Violent child in nursery

[Goscat]

There's a child in DS nursery class who has a real problem with being physical with several of the (usually quieter and smaller) kids. DS is a tiny 3yo and that's boy is a big 4yo.

For us it's daily reports of being kicked and pinched, but he's also given two of DS friends black eyes and one burst lip.

This has been going on for months on a daily basis and the only feedback any of us get from the nursery is "we're aware and there's a strategy in place".

It's now taking a mental toll on DS, coming home quiet and clingy and saying he doesn't want to tell the teachers because it makes problem child angry.

I feel for the boy because he's clearly got something going on, but realistically it can't be allowed to continually affect an entire cohort of children.

I would ask for a meeting with the manager and tell them that your child is being affected and that you don't think their strategy is working. Is this a pattern in the nursery - that the wellbeing of some of the children is not being taken seriously?

Not good enough. Would they like to keep being assaulted at work every day for months? Small kids shouldn't be either.

Their strategy isn’t working, your DC and the others need to be protected from assault. I suspect the nursery doesn’t want to pay for extra staffing to get 121 on the violent child.

I would ask for a meeting, I bc would likely remove my child from the setting unless something new is set up.

Is it a private or a school nursery? If private I suspect that if a few parents wrote to the manager threatening to withdraw their child the challenging child would be asked to withdraw instead. If it's a school nursery I would see it as indicative of their approach to SEN and look for alternative provision.

Make a joint complaint with other parents and make it clear you'll be withdrawing your children if the nursery can't keep them safe.

I would take it back to the nursery and get together with other parents to ask for a joint meeting to discuss how they will revise their strategy to address the issue going forward.

I would also flag your concerns with Ofsted as hopefully that should light a fire under their bums. It means they will have pressure from above to revise their behavioural plan.

You need to make it about your child and safeguarding your child. Asking for a meeting to discuss another child including how they are going to manage that child isn't going to happen because they can't go into details about someone else's child which is why you will only get vague answers.

This is the route to take - protecting your child.

However, I'd move nurseries.

This 100%

I’d do this. If you do end up removing your DS i would make it clear to them first.

Ask them what their safeguarding policy is and how they are applying in if your child is coming home repeatedly injured.

Repeat that if it's not sorted you will be taking further action regarding safeguarding quoting the relevant section from their own policy.

Escalate to manager.