TinyOrbit
Garda vetting and staff compliance tracking for Irish creches
Tusla expects every person working with children in your service to be Garda vetted before they start, to hold the right qualification, to have verified references and to have completed Children First training. TinyOrbit keeps all of this in one staff file per person, warns you before anything expires, and gives you a staff compliance report you can show an inspector in minutes.
DRAFT for review. Items marked [confirm] must be checked before publishing.
What the law requires
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Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016. Regulation 9 (management and recruitment) requires the registered provider to obtain a vetting disclosure under the National Vetting Bureau Acts for each employee, unpaid worker and contractor, plus references, and to keep records on file (Regulations, S.I. No. 221 of 2016).
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National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016. It is an offence to let a person do relevant work with children without a vetting disclosure (Garda vetting, Garda.ie).
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Children First Act 2015. Staff should complete Tusla's free Introduction to Children First e-learning, and your service needs a Child Safeguarding Statement (Tusla Children First).
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Qualifications. Staff working directly with children need at least a major award at QQI Level 5 in Early Childhood Care and Education (or equivalent); ECCE room leaders need Level 6 under the ECCE programme rules (Regulation 10, gov.ie ECCE). Check qualifications against the DCEDIY recognised qualifications list.
Our Garda vetting guide for creche staff and Children First training requirements go deeper.
The Garda vetting process, step by step
- Your service needs a registered organisation. Creches apply through a registered organisation with the National Vetting Bureau, often via a sector body or the local City/County Childcare Committee, and a named liaison person handles applications.
- Validate identity. The liaison person checks the applicant's photo ID and proof of address in line with NVB ID validation guidance.
- Send the NVB1 invitation form. The liaison person enters the applicant's details, and the NVB emails an e-vetting link.
- Applicant completes the e-vetting form online, listing every address they have lived at.
- Liaison person reviews and submits the form to the NVB.
- Disclosure is returned to the liaison person, usually within a few working days, longer at busy times.
- Assess and record. If the disclosure contains anything, assess it against your recruitment policy. Record the disclosure date and reference on the staff file. Nobody starts working with children until it's back.
- Lived abroad? Anyone who lived outside Ireland for a significant period should also provide police certificates from those countries.
How often should staff be re-vetted?
The NVB Acts allow re-vetting; there is no single fixed expiry in the Acts, but re-vetting every 3 years is widely used as good practice in the early years sector. Write your re-vetting period into your recruitment policy and apply it to everyone. [confirm wording before publishing]
The staff file Tusla will ask for
For each staff member, unpaid worker and student on placement, keep:
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Vetting disclosure date and reference, and re-vetting due date
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Police certificates from abroad (if applicable)
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Two verified references, including the most recent employer, with notes of how they were checked
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Qualification certificates and level
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Children First e-learning certificate
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Paediatric first aid certificate and expiry
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Manual handling, fire safety and food safety (HACCP) training where relevant
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Signed contract, job description and induction record
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Supervision and appraisal notes
Inspectors commonly sample staff files on the day. Missing vetting or references for one person is one of the most common non-compliance findings. See what to expect at a Tusla inspection and try the Tusla inspection readiness tool.
What TinyOrbit does for you
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One staff file per person with every document above, uploaded once [confirm].
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Expiry and due-date alerts for re-vetting, first aid and other training, before they lapse [confirm].
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"Can't start yet" status for anyone without a vetting disclosure on file [confirm].
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Qualification tracking so room leaders and ECCE staff meet the right level, with a view for ratios.
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Staff compliance report for every service, ready for inspectors and owners.
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Multi-site view: see compliance across every service in your creche group.
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Linked to rosters and ratios, so a room is never staffed with someone who isn't compliant [confirm].
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Related guides
Can a new staff member start before Garda vetting comes back?
No. Under the National Vetting Bureau Acts and the 2016 Regulations, a person can't do relevant work with children until you have their vetting disclosure. They can do induction that doesn't involve contact with children.
Do students and volunteers need Garda vetting?
Yes. The Regulations cover employees, unpaid workers, students on placement and contractors who have access to children.
Can I accept Garda vetting from a previous employer?
Generally no. Vetting disclosures are issued to the registered organisation that applied, so you need your own disclosure for each person. [confirm current NVB guidance on portability]
How long does Garda vetting take?
Often a few working days after the applicant completes the e-vetting form, but it can take longer at busy times such as late summer. Start early when recruiting for September.
Is Children First training mandatory?
Tusla's Introduction to Children First e-learning is free and is expected for all staff working with children. Keep each certificate on the staff file.
What qualifications do creche staff need in Ireland?
At least QQI Level 5 in Early Childhood Care and Education (or an equivalent recognised qualification) for staff working directly with children, and Level 6 for ECCE room leaders.
What does Tusla check about staff during an inspection?
Inspectors usually review a sample of staff files for vetting, references, qualifications and training, and check that ratios on the day are met by suitable staff.