting to ensure the transparency of the service continued and the adaptability of plans necessary in the light of developing risks for children. The robust procedure that was conducted was also outlined for educational purposes to showcase the service following policies & procedures even if that means reporting ourselves to Tusla, only then we can state we do everything in our power to safeguard the children within our service
9 December 2025
Apple Blossom, Dublin 6 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The service did not ensure adequate supervision of the children in the wobbler room on Friday 5th December when an incident which required notification to Tusla occurred. It is acknowledged that on the day of inspection staff members were observed to adequately supervise the children attending the service
Provider's corrective action:
- An internal investigation was carried out following the incident and all HR procedures were followed and appropriate action taken. Retraining in Health and Safety for Early Years provided to all permanent staff during December 2025 - January 2026. An external safety review was conducted by a childcare consultancy company. This review focused specifically on access and egress arrangements within the centre following the incident. The audit confirmed that safeguarding measures were now in place. Internal access and egress reviews are ongoing as a part of the Health Safety checks carried out by Health and Safety Officer and reviewed by manager weekly. Management team continuous to monitor daily practices to ensure compliance with TUSLA regulations
11 November 2025
Sticky Fingers, Dublin 15 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The registered provider did not ensure that children were adequately supervised at all times during the day. Children were observed under the sole care and supervision of an unqualified staff member while another staff member brought children to the toilets located outside the building in the garden area
Provider's corrective action:
- A qualified staff member is present at all times during the day now for care and supervision of the children. Management will ensure that in future a qualified staff member will be present with children at al times
28 October 2025
Lakelands Childcare, Stillorgan · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- During the inspection, it was observed that a staff member left two babies unattended in the Baby room to carry out checks on sleeping babies in a separate sleep room across the corridor. This practice posed a risk to the welfare and safety of the babies
Provider's corrective action:
- Staff will ensure there is cover in the room when carrying out sleep checks and have been advised to contact management or relief staff if needed. Signage has been placed on the wall in the care room detailing steps to follow when cover is required
22 October 2025
footprints montessori & afterschool, Dublin 22 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- Children were not adequately supervised at all times during the inspection. It was observed during a transition from the care room to the hall, that one child was left behind in the classroom. Staff had taken the children down the stairs and completed a headcount at the bottom of the stairs when they realised one child was missing from the group. One of the staff members immediately returned to the room and found the child alone in the bathroom. Inadequate supervision of children poses a risk to their safety and wellbeing
Provider's corrective action:
- A full briefing was held with staff to reinforce the importance of maintaining constant supervision of children, especially during transitions. Headcounts are now completed before, during and after transitions to ensure all children are accounted for. Management has developed a new risk assessment for transitions to the hall and will carry out daily checks to ensure children are continuously supervised
2 October 2025
Drumcondra Montessori School, Dublin 9 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The registered provider did not ensure that preschool children attending the service were supervised at all times. Two children were observed to play in the garden while six children remained in the care room. The registered provider was observed to move between the care room and the garden and position themself at the window of the service but was unable to ensure adequate supervision of the children attending the service. The care room is not visible from the garden and areas of the garden are not visible from the care room. This posed a potential risk to the children’s safety
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider will ensure that the children attending the service are within sight and/or sound, ensuring appropriate supervision and care at all times. A second adult is now on the premises at all times of operation
10 July 2025
Little Harvard Creche & Montessori, Dublin 14 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- 1. The registered provider did not ensure that children were adequately supervised at all times during the day. On the morning of the inspection at 10.38am six preschool children were under the supervision and care of unqualified staff. Management advised the children where on a settling in period that morning with the afterschool group, the children were observed in their main care rooms at 12.00pm after returning from the afterschool group. This is in breach of the Early Years regulatory notice Definition of Enrolment in a School Age Service February 2025 which outlines the decision of the early years inspectorate; criteria for recognising a school-age and the time frame for settling in periods of 10 working days before the start of school
Provider's corrective action:
- 1. Management has been instructed that in future years to fully comply with the definition of enrolment of school age children. A copy of the Regulatory Notice EYI-RN11.1 issued in February 2025 is available at the facility and management have been made aware of the contents of same. Local and senior management will ensure that this regulatory Notice is complied with in the future
10 July 2025
Magic Little Kids Limited, Dublin 5 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The registered provider did not ensure appropriate supervision during sleep for children in the Tweenie room. The children who were sleeping on day beds were observed to be unattended from 12.54 to 13.01 as the staff member was called to assist in the Wobbler cot room. At 12.54 there were five children sleep, one of whom was under 2 years old. The inspector noted that a child had woken up and informed two staff members. Children who are asleep on daybeds should be actively supervised whilst sleeping to ensure their safety should they wake
Provider's corrective action:
- The registered provider stated that they were short staffed on the day and was called to support in the wobbler room. The registered provider will ensure there is always a member of staff with the children sleeping on mats and another staff member to cover during sleep time and lunches. Summary Comment The actions submitted by the registered provider, in their corrective and preventive action plan, has addressed the non-compliance identified and will be reviewed on the next inspection
4 July 2025
Little Rugrats, Skerries · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- On the day of the inspection children were observed to be left unsupervised. The following was observed: • On arrival into the kitchen at 9.35am there was a group of 4 children sitting at the table and the inspector observed that the staff member left the kitchen to answer the door. This group of children included 1 pre- school child. This posed a potential safety risk to the children
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action On the day of inspection, the staff member left the room to answer the door leaving 4 children sitting at the table. This is not normal practice and should not have happened. It never happens under normal circumstances. Preventive Action This was addressed at a recent staff meeting and all agreed that it is not acceptable. There are always enough members of staff on the premises to ensure children are supervised at all times. The entry/exit policy has also been changed. The ring doorbell is now used, so now when it rings, it can be answered through the creche device and advise the parent waiting that they will be there in a minute or two with their child. This has definitely helped in the smooth running of collections and drop offs as there is no need for two trips to the door
13 May 2025
The Nest Ranelagh, Dublin 6 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- The registered provider did not ensure that preschool children attending the service were supervised at all times. 1. Three children were observed to exit their care rooms, close the door behind them and proceed down the corridor to use the sanitary accommodations unsupervised by staff members. This was evidenced by the following: o One child from Montessori 1 was observed to be unsupervised by staff members for a period of 8 minutes before returning to their care room. o One child from Montessori 2 was observed to be unsupervised by staff members for a period of 2 minutes before returning to their care room. o One child from Montessori 2 was observed to be unsupervised by staff members for a period of 5 minutes before returning to their care room. This posed a potential risk to the children’s safety and welfare
Provider's corrective action:
- All children are accompanied to the toilet by a member of staff, following our toileting policy. Management is available to accompany children to the toilet in the event that a member of staff is preoccupied
1 October 2024
Ollie's Montessori & After School Club, Dublin 7 · Regulation 27 — Supervision
- A number of children were observed to play unsupervised in the outdoor play area while staff remained indoors between the period the inspector arrived at the service at 9.25am until 10.06am. It is acknowledged that there are windows allowing visual supervision of the outdoor play area however there was a blind spot in the outdoor play area where staff in the care room had no visual supervision of the children. The impact of this resulted in a risk to the safety of children in the outdoor play area which is detailed under Regulation 23 Safeguarding health, safety and welfare of the child
Provider's corrective action:
- Corrective Action Staff were informed that all children must be supervised when in the outdoor play area. The service has purchased child safe protective barriers to close off the area that has no “Line of sight” from the Pre-school room. Preventive Action The new barriers will be set up on a daily basis and stored every evening