An Aberdeen City Council nursery has been told to improve after the nappy changing area was not well cleaned and the area was left “dirty”.
Two inspectors from the Care Inspectorate made an unannounced visit to Riverbank School Nursery in Tillydrone on April 17 and 18.
The watchdog issued a “weak rating” across the board and made a number of requirements that must be fixed.
The nursery is within Riverbank School and can hold a maximum of 46 children.
It has a designated entrance area which has a secure door and a large cloakroom area, as well as an enclosed garden and outdoor space.
The council says a new manager is now in charge and a comprehensive action plan is in place.
Staff did not follow nappy changing guidance
During the inspection, it was noticed staff did not follow infection control guidance to keep children safe.
Children were not well supported in washing their hands thoroughly with soap and water, and neither did staff follow nappy changing guidance and remove their aprons.
Toilets and nappy changing areas were found to be not well monitored and cleaned throughout the day.
The risk of cross-contamination was increased as sinks were cluttered and used for storage.
Inspectors also noticed lids were not used for water jugs which resulted in children dropping toys in drinking water.
Another area of concern raised was a gap underneath the gate which could provide a “potential opportunity” for a child to escape the nursery ground, but despite staff requesting a mesh to block it, none had been provided.
What rating did the nursery get?
The Care Inspectorate gives out ratings on a one-to-six scale. Riverbank School Nursery got the following rating:
- Care, play and learning: Weak – 2/6
- Setting: Weak – 2/6
- Leadership: Weak – 1/6
- Staff team: Weak – 1/6
Children not supervised created risk of choking
Inspectors noticed that if the children were hungry between mealtimes they would have access to fruit, but noticed they were not always supervised while eating their fruit in these situations – creating a risk of choking.
But they did say this had been corrected by the second day of the inspection.
Problems were also noticed with the children’s sleeping area. When a child fell asleep, staff provided a soft blanket to snuggle, but they were not always fresh and put aside for that individual child.
Inspectors wrote: “This did not follow good practice guidance for safe sleeping. The setting was dirty and felt neglected.”
What does Aberdeen City Council say?
An Aberdeen City Council spokesman said: “A new manager is now in charge of the early learning centre and the setting has benefitted from support and challenge visits from central officers.
“Many of the concerns identified on the first day of the visit were corrected overnight and the improvement was noted by inspectors.
“A comprehensive action plan is in place and all requirements are on track to be completed by specified dates.”
Replacement building beset by construction problems
The nursery is located on the same site as Riverbank School, which has been long awaiting a replacement building.
Construction began in December 2021, but has been plagued by problems and increasing costs.
It is now “expected to open in summer 2024” according to Aberdeen City Council.
The new building is located on the site of the former Tillydrone Infant School and also on part of the former St Machar Primary School site.
The three-stream primary school with early learning and childcare provision will include a 3G sports pitch as well as outdoor play and learning facilities.
It will have space for 651 youngsters, including 100 new early learning and childcare spaces.