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Original poster

Nursery went home and left dd!

999 replies

lookingfortheanswer · 28/04/2014 18:36

Posting here for traffic, I don't have an aibu.

Went to pick up dd from nursery this afternoon and found the whole place locked up and nobody there. After frantically calling, banging on doors, checking nobody else had picked her up we managed to contact the neighbouring school. The staff who were still there were amazing, helped us to get into the building where we found dd on the toilet, on her own, lights off and doors closed, staff gone home. It took us half an hour to get in so she was there at least that long. She was obviously very upset but is now home and fine and drinking lemonade as a treat while I try to stop shaking.

Obviously this is a huge safeguarding issue and there is no way she is going back. The head of the neighbouring school has been in touch and is organising a meeting for the morning.

Any advice on where to go from here, who to complain to? Should we get legal advice? I am so so angry!

OP posts:
Twolumpsorone · 28/04/2014 19:37

That is absolutely terrible, your poor Dd. There is no way that should have happened.

OddBoots · 28/04/2014 19:37

I'm glad they didn't have an intruder alarm or at least it didn't go off, I can't imagine how much more scared a 2yo would be if it was sounding.

LaurieFairyCake · 28/04/2014 19:37

Yes it's a crime

Endangerment of a minor? I think

BertieBotts · 28/04/2014 19:38

Lots of people have said that they worked in nurseries where it was common practice to go home early if all the children were collected.

I expect the rooms are supposed to be checked but for some reason or other she was missed - either the checks weren't done or somebody didn't really check properly, just stuck their head around the door. I suppose they don't expect anybody to be there.

BoffinMum · 28/04/2014 19:38

OFSTED will be in touch with the nursery as soon as you report it and may visit the same day.

PamHalpert · 28/04/2014 19:38

Jesus wept. I'm so glad she's safe op. Definitely have a Wine!

kimlo · 28/04/2014 19:39

People are saying this is unbelievable bit it has happened before. A baby was signed out by mistake and when the grandma went to get her everybody assumed the mother had them, when actually they were asleep in the sleep room and the nursery closed for the day without checking thinking all the children were gone. Nobody knew until the mother turned up at the grandmas to collect the baby.

It was a couple of years ago now but I remember it vividly because it made my blood run cold. I cant remember where I read it though.

It shouldn't happen but if policy's and procedures arent followed then it can happen.

BoffinMum · 28/04/2014 19:39

I reckon in terms of the legal position it would be just as criminal an offence to do this, as it would be to leave your child unattended in your own home.

starfishmummy · 28/04/2014 19:40

Not wishing to make light if this - because it is serious - I suspect the child is probably less traumatised by this than her parents are.

Twolumpsorone · 28/04/2014 19:40

As well as the rooms being checked she should have been signed out.

A 2yr old shouldn't be going to the toilet on their own anyway.

GreenPetal94 · 28/04/2014 19:40

So sorry to hear about this, you must have been terrified for her. Hopefully as she is so young her memory of it will fade quickly. I think you need to start looking for a new nursery and obviously report it. Be assured most nurseries are great and this should never happen to you again.

Messygirl · 28/04/2014 19:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LookingThroughTheFog · 28/04/2014 19:43

Looking, please ignore the bombardment of questions; you are not on trial here.

As for what's next, I agree with calling 101 and taking advice. I would also see if you have a child endangerment out of hours number at your local Social Services.

I don't care if it's seen as overkill or hysterical or anything else, but you need to make sure things happen tonight, and that the parents of other children are informed before the nursery opens tomorrow. The ball needs to start rolling on that tonight.

Yes, it will probably cause a little inconvenience for other parents, but there is a massive child endangerment issue going on here, and that needs to take priority.

It doesn't matter that it probably wouldn't happen to another child tomorrow; there are procedures that need to be gone through.

BobTheFly · 28/04/2014 19:44

LADO out of hours number is for children in immediate danger. Please don't call that.

BertieBotts · 28/04/2014 19:44

Yes of course. For the DD it would just be a normal day at nursery except, oh, it's gone a bit quiet now but oh look nobody's playing with my favourite toy, I'll have a go! It's not like it would have been dark outside, so it wouldn't be that dark in most of the rooms. I expect she would have been upset when she got bored and then realised there were no adults there but at that age when Mummy comes to rescue you that restores everything and everything is alright again.

Totally true that the adults would be more shaken up because we tend to think "But what if".

Pumpkinette · 28/04/2014 19:45

Why are people saying te story doesn't add up. If you turned up to collect from nursery to find it closed and there was a school next door that was still open would you not check there? I would.

If there was an accident or something (say child injured and had to go to hospital) and 1 child left to collect then the most logical place to leave them next door at the school. Or had something happened such as a fire alarm / building closed in emergency for whatever reason then I would check with the school next door as they would likely to know about it and mate have information of where children had been taken to.

I assume when OP went to check with the school and they didn't have the child /no information of emergencies they offered to open the nursery as they had keys / codes etc. Had the child not been in the nursery building then the next logical step would have been to call the police.

Sorry but it is a perfectly plausible story and I hate how people always assume the OP is lying when things like this get posted.

Anyway OP hope you and your DD are feeling a bit better now. If it was me I would be lothed to take her back to the nursery tomorrow - or at all until the nursery get some better procedures in place.

5madthings · 28/04/2014 19:45

Fucking hell I would be going ape shit!

This is awful a complete failure of duty of care, I could never use the nursery again, my trust would be completely gone.

Glad your little girl is ok op.

NotYouNaanBread · 28/04/2014 19:46

I would be climbing the walls until you can tear them to pieces tomorrow morning. I nearly cried when you posted that she is just 2 (not that it would be less awful to leave an older child, just that 2 is so wee).

NationMcKinley · 28/04/2014 19:47

Bloody hell. That is truly horrendous. Personally I think you should inform the police on the non-emergency number. What an awful thing to have happened. So glad your DD seems to be ok. Wine for you, OP.

StealthPolarBear · 28/04/2014 19:47

so glad she is OK OP. You must be so shaken up.

eightytwenty · 28/04/2014 19:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

newsecretidentity · 28/04/2014 19:48

Actually, I remember a similar incident in the news last year, only it was quite a bit later before anybody worked out that the child was still in the building.

HeartsTrumpDiamonds · 28/04/2014 19:48

Story somewhat similar to this but about 35 years ago... My little brother got left behind (aged about 5) on a day camp outing and this was only realised several hours later when my mum came to pick us up. Few phone calls later and he was returned home, grinning from ear to ear, in a police car, wearing one of the policeman's hats, with a massive ice cream melting all over. I have no idea how my mum did not have several thousand heart attacks in a row.

Turns out the group he was with had all boarded a bus but the doors shut in front of him before he could get on. So with 5 year old logic, he got on the very next bus - which of course went a completely different way. He got off, sat down on the curb (kerb?) and burst into tears, a nice lady found him, bought him a Pepsi and took him to the nearest police station.

Nothing happened to the day care centre or the leaders or anything. Times were somewhat different then.....

EverythingCounts · 28/04/2014 19:49

I'm just surprised that everyone manages to pick up their child well before 5.30. DS's nursery opens till 6 too, and there are always kids there till the end. Don't think the staff have ever been in a position to leave early.

Good job there are witnesses in the school staff. I'd go straight to Ofsted in this instance then and not bother with the police now the child has been found.

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