To worry about this DC

Any matter if things could be happening with child, mum and home.
Money, time, stress, afrid, financial problems (obviously). Im sorry but your manager should of dealt with this already!
Sometimes we just need to find out stuff so we are able to help.

Can I ask, have they trained you in safeguarding or at the very least given you a copy of KCSIE? There should be an internal system of reporting safeguarding, if they haven’t given you access to a computer then there should be someone you can report things to.

Yes. I would report it. That’s heartbreaking. There are food banks. Yes, it’s terrible that parents need to use them and I know a lot are struggling. Not being able to afford school milk is one thing but there’s no excuse for 5 month out of date crisps. Poor little lad.

Me too; pass onto safeguarding

Disgusting. Hell would freeze over before I deprived a vulnerable innocent child a glass of milk. Children are so so vulnerable. In the UK in a facility providing care and protection to under 5s , to not provide a glass of milk based on parents fees being late Is sickening. Letting a tiny child go hungry to prove a point.

Of course the fee situation needs addressing. But you don't passive aggressively punish the parents via the child.

Parents need help in some way. There's more going on here. They will require that looking at.

But whoever denied that child milk needs reporting for abuse /neglect .

Intentional neglect of a child is very rare. More often than not parents are trying to meet their children’s needs but like you say need support to do so. Safeguarding procedures should absolutely be followed through to investigate the cause of the neglect. It’s not always a case of it being purely financial as there may be other barriers to better care, such as a parent struggling with their mental health, substance misuse etc.
I agree with you about the other worker as well. People who can’t show basic care for a hungry child shouldn’t be in a role like that.

@Proudestmumofone1 your suggestion of waltzing in with some milk doesn’t address the situation at all. The OP is looking for advice here and your response is really rather naive in that you assume throwing money / simply buying milk will fix things. There is an underlying issues here and that’s what needs addressed. OP I would definitely be raising this with your manager.

You need to flag it with your manager and the DSL.

And please just give him the milk, I work in a pre-school and over my dead body would I watch a child go hungry. Pour it and give it to him, there’s nothing they can do.

I find this heartbreaking. Poor child.. Definitely speak to management and give him milk/ food anyway.

Who knows OP, but please take this higher. The family are clearly struggling and a toddler should not be suffering because of that. 😔 Also any nursery worth its salt would be giving that child milk especially if they knew what the lunchbox contained? 😔

I don’t think it sounds like deliberate neglect, it sounds like the family are in crises and need support. It is a safeguarding issue, and with it being a private nursery the parents probably don’t want to approach management with their problems and they don’t want the child to lose their place. It sounds to me like a very stressful situation and I would actually think the worker who deprived him of milk should be reprimanded for abuse. A poor innocent child who is totally unaware of their families financial background.

Speak to management and ask them what their safeguarding policy is in response to possible neglect. Then highlight that given concerns about neglect you don’t feel comfortable denying a child milk.

This is all very strange (not saying it didn’t happen though, OP). Private day nurseries charge fees. Usually, but not always, food
(inc. milk and snacks) are included. Since the free hours were made more complicated lots of nurseries now charge for ‘extras’ which could include milk and food. It’s possible this mum is not paying for the ‘extras’ and sending them
in herself. (Obviously not to standard).

Out of date food and a child clearly wanting milk they are not allowed to have is awful, but I don’t understand exactly what’s going on with the milk. Maybe she’s behind on her actual fees which don’t include milk but as a PP said, I’m surprised the child is allowed in.

All that being said, you MUST report this OP. The poor child is hungry. Who knows what is going on at home etc.

That's horrible. How old is the child? Can they communicate or are they too little to tell you any other info. Regardless it sounds like something that should defo be reported immediately.

I mean how the nursery can be saying he isn’t entitled to milk? As in THE nursery have a duty to him, with everyone’s comments (like the poster wanting to give him milk) feeding in to their process? As milk is free for ALL children,,, ie how can they be charging?

This. Can’t believe the nitrate won’t let him have some milk! What’s wrong with people?!

@Proudestmumofone1YOU are the reason people talk themselves out of posting.

Don’t Be so sanctimonious.

OP you have EVERY right to ask the question. It’s a new job, the staff sound horrible (refusing the child milk in the first place) and you’re finding your feet.

I've just been listening to the podcast on Constance Martin and thinking how awful some kids have it and then read this with this poor child going hungry. It's really shocking.

Oh and to add further to my confusion at this even being a post, all children under 5 are entitled to milk and charges are only voluntary….

wwc.barnet.gov.uk/free-milk-early-years-settings

Genuinely confused how this is even a post? Or question? Or comment?

I would be walking in tomorrow with 4 pints of milk. I would also have been raising concerns the FIRST time I had seen he did not have an edible lunch.

Safeguarding is everyone’s duty - and I thought common sense.

In England and Wales under fives should be getting their milk for free anyway.

Yes, you should report your concerns and I would have given him the milk.

Uncaring, nasty fucks (not you)

I agree with @TheGrimSmileit’s horrible of the nursery not to allow a small child a glass of milk.
I would find that very hard OP. I don’t know how you’re fixed financially and it’s probably against some rule somewhere but I’d be taking a little something in for him every day. Just a chocolate biscuit or something.

I would absolutely tell the manager and ask a few days later what she has actioned.