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 your not, but you do your job and look into the local nurserys when you get a report like this that causes a genuine hazard in a local playground.

Do you have a local Facebook page?
Shame you didn’t catch the name of the nursery, but being the petty twat that I am, I’d probably post on my local FB and ask which nursery it was who did this just to highlight what they did.

Ha - I might do this!

I'd have just moved the ropes to allow my children to use the equipment, if they said anything I'd have pointed out it's a public park for everyone. If you know which nursery it is contact the council about it.

Could nursery have obtained permission?

Our local park sometimes has children’s football matches on the public green space (not football pitches). Assume the club has got permission to cordon off these areas at this time. Same as park run type activities where certain areas are cordoned off

What a cheek!

If you aren't sure what nursery it is, rock and speak to one of the adults, smile and say the kids look like they are having so much fun! What nursery are they from? Do they have a summer program or are they year round etc etc. They'll tell you seeing they don't want to turn away potential clients.

Its annoying and unacceptable but I'm not sure how it's a hazard.

I did ask whether they had exclusive use of the playground (you never know) but they said no.

Because they are fixing things to play structures

I agree it's not acceptable. If they don't think the playpark or any public space is safe after a risk assessment the answer is not to go there or perhaps more staff to man the gates. Not prevent other people from using it.

I agree.
I'd have just removed the ropes.

To those saying “I’d just have removed the ropes”, I was holding a baby and would have had to climb up to do it. They had also fixed them at various points so lots to undo - I have not explained it well but it was like a square rope net, tied at each corner. Also (as this thread suggests!!), I wasn’t sure whether I was being unreasonable.

Roping off courses hazards for young children trying to climb over them. As someone who supposedly works for a council you really should know this

It sounds like they roped off an entrance/exit at the top of the tower.

So if the tower top (with the fireman's pole etc) is at a safe height for a child to jump/climb down from, and they barricade it off, then a child climbing over that barrier could fall from the height of the top of the makeshift barrier rather than the designed playframe height and could be injured.

It's a public place. Liability is void of they do this.

I would talk to the health and safety officer at your local Council- I'm not sure a businesses health and safety policy overrides public access- you need an expert opinion.

If it happens again, you could tell the staff that if another kid tried climbing on the equipment and tripped/fell/hurt themselves because they got caught up in a rope put there by nursery staff, the nursery is more than likely to be liable, and in those circumstances, their insurance would almost certainly not cover them. If they don't have enough staff to use the playground as it was designed and installed, they shouldn't take the children there.

Completely out of order

It doesn’t matter what their ‘risk assessment’ says. It’s a public play area and not for them to commandeer. The risk assessment should take into account the fact that they can’t legitimately section off areas. Not a great deal to be done if you don’t know what nursery it was though. Did they arrive on foot? If so I’d assume it was really close by, if that helps. If you can find out how it was I’d contact the manager.

I’d actually be putting in an email complaint to the council and copying in the nursery!! I don’t think it’s on and not sure if it’s even allowed in a public place.

we have a local nursery that often use our local parks and they don’t do any of that nonsense. Their kids in high vis so they be counted easily.

As a teacher and also a brownie leader I’ve taken kids to public parks and we have to factor that into the risk assessments. There are ways to mitigate risk and that’s not one of them.

Check the park bye-laws which should be on the council website. There are often restrictions on people using the park to run a business (tennis coaches using public courts for example)

That is not on. If they want to cherry pick areas then they should build their own. No problem them using it and I understand being safe, but maybe their own would suit better.

That's crackers. Id have removed the ropes.