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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Accident at Nursery

73 replies

Pixar1 · 20/01/2022 16:53

My son (3yo) had an unsupervised fall at nursery (he’d only been there a month) from some climbing equipment. It turns out he was pushed by another kid off the equipment, landed on his head and his body flopped over to one side. He was about 70cm up at the time, although the play equipment goes higher.

It wasn’t witnessed, and we were told he just fell a couple of steps. But we were so confused when he developed a dropping and black eye that afternoon. We took him to a minor injuries unit and requested nursery watch the CCTV.

The next day, when they watched the CCTV we found out the true extent of the fall, and he had to go to A&E to be checked out given the height he fell from and how he landed.

He is ok, but after being reassured by the nursery that safety processes would be reviewed, he had another unsupervised fall on Monday! 4 nursery sessions after the last one!

This time they watched the CCTV immediately, he wasn’t pushed and it was less serious as he landed on his back.

Their response has been - we can’t supervise them all the time while they’re playing on equipment at height and we can’t prevent him from going on climbing equipment.

AIBU to take him out of this nursery?

OP posts:

Flocon · 20/01/2022 16:55

It wasn’t witnessed, and we were told he just fell a couple of steps. I would take them out just for the lying. They shouldn't tell you it's a couple if steps if they haven't seen it.

ThePrionOne · 20/01/2022 16:57

Wow! When mine were three, I don’t recall anything high enough for them to climb on and fall off, and if there was such climbing equipment, I’d expect it to be in a closed off area where access was only allowed when a member of staff was supervising continuously.

Thehop · 20/01/2022 16:57

IF COURSE THEY WATCH THEM ALL THE BLOODY TIME

i say that as a current childminder and nursery practitioner/manager of 20 years.

ShirleyPhallus · 20/01/2022 16:58

I’m really relaxed about stuff like this as I understand that accidents happen but this is awful, I can’t believe they lied. Did you get an incident form to complete?

I’d be changing nursery for sure

LethargicActress · 20/01/2022 16:59

It’s up to you whether you want him there or not, but I don’t think you’ll find that your child will be watched by adult eyes every second at any nursery.

In the pre school I worked at there was always someone designated to be near the climbing frame, but they are right that they can’t stop him going on the climbing equipment, and nor should they. As long as they have good safety mats around the equipment, it’s unlikely that serious injury could occur.

Joinedforthis22 · 20/01/2022 17:00

we can’t supervise them all the time while they’re playing on equipment at height

Bull shit, and I say that as a recent ex nursery nurse. We always had someone watching activities like that!

sofakingcool · 20/01/2022 17:01

@Pixar1

The next day, when they watched the CCTV we found out the true extent of the fall, and he had to go to A&E to be checked out given the height he fell from and how he landed.

He is ok, but after being reassured by the nursery that safety processes would be reviewed, he had another unsupervised fall on Monday! 4 nursery sessions after the last one!

This time they watched the CCTV immediately, he wasn’t pushed and it was less serious as he landed on his back.

Their response has been - we can’t supervise them all the time while they’re playing on equipment at height and we can’t prevent him from going on climbing equipment.

AIBU to take him out of this nursery?

There's a difference between unsupervised meaning literally no one watching and unsupervised meaning no one ready to catch a falling child!

Wow I can't believe their response. I'm a nursery nurse, we always have eyes on the children, we couldn't always have someone ready to catch ( the nature of climbing frames mean we'd have to have someone stood on every edge!) but there's always someone keeping an eye and particularly watching if there's a couple of children and one child is at risk of being pushed

Akire · 20/01/2022 17:05

Of course you watch them but you can’t see everything at once. Even if you have 2 staff members outside with say 10 kids. Some will be other side climbing frame with someone else blocking their view , someone will be behind you. You could be doing up
Someone’s shoes lace for few seconds or wiping a nose. Looking at ladybird? You can’t see every single trip or graze though of course it should only take few seconds notice somethings wrong.

In the CCTV are the staff being neglectful ? Talking in a corner? On their phones? Are there to many children on the climbing frame at once? Is the frame worn down or damaged? If you were stood in garden at same time what would you have done differently given you can’t stand behind each child 1-1 on the frame?

Of course it’s bad luck for your child and can understand you being nervous but there are risks with outdoor play and equipment. They shouldn’t have lied if they didn’t know coming sense would suggest CCTav to check for head injury’s and the like with height he fell from.

Original poster

Pixar1 · 20/01/2022 17:05

Thank you so much for all the responses. It helps to hear what everyone thinks.

Actually, ShirleyPhallus I haven’t seen an incident form. They filled one out which said he fell a few steps but I haven’t seen an updated on.

LethargicActress - there aren’t any safety mats inside and he did have a serious injury. He fell on his head and had to go to A&E.

