The Care Inspectorate has ruled that staff at a north-east playgroup had no idea of one child’s serious health issues or if they had the medication needed with them.
Hatton Playgroup, run out of the community’s village hall, has been branded weak by inspectors who have called for bosses to make “significant improvements” across the board.
The group, which can care for up to 24 children, aged upwards from three-years-old, operates up to 10 times a week.
But staff were unaware that one child in their care required lifesaving medication.
The playgroup, run by a parent committee, has been branded weak for its level of care, staffing, leadership and its quality of environment – the second lowest rating the Care Inspectorate can give. It comes after parents involved in the group raised concerns.
A report on the inspection said: “These were mainly about the quality of the learning experiences and limited information shared about children’s learning, development and progress.
“We found no information had been sought for one child requiring lifesaving medication.
“Staff were unsure if the medication was available in the child’s bag every day as no systems were in place to check.
“As a result, staff could not meet the child’s health needs in the event of a medical emergency.”
The group’s first aid box was also poorly stocked and staff were found not to be adequately supervising children in the playrooms.
The inspectors added: “The first aid box had some out-of-date items and contained limited items [to administer treatment].
“They [the staff] did not show a sufficient awareness of what was going on around them. For example, disagreements were left to escalate before staff noticed and intervened. We were concerned that this potentially placed children at risk.”
Among the recommendations made by inspectors, the playgroup has been ordered to ensure that medication for every child is on the premises at all times when they are present.
The service was, however, praised for developing an outdoor area for children and taking the time to talk with parents at the start and end of each session.
Last year the playgroup was graded as adequate by the Care Inspectorate.