Being bitten - how many times is too many?

[OdeToBarney]

DD is 19 months and goes to nursery 4 days per week. She loves it, and the staff are absolutely brilliant.

DD has been bitten three times in the last few weeks. We don't know which child has bitten her, as they aren't allowed to tell us 🙄 but apparently, they have "a couple of biters." It's obviously a problem as a memo has been sent around to parents about biting, including strategies for dealing with it at home.

FWIW, I have my suspicions as DH witnessed a child biting a staff member one morning, but this is neither here nor there really. It's not as if knowing who it is changes anything.

To my question - what do I do (if anything)? How many times is too many? I believe the staff are doing everything they can, but this is my first "nursery experience," and I wonder whether there's anything else I should be asking them to do?

Yes it happens but the nursery also has a duty of care to keep your child safe. If they have repeat offenders they should be put on one to one supervision.

I know, honestly I do. I think how awful I'd feel if it were my DD, and I don't blame the parents at all. I don't blame anyone, actually. The fact that toddlers bite really is just one of those things, but it's about whether/how nursery could put in place and additional safeguards.

Regardless of who did it, your daughter has been bit three times. This would make me question how closely they are being monitored and if situations are being de-escalated. DS kept being whacked round the head with a wooden spoon, nursery said the child in question has SEN and 'it couldn't be helped'. They weren't safeguarding my son or the other child, and were actually very proactive once I pointed that out.

Some times these things can't be helped but you need to be satisfied they are actually doing what they are supposed to.

Yep totally agree with this. Don't go all guns blazing because it'll be pretty embarrassing if it's your child doing this soon, it's very common in this age. DS was always the one being hit and pushed and it used to break my heart until he I picked him up one day and I was told he'd been hitting himself. Luckily I understood it's a common phase in this age so didn't go kicking off about it as I would have felt so stupid when the time come that mine hit someone.

Sorry I've just read the full post. In your case if it's the same child biting that they make sure they are separated, they should have the facilities to manage this. It is awful though

The only thing they can do that will definitely prevent it is having a 1-1 worker with the child who is biting.

You can ask them to do that, seeing as your child has been bitten 3 times and it's becoming a safeguarding issue.

They will likely say they don't have the staff.