Nursery failings led to horrendous incidient involving my DS

[ADME]

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. :(

[thisisyesterday]

oh my gosh, that sounds horrendous :( your poor little boy

[Rubirosa]

Wow, that's appalling - I agree they should have been shut down! What was their Ofsted report like before your complaint?

[Cheddars]

Having read the Ofsted report I can't believe the nursery is still open. And it is shocking that they visited 2 weeks before, why didn't they notice all of the failings then?

How horrible for you OP and thanks for highlighting this.

[KatieMiddleton]

Omg that is utterly shocking. I think what concerns me most is that at the tie of the incident they failed to behave as decent human beings. Who takes photos and gets in another child's parents (I feel for those parents too. How do you get over your child attacking another like that?) before seeking medical help and notifying the parents? If OFSTED won't shut it down surely a report like that would make any sane parent withdraw their child?

OP I hope your dc have no lasting ill effects and that you are all able to get over this. Thinking of you.

W5 is Ealing so very close to me

[ADME]

That's exactly my main issue Katie, their actions following the incident. They lost their heads, and because they had no processes or procedures in place they had nothing to fall back on. I have anxiety attacks when I'm not with my DCs wondering if they are in hospital and and I just don't know about it, and I have to remind myself that no other sane person would do that. When my DS needed me I couldn't be there for him. There is even more to the story but I don't really want to write it down yet.

Smalltown - my older DS is now in a nursery in Brentford, maybe the same one, its amazing, so yes they do exist, thank goodness. But there is such limited choice. I moved my children to the previous nursery where the attack happened after lots and lots of thought and consideration... it was clearly the wrong decision. :(

[londonmackem]

That is close to me so thank you for the heads up!

[seriousone]

ive pm you

[EdithWeston]

The list of failings uncovered, beyond those directly relevant to this incident, is pretty staggering.

Just how much worse does a nursery have to be before registration is suspended?

OP: I hope your DS made a good recovery.

[guanosoup]

ADME, what a horrible, sad and shocking situation and you sound absolutly shaken up about the whole thing.
It might be worth y ou chasing up some counselling for yourself as you sound so stressed, not sleeping and worrying so much about your little ones. It almost sounds like you have PTSD.
I do hope you get some resolution and feel stronger very soon , and your ds made a good tecovery

[dribbleface]

Your poor poor child, I'm a nursery manager and in tears reading that. With reference to Ofsted i agree totally that they are pretty toothless and their reports are not a reliable way of assessing, our last one only lasted 3 hours, that included introductions and feedback. we won't have another inspection for 3 years. I can't find the words but stories like this make me want to give it all up, its truly shocking. Are you going to sue for neglect, not that money will make it better but will hit the nursery where it hurts financially and help raise awareness of their terrible failings.

[FannyFifer]

I'm struggling to find words to be honest.

Your poor poor wee boy, can't believe they did not get immediate medical attention.

You sound absolutely traumatised and i would agree with other poster re counselling.

Can't believe that nursery has not been shut down.

[Likesshinythings]

That is just horrific, your poor DS. I hope you are all recovering well.

I live in the area too and will make sure I mention this to any and all parents that I know.

[NorthernNumpty]

I think you should seek legal advice they were clearly negligent. Money won't put it right but might help you to feel that what happened is recognised. Any compensation for your child would be put in a court fund till he is 18.

[LulaPalooza]

What a horrific experience for your DS and for you and your family. I'm so sorry to hear this happened.

I'm a solicitor and I never normally recommend litigation for litigation's sake, but in this instance I agree with dribble - you might want to think about bringing a personal injury claim against the nursery on behalf of your son and possibly even for yourself for the trauma this has caused you. Depending on the extent and nature of his injuries/ your trauma the value of any claim might not actually be that high, but during the litigation process you would get proper statements, medical information and any and all documentation prepared by the nursery, by Ofsted and the medical practitioners who treated your son.

I'm not a personal injury lawyer, nor do I work for a law form that specialises in personal injury (although I can highly recommend one if that would help - feel free to PM me) so I'm not suggesting this for any other reason than I think it might help you to get some of the answers and it might actually make this nursery be properly accountable for their actions, or lack of action in your son's case. I'm not an ambulance chaser, honest!

Sending you some non-lawyerish and non-Mumsnetty hugs x

[stressheaderic]

Reading that Ofsted report, I cannot believe it is still open.
I don't live in London but there must be a real range of standards in private day nurseries and you'd think that parental recommendations were a good way of judging, so did do the right thing.
Your poor DS, I'm glad he is settled now and hope he has not been traumatised by this and I hope you are able to get help with your feelings of anxiety too.

[TiggyD]

From their website:
"CCTV is an effective deterrent against criminal activity, even when the nursery is empty. If an incident arises, the relevant parties can review the recording and see exactly what took place. The footage gives the Nursery Manager and staff irrefutable evidence to protect themselves from unfair accusations and, in the worst case scenario, litigation which can take years to resolve and damage the nursery business?s reputation in the process. "

An Ofsted pass proves they can be good for however many hours Ofsted are there for, every 4 years. I've worked in a few crap nurseries, some graded outstanding.
I miss the old system of daycare advisors who would pop in for chats on a regular basis, maybe 3 or 4 times a year. They drank a lot of tea, but had a better idea on how good a nursery was than Ofsted. Most of their visits were not official so you didn't have to let them in, but if you didn't it was a sure sign that you knew something was wrong with your nursery which would get you a very formal visit.
Monitoring of daycare at the moment is just not good enough.
Tiggy - NNEB

[dribbleface]

absolutely agree with tiggy the old system was much better, can remember our lady, she was formidable but fair and knew her nurseries inside out.

[Gincognito]

Jesus that's awful :( You poor, poor things.

How is your ds now?

[boredandrestless]

Oh god! I've worked in a nursery and worked as a cm and I was almost sick reading this. Your poor little boy.

It is absolutely appalling that they are still open looking after children.

What human being in their right mind wouldn't have taken a young child, so badly attacked, to the hospital?!

[boredandrestless]

Looking at what they found upon investigating the complaint is not only appalling in that it is all such BASIC things that any childcare setting should have (risk assessments, registers, staff:child ratios, no deputy, non first aiders dispensing first aid, negative behaviour going unchallenged, open stair gates.... the list goes on). The scary thing is like you say, they had JUST BEEN INSPECTED! [SHOCK]

I hope whoever 'inspected' them first time round and passed them has been dealt with!

[Allice]

The incident is shocking but the aftermath is crazy, what were they thinking?
I really do feel for you and your son. How is he now?

[fudgywudgy]

I could actually be sick after reading that

My dd is the same age as your ds and watching her running about giggling while reading your story made me cry.

I hope you and your ds are ok, I second the post about getting yourself some counselling.

Nothing more i can think to say

[seriousone]

u should also post this on the ealing local mumsnet page as many mums on there ask about nursery recomendations

[DialsMavis]

OP, I am so sorry this happened to your son , it sounds horrific. But thank you so much for posting. I was planning on visiting this nursery with a view to moving my DD there.