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.

If you see the nursery again, ask who they are.

So I spent almost a decade in nursery but there was only one where we used to use the park because our outdoor area was limited and the park was just across the road.

There were two gates. We do secure them I admit - however we secured them with elastic and a sign. It was effectively an elastic loop that wrapped round the gate latch and the pole a couple of times, attached to it was a laminated notice that said “Please still come in, this just stops our children opening the gate”. A staff member would generally be as close to the gate as possible anyway to ensure no escapees.

We never NEVER roped off equipment. Our children knew what they couldn’t use. We had restrictions on the swings and the fireman’s pole because of risk (and swings just take up staff who would’ve been better placed manning climbing children). Children knew what they couldn’t use, any child who broke these rules would’ve removed from equipment temporarily and stand with a staff member for a minute to understand the reason of safety. If we couldn’t man them well enough, we didn’t go. Simple. We couldn’t block the park from other children.

in Bristol any business using a park (including dog walkers) now has to pay an annual fee

I work for a local authority, it is up to each local authority to manage their land as they see fit. Any commercial activity on public land is specifically prohibited through our governance. Licences are needed for any commercial activity which includes dog walkers, gym classes and nurseries using public space.

Fixed penalty notices are issued for people undertaking commercial activities in public open space by the enforcement team.

@XenoBitch i don’t want to reveal
where I live but if you Google Public Space Protection Order(dogs numbers) you will see some examples.

I walk my dogs in the local woods and the forest school has a section which they use, which has rope strung from the trees and signs saying to keep out and to keep dogs on a lead. It is barely even used - they don't operate there most days.

The forest schools round here pay for a licence to section off a bit of the woods

I get that while they are using it but when it isn't in use, it seems quite excluding.

@XenoBitch
Forest schools are of great benefit to a lot of children.

Sorry @XenoBitch that wasn’t for you

As a councillor I can tell you that this is absolutely not allowed.
Council public liability insurance…….

As my children school does, put an adult in front of the gates and they should be wearing high visibility vests so you know which is your nursery children.

Its unnecessary and I find it hilarious they brought locks and ropes with them. Was it a class trip?

Well maybe, but this section is rarely used. I think they struggle massively for numbers tbh and disappear for a while.

Nope I would have taken their ropes off the equipment my child wanted to play on. There is no need to do this. They shouldn't be taking a trip to a place that doesn't cater particularly for nursery trips, unless they think they can handle the kids in a public environment. Not sure what you can do though given you don't know the name of the nursery.

Absolutely not! If they are not able to look after the children other way, then they should've stayed in the nursery playground! The nursery policy is for the nursery premises, it does not apply for the public places.

Parties in the park are often suggested on here but I find them quite uncomfortable for this reason; it isn’t your park to host a party on.

My daughter's previous nursery used to take them to the park which we thought was a lovely idea. They didn't cordon off anywhere and took them in small enough groups that the kids were in groups and supervised for each piece of equipment (2 year olds). I agree you should email the nearby nurseries but I would also be positive and say you're not against using the park but other nurseries do this without cordoning off anything by having smaller numbers and more supervision so they need to find a way of achieving this without blocking public access.

This is what a council near to me require

Round here you need a licence to walk dogs professionally in most of the parks and there is a limit to how many. Most people don't personally own loads of dogs that the number is a problem - the rules were brought in because of the dog walkers.

What they are doing seems very unreasonable to me.
My daughters pre school sometimes take them to the public playground just outside their building and before she went there we have been along a couple of times when they have been there. They do put something over the gate latches to stop the kids being able to open them but the staff kept an eye out and as soon as they saw us approaching (before I had even seen the latches) they came over and opened the gates for us so it was clear they were making sure everyone knew they could come in. There are some parts in that playground for much older children and at no point did they see the need to close off any of it though, staff just kept an eye and encouraged the kids away from some things or supported them if they wanted to try.
If you can’t keep the kids safe in a playground built for kids I would be pretty concerned about the staff’s ability/numbers to be honest.

Depends how long they were there for i understand they needed to safeguard the children and that may have caused some inconvenience to you but unless they were there all day i don't see what the problem is couldn't you have just waited until they were gone? Im pretty sure if it was one of your children in that particular nursery they were safeguarding you would have been more than fine with it 🤷

If the place wasn’t safe for the children they shouldn’t have taken them. They can’t just decide to restrict access for others!

Why should OP have waited until they have gone? They shouldn't have been roping off equipment anyway. No I wouldn't have been ok for my child to be in this nursery group., if the playground isn't safe for them without roping off they shouldn't have gone. In this situation I would have removed my child from the nursery and reported them for not providing safeguarding for my child.

You're entitled to your opinion as am i im sure its not the end of the world if the child can't use the playground for one day most people would realise that and get over it it's hardly world problems is it 🤦

So if you had said to your child “let’s go to the park” and got there and found someone else had decided to take it all over you wouldn’t be pissed off?

it’s a public space and nobody can claim it as their own

Yeah she probably would be upset about it but I wouldn't be pissed off about it though she would just have to go another day. Id teach her that these things happen and find something else to do just as fun .Im sorry but i just don't see why anyone would make such a big deal out of this like i said it's not the end of the world there's children out there with nothing and nobody to care for them and I've seen that for myself first hand and trust me it's awful, so missing out on a day in the park im sorry compared to the problems some people have it's kind of minor isn't it