CHANGES have been implemented at a Borders children’s nursery after “serious concerns” were raised following an inspection.
The Care Inspectorate called for action at Seashells Nursery in Eyemouth to improve the environment to “ensure that it is safe, clean and welcoming for all children”.
The nursery operates from Eyemouth Community Centre in Albert Road, offering a day care service to a maximum of 38 children.
Two inspectors from the Care Inspectorate completed an unannounced visit to the facility on March 14.
It was found that most children experienced warmth and kindness but that improvements were needed in the pups room and that nappy changing “must be improved to comply with best practice guidance and ensure dignity and respect for children”.
Overall the nursery was judged ‘weak’ for both its setting and leadership and ‘adequate’ for care, play and learning and for its staff team.
Inspectors had “serious concerns about the environment and have asked the service to take action to improve the environment to ensure that it is safe, clean and welcoming for all children”.
The report also called for action to improve the cleanliness in the kitchen and broken safety gates, toilets and wooden barriers were also observed.
Nursery manager Miriam Lindsay said the report has been taken “with seriousness and acted upon immediately”.
She said: “Seashells has a fantastic support network in the community and reputation particularly over the past year, leading to a huge increase in the intake of two year old children.
“At the time of inspection we had a huge new intake of children, leading it to being a very busy environment for staff to adapt to. Having our inspection gave us a positive outlook on how to implement some change due to the new increase of numbers.
“We have taken the report with seriousness and acted immediately to implement change.”
Among the changes implemented since the inspection is weekly infection control training to all staff.
Cleaning records have been implemented that have led the staff to have high expectations of organisation in areas such as a busy working kitchen,
Planning permission has been granted to have building work done to enable a new nappy changing facility built into another room, with work to begin in the first week of the summer holidays.
Water trays, sand boxes, paint easels and areas of curiosity have been added to the provision and an area of the garden has been opened up for all children to play together, rather than having separate play areas.
Ms Lindsay added: “It has been a very stressful few months to ensure we have acted on these changes but [I] would like to thank the staff for continuing to offer love, support and nurture to our children which has always been apparent to those who attend on a daily basis while working hard to actively make change.
“I’d also like to thank the many families and parents who have approached me since the inspection to inform us that they love the nursery, the staff and reiterate the very many wonderful things Seashells has to offer.
“We are excited to be able to share the work we have done through our next inspection and will continue to strive to be the best we can be.”
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