Risk assessments are a legal requirement for every early years setting registered with Tusla in Ireland. Under the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016, all registered services must have a written Risk Management Policy and must carry out risk assessments across all areas of their service. Risk assessments are also one of the most commonly cited areas of non-compliance in Tusla inspection reports published across Ireland, making them one of the most important documents to get right in 2026.
A well-written risk assessment does not just tick a regulatory box. It is a genuine tool that helps you identify hazards in your environment before they cause harm to a child, a staff member or a visitor. This guide walks you through exactly what a risk assessment must include, the different types of risk assessments you need, a step-by-step template to follow, how often to review them, and the most common mistakes to avoid.
What the 2016 Regulations Say About Risk Assessments
Regulation 10 of the Child Care Act 1991 (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016 requires every registered early years service to have a written Risk Management Policy as part of its Policies and Procedures document. This policy must set out how the service identifies, assesses and manages risk across all aspects of its operation. Separate to the policy, Regulation 14 requires full day care and sessional services to carry out a yearly review of the quality and safety of care provided, and to keep a record of that review for three years. Risk assessments are a central part of this review process. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, all employers in Ireland, including childcare providers with paid staff, are also required to have a written Safety Statement that includes a risk assessment of all hazards in the workplace. This is a separate legal obligation from the Tusla Regulations but is equally mandatory and will be checked during a Tusla inspection.Types of Risk Assessments Every Early Years Setting Must Have
Your setting does not need just one risk assessment. You need a suite of risk assessments covering every area where hazards could arise. The minimum set of risk assessments for a Tusla-registered early years service includes:- Indoor environment risk assessment covering every room used by children, including toilets, corridors and any storage areas children can access
- Outdoor environment risk assessment covering the play area, boundaries, equipment, surfaces, gates and any outdoor hazards
- Fire safety risk assessment covering fire sources, escape routes, fire equipment, alarm systems, and evacuation procedures
- Outings and trips risk assessment to be completed before any trip outside the setting, covering transport, supervision, destination hazards and emergency procedures
- Nappy changing risk assessment covering the hygiene, privacy and safety of the changing area and procedure
- Sleep safety risk assessment for settings that care for children under 24 months, covering cot safety, positioning, temperature and monitoring procedures
- Infection control risk assessment covering hand hygiene, cleaning routines, waste disposal and management of illness
Step-by-Step Risk Assessment Template
Every risk assessment in your setting should follow a consistent structure. Here is a step-by-step template that meets the requirements Tusla inspectors look for:| Step | What to Include |
| 1. Identify the hazard | Describe the specific hazard clearly. A hazard is anything that has the potential to cause harm. For example: uneven paving in the outdoor play area, a gate that does not close fully, cleaning products stored in an unlocked cupboard. |
| 2. Identify who might be harmed | List who could be harmed and how. This will typically include children by age group, staff, students on placement, and visitors. |
| 3. Assess the risk level | Rate the likelihood of the hazard causing harm (low, medium, high) and the severity of the potential harm (minor, moderate, serious). Combine these to give an overall risk rating. |
| 4. Describe existing controls | List what you already have in place to manage this hazard. For example: rubber surfacing under play equipment, gate with child-proof latch, locked chemical store. |
| 5. Identify additional actions needed | If the existing controls are not sufficient to reduce the risk to an acceptable level, list the additional actions required. Assign responsibility and a completion date. |
| 6. Review date | State the date by which this risk assessment will next be formally reviewed. Risk assessments should be reviewed at least annually and after any significant change or incident. |
| 7. Sign-off | The person in charge or the person who carried out the assessment must sign and date the completed form. |
How to Assess Risk Level
Risk assessments are more useful when they include a clear risk rating rather than just describing hazards in words. A simple 3 by 3 risk matrix is the most commonly used approach in early years settings:| Likelihood | Minor Harm | Moderate Harm | Serious Harm |
| Low | Very Low Risk | Low Risk | Medium Risk |
| Medium | Low Risk | Medium Risk | High Risk |
| High | Medium Risk | High Risk | Very High Risk |
How Often Must Risk Assessments Be Reviewed?
