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Original poster

DS aged 4 assaulted in soft play

146 replies

summerpixie · 21/01/2012 11:55

Ds was kicked between the legs by a girl aged approx 8 in soft play yesterday. Girl was most prob truanting and soft play complex staff weren't particularly bothered when I told them my son had been hurt.
I had to guilt staff member into talking to the child who denied it at first told her that her parents were outside of the complex and in a restaurant nearby and then said she did kicked DS
But by accident when she turned around (yeah like that is possible).
I questioned staff member as to of the kids had paid and parent details on the sign in sheet. She said she would check. Kids ran out of soft play and into arcade.
There was lack of staffing and nobody manned the kids area preferring to man the adult sections. I complained to manager who was dismissive and claimed it wasn't his fault he was short staffed and he couldn't do anything as the kids had gone.
I contacted HO and police. Police will investigate but kids most likely to get away with it as under 10.
Is there anything I can do to get soft play area prosecuted?
Sorry for the snippet I will elaborate if there is something I can do legally.
Many thanks.

OP posts:
TheMonster · 21/01/2012 13:21

You got the manager to apologise to your son? Shock

friendswithbenefits · 21/01/2012 13:22

OP YOU PHONED THE POLICE BECAUSE YOUR CHILD GOT KICKED BY ACCIDENT AT A SOFT PLAY

And as for making the manager apologize to your son - are you actually serious?

Shock
Maryz · 21/01/2012 13:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThatVikRinA22 · 21/01/2012 13:22

no - it would not have been a police officer whom you spoke to. it will have been a call handler.

this would never have got as far as a police officer to deal with. im sorry.

i do understand the indignation when your child is hurt - but you have really gone over the top with this.

by all means complain to the establishment regarding their unsupervised children policy being adhered to. but then leave it and stop taking your child if you cannot cope with him having a few knocks and bumps in theses places.

SoupDragon · 21/01/2012 13:23

How do you know the girl was truanting?

friendswithbenefits · 21/01/2012 13:23

Maryz - I did and I can't believe to be quite honest that the OP's DH went along with it.

Anyone with any sense would have told the OP to calm down and get a grip.

Purpleprickles · 21/01/2012 13:24

Erm op you did say that the law needs to be changed. Or was that a quote from the 101 receptionist??

SoupDragon · 21/01/2012 13:24

When your child kicks his sibling (and the chances are very high that he will), will you be hauling him along to the police station to have him prosecuted for assault?

brdgrl · 21/01/2012 13:24

I'm sorry that happened to your son, OP.
I agree, actually, that a supervised play area should do a better job supervising, and maybe a simple complaint about their lax standards is in line.

It was an unfortunate incident. Perfectly believable, too, that the older child did it deliberately and maliciously. I'd be upset and angry too. Your kid was hurt by someone else, through no fault of your own, and you'd like to see someone take even part of the responsibility for it. It's an understandable feeling.

But that's about it, really. Sometimes things like this happen and you can't do much to address them. Just focus on your son and help him to put the incident behind you both.

friendswithbenefits · 21/01/2012 13:24

As an aside, how do you get a child to the age of 4 and never have had them had an accidental injury?

Maryz · 21/01/2012 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Rindercella · 21/01/2012 13:25

I would suggest then summerpixie that you choose your words carefully in future and write more clearly. None of this was obvious from your OP.

As for getting the manager to apologise to your son? Are you serious? Oh God, you are aren't you?

CupOfBrownJoy · 21/01/2012 13:25

Oh God I'm now seeing you made the manager apologise to your son....

I'm out I'm afraid....

Maryz · 21/01/2012 13:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Purpleprickles · 21/01/2012 13:27

Manager to apologise????? Seriously?

ThatVikRinA22 · 21/01/2012 13:27

if i owned a soft play, and this happened to me, i would put a minimum age on the use of the play apparatus and ask the OP to observe the new rule.

friendswithbenefits · 21/01/2012 13:29

I guarantee the soft play will have a disclaimer up saying they don't provide supervision and it's up to you to watch your own child.

Good luck OP but I hope to God fear you haven't a legal leg to stand on.

notso · 21/01/2012 13:30

Next time you call the police you should make sure it's about an actual crime, rather than something a letter to soft play management could have resolved.

TheCrackFox · 21/01/2012 13:30

I would imagine that the manager is now frantically updating his/her cv to find another job. This has to be a wind up as I can't believe that anyone would over react to this extent. It isn't like the 4 yr old in question even had to go to the doctors.

friendswithbenefits · 21/01/2012 13:31

OMFG I just realised.

You don't even know the child was 8. You're just guessing.

Sheesh

GypsyMoth · 21/01/2012 13:35

It's nit truancy either....... She may have had a dental appointment or any of a million other things

GypsyMoth · 21/01/2012 13:39

Jesus your profile says you are a teacher!

Popoozle · 21/01/2012 13:41

Oh dear. I have a feeling that you could be one of those mums whose DC would never "assault" another in this way because they're not like that. I'm afraid children are children - yes some are much better behaved than others, yes that can be down to parenting (although not absolutely always) but these things do happen. Personally, I would have followed the little girl myself (your own DCs in tow, yes) or watched where she went & then let her parents know what had happened. It would then be for them to discipline her. However, you would have to be absolutely sure that it had been a deliberate naughty act first or you would look like a tool.

IME these "incidents" occur whether a play area is supervised or not. Maybe in future you should keep your DCs at home in a padded cell to avoid other people's children "happening" to them?

iloveberries · 21/01/2012 13:42

YOU are responsible for supervising your child at soft play.

i cannot believe this is serious.

not a very nice little girl to do this but your son will encounter lots of issues in his life and it's your responsibility as a parent to equip him with the skills to deal with them, NOT call the police cause an 8 year old child hurt him.

You are being totally ridiculous

itspeanutbutterjellytime · 21/01/2012 13:42

I think it'd be better to write a letter to the Soft Play place, my DS is only little and plays in the under 2's bit, but you get older kids running in and out and knocking over the little ones. I'm thinking of writing a letter asking them to put a child's safety gate across the under 2's part to stop older children hurting my ds by accident. I certainly hope the manager wouldn't think I was being precious for that.