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Nurseries

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Original poster

Accident at nursery - perspectives

39 replies

Evecob · 08/09/2021 20:01

Hi there,

My children have recently started at a new nursery. It's really close by to our house (2/3 min walk), the ladies are lovely and my 2 children seem happy with the change over.

Today I got a call to say my 3 year old had an accident, she was holding a glass jar outside, tripped and fell, the glass shattered and she got 5 cuts on her hand. They reassured me she was happy and playing and she was fine, they cleaned it, bandaged it, no glass in her hand. They said they have taken away all the glass jars now after doing a risk assessment.

Her cuts are worse than I thought, not bad enough that I feel she needs medical attention right now, but her hand is sore and she is so scared of us touching her hand, full on melt down screaming trying to clean it :( we cleaned it more and put cream on.

I feel angry they allowed them to use glass, but they have removed this risk now and seem to have done all the right things after the incident. Everything else seems fine.

How would other parents react/feel?

OP posts:

MayorGoodwaysChicken · 08/09/2021 20:03

I would be fuming. And I would get it checked out by a medical professional and not just trust they had got all the glass out. Then I would request a meeting with the nursery manager to discuss the incident, but would probably pull my children out of a setting where the staff made the judgement even once that it was ok to give toddlers glass jars in the garden

HappyPumpkin81 · 08/09/2021 20:03

I think this is really hard. I would probably want a face to face meeting with the nursery to discuss it. However if she is happy there and you are happy they are dealing with it appropriately I would not move her.

Aquamarine1029 · 08/09/2021 20:04

I would not trust the judgment of anyone who allows a three year old to play outside with a glass jar. They really had to do a risk assessment for this?

I'd be finding a new nursery, and I'd also be reporting them.

ILoveMyMonkey · 08/09/2021 20:06

I would be livid at this tbh. A nursery giving children glasses and then letting them wander around with it is just beyond idiotic - I’d question what other stupid things they are allowing to occur because let’s be honest it’s not rocket science that plastic beakers are best at that age! While accidents happen, the complete lack of common sense in this situation is astounding. I’d be complaining big time and probably move nursery too.

I hope your little girl recovers quickly.

Soph30 · 08/09/2021 20:07

As a teaching assistant in a primary school, we would never use glass jars in nursery. You can get plastic jars that do the exact same job with a lot less risk. I agree with PP get it checked out and ask for a meeting with staff. I hope your daughter’s hand heals quickly.

Hellocatshome · 08/09/2021 20:08

I dont think any childcare my kids have been at would be confident there was no glass in it without a medical professional taking a look. So that part I find concerning. The glass jar thing seemed a bit silly as most people could probably have imagined the problems it could potentially have caused but as they have now been removed thats obviously not an ongoing issue.

RadioPenguin · 08/09/2021 20:09

Glass in nurseries is totally normal. However I think they should have sent her home straight away if they weren't sure if she had any glass in her hand still.

Yodelayhehoo · 08/09/2021 20:09

Wtf?!
Who gives children that age glass bloody jars.
I would be livid and I'd make a point it was ridiculous and it's took for your daughter to be hurt to do a risk assessment for glass!!
I would also be wanting a second look at her hand if you feel it's bad and to check it over for peace of mind.

bloodywhitecat · 08/09/2021 20:10

I would get it properly checked too, they are not qualified to say there is no glass in there. I think glass jars + a hard surface + small children are an accident waiting to happen.

LondonElle · 08/09/2021 20:12

Unacceptable. I have worked in nurseries for years and yeah accidents can and will happen, bumps, scrapes, trips and falls happen very often but this accident is caused by negligence... who in their right mind gives a child a glass jar outside!

SeaToSki · 08/09/2021 20:13

If the cuts are deep she should definitely have it assessed/checked by a medical professional. If there are any slivers in the fingers it doesn't have to move far to cut a nerve or tendon and that isn't repairable. If she is frantic about it being touched, it sounds like there is glass still in it.

Boobieboobieboobie · 08/09/2021 20:14

They lack common sense, that would worry me

Suzi888 · 08/09/2021 20:14

I don’t think they’d be qualified to say there was no glass in it either. Hope your DD is ok now

MistyFrequencies · 08/09/2021 20:16

I couldn't get worked up about the glass. My kids have been drinking out if glasses since maybe 18 months/ 2 years old. Their nursery uses glass jars for arts and crafts etc too.
BUT I wouldn't be happy with lack of medical attention for the hand. How were they so sure there's no glass in there? Also, hands are full of nerves/tendons etc etc (disclaimer, not a doctor ..) that can be very easily damaged. I would expect that to be checked out and I'd take her now if I was you.

autumnglo · 08/09/2021 20:20

Is it a 'natural' nursery? (Montessori/reggio/curiosity approach) as I have noticed they tend to use glass rather than plastic, it's not uncommon in these settings. Bit careless outdoors though, and definitely get it checked out. I guess at least they have updated risk assessment. Hope your daughter is okay.

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 08/09/2021 20:21

I bet they're following 'the curiosity approach' have a Google. It does have some good points but letting children run around with glass jars is just bloody stupid.

shapes1 · 08/09/2021 20:22

crowsfeet57 · 08/09/2021 20:37

You need to take her to a and e if there is any chance there is even a sliver of glass in her hand. I trod on a bit of glass was unsure if it was all out. An x ray showed a sliver of glass and I needed another x ray to make sure it had all been removed.

I'm surprised the nursery didn't advise you to take her to A and E..

UnfinishedBunting · 08/09/2021 20:40

There really is now way for someone to tell whether there's any glass in a wound - it's an X-ray job at A&E I'm afraid. I thought I stepped on glass, so I phoned my GP, then they just sent me straight to A&E.

UnfinishedBunting · 08/09/2021 20:40

^no

Mama1980 · 08/09/2021 20:42

I wouldn't mind about the accident itself. Glass jars outside probably not the best idea but not uncommon in Montessori type nurseries and they've resolved the issue.
I'd be very concerned they felt qualified to state that there was no glass left in the cut and didn't advise you to take her to get it checked by a doctor. Slivers of glass are nearly impossible to see and can cause problems. My ds2 who is brilliant at breaking/bumping/crashing into everything cut his hand on glass and it took the dr ages to find and remove a minuscule sliver that was in there.

GettingItOutThere · 08/09/2021 20:44

wtf id be fuming - letting a child run around outside with a glass jar - no

cleaning up and not reccomending a and e - rediculous!

I would be taking her to a and e and filing a complaint at nursery

LtGreggs · 08/09/2021 20:45

I actually think it's fairly normal to have a 3yo carry a glass jar (assuming like a jam jar or a drinking glass sized thing). If it's the kind of accident that you could have had at home, then I think it is reasonable that kind of thing could happen in a childcare setting.

A lot for me would be how they had taken care of her afterwards, attitude to it etc.

Isawthathaggis · 08/09/2021 20:45

I’m on the ‘glass jars are ok’ side. Children have to be exposed to real life at some point. Even in the most padded nurseries accidents happen.

However I am surprised they didn’t send you to a GP or minor injuries unit to make sure it’s ok.

Kanaloa · 08/09/2021 20:47

Did they say what they were doing that required a pre school child to be wandering about with a glass jar? Usually for activities like that we would carry out a risk assessment before hand. So if it was necessary to use a glass jar (which I can’t see it being when plastic would do) we would note the danger of falling/cutting hands, and would make the adjustment that the activity would be done sitting down one to one. It seems a bit off that it even happened and to be honest it could have been very dangerous, if she had fallen differently and got it in her face etc.

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