Inspectors have found that staff at an Aberdeenshire nursery were “not trained and competent in administering lifesaving medication”.
Auchterellon Under Fives received an unannounced visit by the Care Inspectorate in June and a report into its findings has now been published.
Among a string of concerns was that “procedures and systems did not support the safe administration of medication”.
The report states: “Life-saving medication brought in with the child was not checked by staff. This meant children were at risk if the medication was forgotten or had
expired.
“Medication was not stored safely and could easily be accessed by children. Staff were not trained and competent in administering lifesaving medication.”
Inspectors rated the nursery “weak” in all categories – quality of care and support, quality of environment, quality of staffing, and quality of management and leadership.
They said they were unable to ascertain the safety of the building, as there were no accessible maintenance records for the premises.
And they found that a nappy changing table, made by a local joiner, was an “unregulated piece of equipment”.
It added: “Daily risk assessments were not effective to ensure the garden and outdoor play equipment was clean and safe. There were numerous thistles growing, stagnant water and some broken resources.
“This put children at risk of harm when playing outdoors. The kitchen area was not clean and tidy to support the safe preparation of food.
“The fridge was dirty, and the work surfaces were cluttered, meaning staff were unable to clean them effectively.”
And inspectors said that not all staff were trained in first aid, which “put children at risk in the event of an accident or minor injury”.
However, inspectors noted that the manager and staff were “very new to the service” and praised them for “working well together”.
The report said: “Staff interactions with children were loving and caring. Children new to the setting were comforted with cuddles and kind words, helping them feel safe and secure.
“Parents told us staff were very approachable and genuinely cared for their children. This meant they felt confident their child was well looked after.”
The nursery was unavailable for comment.