To complain about a free activity?

[aliteralAIBUforonce]

If I'd paid, I probably would have done already.

I went to a free toddler cookery session today, lovely I thought. Council run thing.

The chef brought and used some incredibly sharp knifes. He left those on the counter near my two year old. I grabbed my son however he had already managed to cut himself. This took a millisecond.

I have a screaming little boy at that point so didn't kick up a fuss. Luckily my friend had a plaster in her bag.

While I'm busy calming my son down (having moved away from the main area obviously) I notice that said 'chef' had again left his knives on the counter and left the room! Seriously!?

I left at that point. Nobody asked how my son was. No incident form, nothing.

Would I be justified in complaining? Yes my son is my responsibility but you'd think he put the sodding knives away!

Ok, will provide feedback. A child could be seriously hurt if their parent didn't or couldn't react so quickly.

It was the complete lack of concern or even interest in the screaming, bleeding child that got to me I think.

I think people are being rather harsh! Sharp kitchen knives have no place at a toddler-led activity.

I would give feedback rather than complain. I tend to use a Shit Sandwich to deliver feedback:

First say something nice: thank you for running the Cooking with your Toddler course on Tuesday, my DS is going through a fussy stage at the moment so it’s great to find activities like these to tempt him to try new foods.
Then comes the shit part: Sadly my son cut his finger on one of the sharp knives left on the counter by the chef. I know there are loads of child-friendly knives on the market, so you may want to consider planning menus around these instead. It could have been a lot worse.
Then something nice again: We are looking forward to seeing you all at the Reading with you Toddler session next Wednesday.

I would complain and ask about their risk assessment. If it was aimed at toddlers - then it sounds as if they had done none.

I think constructive feedback is definitely the way to go.

A small cut requiring a plaster is not going to have anybody racing around to help. Finger hanging off artery pumping out blood probably would.

I work for a council who puts on free events similar to this (although not cooking).

The first thing you should have done was called for the first aider, the second thing you should have done was complained about the massive H&S issue.

If there was no complaint or no first aider called, there's never going to be an incident report.

Did you honestly leave a group full of toddlers knowing some idiot have left sharp knives within their reach twice??

Was there an expectation that you were going to supervise? If not, it seems a bit of an odd set up and I am surprised you didn’t step in quicker.

Bit busy with a screaming child with a bleeding hand. Just wanted to get him out of there, poor sod

And I'm sorry but ^^ that's no excuse for not complaining at the time or at least pointing out the sharp knives.

What food were you cooking?

They might if a volunteer throws in the towel when they're swamped under health and safety admin.

What, health and safety admin like 'tell the guy running the session not to leave sharp knives in the reach of toddlers?'. I'm sorry but if you find the absolute basics of safety a hassle then you shouldn't be running sessions for the public and it would be good if you stopped doing so. I only run public sessions for adults (and they don't involve knives) and I still have to do a risk assessment, which I think is exactly how it should be. If - as is far more likely - it was a momentary lapse in an otherwise safe event then OP giving them the heads up will mean it doesn't happen again.

No place for sharp knives at a toddler event. But I’d suggest you supervise your child more closely in future.

Surely any idiot would be able to NOT leave knives where children can easily reach them?

Whether or not a parent is there to supervise, would people REALLY think "I'm going to place this knife in front of that child even though they can quickly reach it as their parent should be watching them like a hawk"? Really?

So those posters stating the OP should have been supervising (clearly she was, she was with him and quick enough to grab him before he did serious damage) would just plop the knife down in front of a 2 year old at a toddler group? I highly doubt that. It just isn't worth the risk.

I would give feedback. Even if the parent is there and supervising I think a note that says “sharp knives will be used” is better than not expecting it.

We gave DD a proper knife to cut soft fruit but that is different to playgroup setting where you wouldn’t necessarily expect such. Thing unless warned.

Actually, I would complain. Health & safety standards still apply even if it was free. The nursery/playgroup who organised this need to be aware that it is their responsibility to ensure the safety of children on their premises. Sounds like the chef hasn't had the appropriate training to be working with children if he/she wasn't aware that you shouldn't leave knives around toddlers ( though you'd think that should be obvious)!

We have similar events at a toddler group. It’s down to the parents discretion how much they let their own children get involved with the prep/cooking, they make it clear that each parent needs to supervise their own child, and activities taken are at their own risk.

I would provide feedback, if it's an activity to get toddlers involved in food prep, are people really going to let them use sharp knives at home? Plenty of other foods which could have been prepped.

If a plaster solved the wound, it doesn't sound that severe.

Not sure how you cook without knives.

If yours was the only incident, maybe the whole thing wasn't as unsafe as you might have believed at the time.

I'd say it's too late to make any complaint (whether disguised as feedback or not).

However I would certainly not take a child to another such an event run by the same people!

You are meant to make sure your own kid stays safe not leave it up to others. Ffs

YANBU - I’d definitely give some feedback. It’s completely idiotic - and unnecessary - leaving sharp knives within reach of toddlers.

You are meant to make sure your own kid stays safe not leave it up to others. Ffs

No, it's up to all the adults in the group to work together. When I take my daughter to groups, I use my brain and I don't leave anything dangerous laying about. Children are quick, accidents happen. Basic health and safety steps (that I suspect most children with small children follow) really shouldn't be difficult. Especially for a chef running a toddler group.

*most people with small children

@Pipandmum

If it was aimed at toddlers why did they use sharp knives

It's actually safer to teach children to use knives with a proper edge for chopping than blunt ones which are actually more risky.

Absolutely you should complain. The organisers need to know what happened so they can stop it happening again. Regardless of the debate around was it the chef's fault or mum's fault, the point is that health & safety should have been discussed at the start of the session and any responsibilities made clear to everyone attending.

I would complain.
You were watching your child closely, you reacted swiftly. I have no idea what else other posters think you should have done?

Had you not been supervising your child so carefully, he might have ended up with a much more serious injury. A cut to the hand can easily damage nerves or tendons, and could be life changing for a child.

There is no excuse for an adult putting a sharp knife inches from a toddler.

By complaining you could save another child from a catastrophic injury. Not every child is going to be as closely supervised, and just because a parent is distracted or negligent does not mean their child deserves to be injured.

I would complain. The person running the session shouldn't be leaving knives with reach of young children and if they're not aware that a child has cut themselves, then left without being noticed then I think they need help running the group.