OP posts:

Motnight · 20/01/2022 17:08

I don't think that the nursery is the right place for your son, Op.

They have deliberately tried to minimise the first incident. And learnt nothing from it.

Original poster

Pixar1 · 20/01/2022 17:09

sofakingcool - it was unsupervised as in no one was watching him either time and they only realised something had happened because he started crying.

He’s not a clumsy child. The garden question is really interesting. If he’d ended up in hospital falling off something in the garden I’d probably burn it the next day hahaha!! But seriously, I’d watch him on that piece of equipment forever more being within arms reach in case he fell.

OP posts:

Jamesolo1 · 20/01/2022 17:09

Another ex nursery nurse and now parent here. I can't believe this! I would be pulling my children out of that nursery

busyeatingbiscuits · 20/01/2022 17:10

@Thehop

IF COURSE THEY WATCH THEM ALL THE BLOODY TIME

i say that as a current childminder and nursery practitioner/manager of 20 years.

If you have 2 or 3 adults and 20 or 30 children, it is not physically possible for every child to be watched all the time.

Accidents happen. Children fall.
They absolutely shouldn't have just assumed he fell a couple of steps if they didn't actually witness it.
They should have an adult supervising climbing equipment and they should have safety mats in place.

If you have lost faith in them though I would move him. Otherwise you will just worry while he is there.

godmum56 · 20/01/2022 17:20

climbing equipment and no safety mats?

ShirleyPhallus · 20/01/2022 17:20

@Pixar1

Thank you so much for all the responses. It helps to hear what everyone thinks.

Actually, ShirleyPhallus I haven’t seen an incident form. They filled one out which said he fell a few steps but I haven’t seen an updated on.

LethargicActress - there aren’t any safety mats inside and he did have a serious injury. He fell on his head and had to go to A&E.

I really don’t think that’s right OP, when my DD tripped over at nursery and bashed her lip we had to sign an incident form which derailed the time, date, incident, injury etc. I’m sure that’s standard

Muminabun · 20/01/2022 17:23

Hi op I have worked in a nursery, the children didn’t leave my sight, I was playing and interacting with them at all times, when outside on the climbing equipment they were supervised. If there was an accident it was form filled out, speak to the parents and speak to the child to ask them if they were ok etc and if anything was hurting and keep an eye on them. Sounds like a lack of supervision. Sometimes we took them to he big playground and allowed them to take risks on the bigger climbing frame but I was right there with them ready to help them so they could not fall.

LethargicActress · 20/01/2022 17:23

I haven’t seen an incident form. They filled one out which said he fell a few steps but I haven’t seen an updated on.

This is confusing, and it makes a difference. Did they do one at the time or not?

NewMum0305 · 20/01/2022 17:25

I would take him out. They can’t watch all children at all times but the ones high up on climbing frames should be being watched. That doesn’t mean that can prevent all accidents but they should at least have had eyes on him.

The fact that they lied about what happened (or guessed?) when he had what could have been a potential serious head injury would be the deal breaker for me.

I’m pretty sure you also should have been asked to sign incident forms yourself on both occasions.

Crazydoglady1980 · 20/01/2022 17:31

I have also worked in nursery’s and as said they can’t be supervised all the time however if there is equipment that could result in serious injury I would expect the risk assessment to include children being supervised on it.
It’s right that even if they couldn’t stop or witness the fall, they should have been able to say what he was doing just before, such as being at the top, just starting to climb etc.
I would remove my child just because they lied to begin with, when the truth was more serious

NotMyselfWithoutCoffee · 20/01/2022 17:31

You need to report them for lying.
If he had a serious head injury and died because he wasn't seen...

Stroppypants · 20/01/2022 17:32

Have you posted this before? Unless I’m having a major deja vu moment I swear I’ve read this exact thing before.

Goldbar · 20/01/2022 17:34

I wouldn't expect someone always to be able to prevent the accident, but I would expect them to at least see it. Surely they have staff supervising the outdoor play area and those staff have a general awareness of where all the children are, even if they're not interacting with a particular child at that moment? It seems second nature to the staff at our nursery.

PinkMoon22 · 20/01/2022 17:34

@ShirleyPhallus

I’m really relaxed about stuff like this as I understand that accidents happen but this is awful, I can’t believe they lied. Did you get an incident form to complete?

I’d be changing nursery for sure

Exactly the same for me.

I'd be pulling him straight out.

Sorry op, hope he's ok

Sirzy · 20/01/2022 17:37

I don’t believe any childcare worker who says no child is ever out of sight at all. Unless it’s a 1-1 situation that’s just not feesible.

But in this particular case I would want to see the risk assessment for the particular apparatus as it sounds unsuitable for the age group especially without an adult watching children climb up one at a time.

butterpuffed · 20/01/2022 17:37

No safety mats ??

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