Inspectors tear apart Carnoustie children’s club

Youngsters’ health and safety found to be compromised

A Carnoustie out-of-school club has received a damning report from the Care Inspectorate which warned children’s safety was being compromised.

Government inspectors turned up unannounced on December 6 and found a catalogue of concerns at the Kinloch Kids Club based at Burnside Primary School.

They found children’s safety and health were compromised as there was no robust procedure for the safe administration of medication, the majority of medication was out of date and there was no clear record of medication administered.

The report also highlighted “significant issues” regarding staff recruitment and found one person working at the club who had not been recruited to work in the service.

The club is run by a voluntary group of parents and provides before-school, afterschool and holiday care service to a maximum of 40 children of an age to attend primary school to 14 years.

A Carnoustie out of school club has been blasted by Government inspectors over a series of failures which they warn are compromising child safety.

The Kinloch Kids Club at Burnside Primary School received an unannounced visit by the Care Inspectorate on December 6.

They found the quality of management and leadership was “unsatisfactory”, the quality of care and support was “weak” as was the quality of staffing, and the quality of the environment was “adequate”.

They also found children’s health and safety was compromised as the service did not have a robust procedure for the safe administration of medication.

Last night Lisa Fullerton, manager at the club, said she had received a copy of the report. “I have not got any comment to make at this time,” she added.

The report states: “We reviewed the medication held within the service and found that the majority of these were out

“We reviewed the medication held within the service and found that the majority of these were out of date. REPORT

of date. Where medication was in date, it was for children who no longer attended the service or there was no associated paperwork in place.

“The documentation used was not in line with best practice, and there were no clear records of medication given.

“We discussed medication with staff and found they had little knowledge of what medication was in the service or why this was required.

“We discussed the seriousness of this with the manager and asked that she review all policies and procedures in relation to medication, audit the medication currently being held, and ensure staff are familiar with all medication in the service.”

The report also found significant issues with the service recruitment of staff. Some staff had started working at the service with all the appropriate recruitment checks to ensure they were safe to work with children, but one member of staff had not been recruited to work in the service, but had been working with children.

The seriousness of this was also emphasised to the manager, as was the need for all staff to be recruited following current safer recruitment practices.

All staff not recruited following safe recruitment practices were not to work in the service until all appropriate checks had been completed.

jathomson@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Kim Cessford. The Kinloch Kids Club at Burnside Primary School in Thomas Street, Carnoustie, has been criticised.