Two pre-school children had wandered, unnoticed, out of the unlocked door of a Galway creche and were only returned safely after being picked up by a passer-by. This is the nightmare parents fear but is the reality unearthed by a Health Services Executive investigation
According to reports last week, there were a number of complaints made against creches by concerned parents and other members of the public during the period from October 2006 to October 2007. A HSE investigation then revealed some frightening problems in creches across the country.
A shocking 85 per cent of creches fail to meet the standards set by the HSE’s preschool inspection teams and legal proceedings have been brought against 13 of the country’s creches.
One complaint was made by a passer-by in Galway who noticed two pre-school children walking alone along a main road. It later emerged that the internal doors and the front door of the creche were left unlocked and that the children had left the premises unknown to staff.
Other cases (nationwide ) included a 22-month-old child being sent home following a minor fall, however, it later emerged she had a fractured skull. Further investigation found another child had been withdrawn from the service after 19 accidents/incidents. Another creche was threatened with legal proceedings after the HSE found that children spent long periods strapped into high chairs, staff ratios were being ignored, and the creche was operating without insurance for a number of years.
