Dingwall Ducklings gets thumbs up from Care Inspectorate after unannounced visit to premises
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A DINGWALL children’s nursery has been praised by inspectors after an unannounced visit earlier this year.
Dingwall Ducklings, in the town’s Pefferside Park, was visited by the Care Inspectorate for checks on how well children were being cared for and supported during the pandemic.
The June inspection drew overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff, children, parents and guardians, but found some areas in need of improvement.
The overall early learning and childcare service was rated as “good”, at grade four on a scale of six, with six being “excellent”.
The way in which children’s health and well-being was looked after during the pandemic scored “very good”, with “responsive and nurturing” interactions observed between staff and children.
Children were “happy, confident and engaged” and the nursery, a member of the Care and Learning Alliance (CALA), was praised for keeping families well-informed and in close contact during lockdown periods. Covid infection prevention and control measures at the nursery were described as “good”, with effective measures in place in a “clean and clutter-free” environment.
Staff had completed enhanced training on infection prevention and control, and put this into practice during the inspection.
The setting had a cleaner who undertook additional tasks at the end of each day without compromising the quality of care, play and learning experiences.
Management also understood the impact Covid-19 could have on staff and considered staff’s health and wellbeing, the report stated.
Staff said they felt supported by their senior, newly-appointed manager.
The nursery, however, was asked to ensure that child protection procedures on display were kept up to date and included a name and contact details for the child protection officer to reduce any potential delay in protecting children from harm.
