Hi all, I need to share something awful that happened to my DS at his nursery this January - to make parents aware of the totally shocking state of operation that some nurseries are allowed to get away with , and just because a nursery has an Ofsted certificate it counts for nothing. Please please don't assume anything with your childcare. I've been left completely traumatised and unable to sleep since the incident.
On 30th January my 18mth old DS was involved in a horrific incident at his private nursery, he had only been attending for 7 days before it happened. He was left to sleep in a room with no adult supervision and on the same mattress as another child that had known behavioural problems with many biting incidents (this child had bitten my DS on the face the week before). The room was checked at 12:50pm and not again for another 10 minutes, at which point they discovered my son screaming and covered in blood. I have the most horrendous photos. He suffered a sustained attack whilst he was sleeping, by this other child. There was no adult in the room to supervise and stop anything happened, and by the extent of the injuries I think no adult could have come to his aid when he first started screaming. His whole face had been hit, bitten and scratched, including under his chin, his arm, and most shocking both of his ears were torn behind each one, which had to be glued back when he finally got to hospital.
Not only this, the nursery then did not call me for 3 hours, or take him to hospital or call an ambulance for 3 hours. According to Ofsted they handed my DS around and took photos of him. Then waited for the other child's parents to come into the nursery to view my DS, so they could understand the extent of their child's problem.
I am devastated and outraged by this.
Ofsted have since investigated the nursery, and this is still ongoing. But they have discovered that this nursery had a catalog of failings - no processes and procedures in place, no health and safety, no deputy manager, only the owner was first aid trained, who was not always on site, and my son was in fact cared for by a non-first aider. Not all her staff were CRB checked, not all staff were suitably qualified and did not know how to stimulate the children. The staff to child ratios were wrong, the list is endless - please read the current report.
www.ofsted.gov.uk/inspection-reports/find-inspection-report/provider/CARE/EY442567
You may ask yourself why on earth I put my children in this nursery, and I ask myself that question every day. But I went to look round the nursery twice with my DP, and I had friends who had children going there and gave me positive feedback, plus they were Ofsted registered.
However IMO they abused the trust of parents, and fooled everyone in the level of care they were providing.
What I have learned is that Ofsted stands for nothing. In fact this nursery had an Ofsted health and safety inspection 2 weeks before this incident, and they passed the inspection. But when the Ofsted team went in to investigate my complaint they found no health and safety procedures in place - which made the building not safe. So I am shocked that they got their Ofsted certificate 2 weeks earlier. Ofsted were not doing their job properly IMO, and as a result my son experienced this horrendous and traumatic attack. If Ofsted had been doing their job properly the nursery would either not have been allowed to open, or they would have made sure they had correct procedures in place.
I've also learned that due to their huge failings Social Services have requested that they are closed down, but Ofsted seem powerless to do so. I've been told by Ofsted that they have the most amount of power before a license is granted, but then it's virtually impossible to take it away again.
As a parent you would only leave your child with someone that has an Ofsted certificate, because you believe this is the regulatory body that ensures quality. But it's meaningless IMO.
My plight is to make all parents aware of this. To make parents scrutinize providers more, to be more demanding. Before this happened I would never have thought to ask to see a nursery's CRB numbers etc. You assume this is the job of Ofsted, and they wouldn't be registered without these basics. It's outrageous that this can be allowed to happen.
This particular nursery is trying to change I believe, although I still believe they should be shut down as they should not be profiting from childcare given their total disregard for child safety , but it's the bigger picture I want to highlight. That of Ofsted's failings, and to stop any other nursery from operating in this manor.
My children are now in new childcare, and I'm sure you can imagine that I have asked to see all certificates for everything. My older DS is at a new nursery, and my 18month old is now with an amazing childminder... who has shown me her first aid certificate, CRB checks, qualifications etc.... it doesn't stop me worrying every day though and driving myself insane with guilt and anxiety over their well-being. :(
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Nurseries
Nursery failings led to horrendous incidient involving my DS
64 replies
ADME · 02/04/2012 22:50
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smalltown ·
02/04/2012 23:13
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