AIBU to think nursery staff should not cordon off a public playground?

[mumofboysinlondon]

I took my almost 3-year-old and baby to a small playground this morning, and while we were there a nursery group came along. So far so normal.

The staff with the group then added chains to the two gates to stop their kids from escaping, and roped off some of the climbing frame.

I was a bit annoyed by this - the roped off areas included the fireman’s pole and a rope ladder which my kid loves. Obviously this is a space designed for small children so it is inherently pretty safe… The locks on the gates also confused a number of other parents trying to get in, although they could be opened relatively easily by an adult.

I did speak to the member of staff and asked if they really needed to do it and she said it was the health and safety policy of the nursery. I didn’t want to kick up a fuss and we left after a bit.

AIBU in thinking this was a bit out of order - it’s a public playground.

No that's not ok. I worked for quite a few years in childcare. There should be no need for them.to use locks and rope bits off because they should have the correct ratios of qualified child to ensure safety in the first place. If they aren't safe with just that then they should not be taking them out.

This is totally not on. They have done it because their child to adult ratios are inadequate for proper supervision on public equipment. I would have spoken to them.

You are right and they were wrong. You can't just own a public park like that. If it's not safe for the kids, you don't go there.

Not all of them. You don't have to pay to get into Flatford Mills for example. You have to pay to park which I suppose for many is the same thing, but if you were to be dropped off or walk there along the river you don't have to pay. Think it is the same with Dunwich Heath, and probably others also.

It's not on.

Local primary school used to take their Reception children to the local park next to the school. They would have enough adults to stand near each of the entrances to the fences off playground to prevent the little ones from leaving ... but NEVER prevented other park users from accessing the park or park equipment.

Ropes on climbing equipment are a hazard in themselves.

@mumofboysinlondon Why didn't you just tell them that your children have the right to play with what they want and they should have a person watching so no kids go on the things they have deemed too risky. Not in a confrontative way but in a firm no nonsense way.

I would drop a line to whichever council is responsible for the play area. They won't want things being attached to the equipment even temporarily

Another one that the nursery were unreasonable.
Public park means they have no right to lock the gates or make parts of the play equipment inaccessible for other children. If their risk assessment said these were too risky they shouldn't have gone.

There was a similar issue near us a few years ago and although the didn't rope things off they took such a large group of children the park it became inaccessible for anyone else. It was a holiday club and was there nearly everyday in the end I believe people did complain.

This is cheeky AF. Loads of nurseries go to the parks in my village and I've never seen this.

This is a VERY good point - there was that really tragic case of a toddler who died on her first day at nursery due to a rope that had been left attached to a slide in the playground.

This is a really good point. It hadn’t actually occurred to me that this could potentially make it more dangerous.

YANBU - that would make me so cross. I've been at a kids event this morning, a playgroup/holiday kids group turned up. I was waiting with my kids patiently for their turn at doing the activity & this group just pushed in front & plonked the kids down! I was so annoyed!

They also couldn't keep track of all the little ones, it was so so busy and kids running everywhere. I wouldn't have been happy if that had been my kids, one of them could've easily run off & into the busy road.

Some of these groups seem to think they can do what they like & everyone else just has to go along with it.

Exactly that. So not only is their behaviour unacceptable because the playground is a public place it also creates new physical risks

The problem is it's hard for the council to do anything unless they know which nursery. But if it happens again find out and report.

I would speak gi the council, assuming they are the ones who run it, and tell them.

Yeah roping off pieces of equipment in a public playground is not OK and I would report to the council. If I knew which nursery it was I would ask to see the risk assessment and to know if accounts for potential risk towards non nursery children who may try to climb on or remove these ropes.

They have added a potential hazard to the playground and not accounted for any unsupervised public children using the equipment so they are putting themselves at risk surely if a non nursery child hurts themselves on a rope.

I don't even like the sound of roping off the exit gates as it implies there is not enough staff to monitor the children.

Still report it now. The council will have ways to find out which nursery it is.

This.

That's definitely not OK. Our nursery go out every day, mostly to local playgrounds, and they never do this. if you know the name of the nursery, I'd email them.

Speak to the council about this OP, it seems really mean of them to do that especially as toddlers with their mums were unable to use the facilities.

The nursery probably locked the gates to stop the kids running off but they should have allowed other children to use the equipment too.

I can sort of understand the vigilance in keeping the nursery kids safe but in a public play space surely they have no right to restrict certain equipment for their own use. I’d be considering speaking to the local council about this……a public space is exactly that…..a PUBLIC space.

Yet they have omitted the basic safety measure of printing the nursery's name postcode and phone number on the children's
hi vis vests

How? We aren't psychic!

The council could drop a line to all the nurseries within preschooler walking distance of the site. There's unlikely to be more than a handful