Risk assessments must be reviewed and updated at least once per year. The review date must be documented on the assessment itself. The following situations also require an immediate review outside of the annual cycle:- A child or staff member is involved in an accident or incident related to the area covered by the assessment
- A near-miss incident occurs
- The physical environment changes, such as new equipment, renovation works or a change in room layout
- A new age group of children joins the service
- A significant change in staff numbers affects supervision ratios
- A complaint is received relating to safety in any area covered by the assessment
The Most Common Risk Assessment Mistakes Irish Providers Make
- Risk assessments that are too vague, for example stating there are outdoor hazards without specifying what they are or how they are managed
- Generic risk assessments downloaded from the internet that do not reflect the specific layout, equipment or context of the setting
- Risk assessments for indoor areas only, with no outdoor, outing or fire assessments in place
- Risk assessments that have not been reviewed or re-signed within the previous 12 months
- Risk assessments that do not include an assigned responsibility or completion date for additional actions
- Risk assessments for outings that are generic and not written specifically for the destination and route of the planned trip
Getting the Right Resources to Support Your Risk Assessments
At Early Years Shop, our Risk Assessment Packs are specifically designed for Irish early years settings and are built around the requirements of the 2016 Regulations and the Tusla QRF. Each pack covers a different area of risk including indoor environments, outdoor spaces, fire safety, outings and nappy changing. They are written in plain language, structured for ease of use, and ready to adapt to your specific setting. Having professionally prepared, correctly structured risk assessments in your compliance folder is one of the most practical steps you can take to ensure your service is ready for a Tusla inspection on any given day.Frequently Asked Questions About Risk Assessments in Early Years Settings
How many risk assessments does my early years setting need?
There is no fixed minimum number specified in the 2016 Regulations, but every area of your setting that presents a potential hazard to children, staff or visitors must be assessed. At minimum, you will need risk assessments covering indoor areas, outdoor space, fire safety, outings, nappy changing and infection control. Settings that care for children under 24 months also need a specific sleep safety risk assessment. The total number of risk assessments will depend on the size and complexity of your service.
Does a risk assessment need to be signed?
Yes. Every completed risk assessment should be signed and dated by the person who carried it out, ideally the person in charge or a designated safety officer. The signature confirms that the assessment is accurate, that the controls described are in place, and that the responsible person has reviewed and approved it. Unsigned or undated risk assessments are treated as incomplete by Tusla inspectors.
What is the difference between a Risk Management Policy and a risk assessment?
Your Risk Management Policy is a written statement that describes your overall approach to identifying, assessing and managing risks in your service. It is one of the 21 mandatory policies under Schedule 5 of the 2016 Regulations. Individual risk assessments are the practical documents produced in line with that policy for each specific area of risk in your setting. You need both: the policy describes your approach, and the individual assessments demonstrate how that approach is applied in practice.
Can I use the same risk assessment for multiple rooms?
Generally no. Each room or area should have its own risk assessment because the hazards, layout, equipment and use of each space are different. Using a single generic indoor assessment for all rooms is unlikely to be specific enough to pass a Tusla inspection. However, you do not need to repeat identical information unnecessarily. If two rooms have identical layouts and equipment, you can note that clearly and cross-reference between assessments.
What should I do after a child has an accident in my setting?
After an accident involving a child, you should complete an accident and incident report form immediately, notify the child's parent or guardian and have them sign the record, and review the relevant risk assessment for the area or activity involved. If the accident reveals a hazard that was not adequately controlled, update the risk assessment immediately and implement any additional control measures needed. Keep the signed accident record for a minimum of two years from the date the child last attends the service.
Final Thoughts
A well-maintained suite of risk assessments is not just a compliance requirement. It is evidence of a service that genuinely prioritises the safety and wellbeing of every child, staff member and visitor who walks through its door. Reviewing and updating your risk assessments regularly, writing them specifically to your setting, and acting on the actions they generate is what turns a compliance document into a genuine safety tool.
Use the template structure in this guide to review your current risk assessments today and identify any gaps. Your setting should never be without a current, signed, reviewed risk assessment for every area where children learn and play.
