Babies were able to eat lotion at a nursery that has been slammed as inadequate by inspectors. Ofsted have ordered Barton’s Day Nursery on Lower Lane to improve immediately following its first inspection in June.
Inspector Kayte Farrell said the day care centre, which provides care for children up to the age of four, did not “properly risk assess or consider the age of children when choosing the materials used during messy play activities.”
The report said “It was because of this, babies under one year old are given baby lotion to explore, which is subsequently eaten. This compromises the health and safety of young children.”
It said staff at the nursery are ‘not supported to complete effective risk assessments of activities,’ adding that ‘consequently, children are exposed to materials that are harmful to them.’
The report added: “Although staff receive supervision meetings and some feedback on their performance, this is not specific enough to improve their knowledge and skills further. This means there are inconsistencies in the quality of care and education that children receive across the nursery.”
Despite these criticisms, inspectors found that “toddlers and two-year-old children have a lovely experience. They access interesting activities that are tailored to meet their individual needs.”
In addition, children were found to be happy at the nursery and to behave well. Ms Farrell’s report said Barton’s needed to “implement thorough risk assessments to ensure that all risks to children are managed effectively, with particular regard to messy play materials” and “implement effective coaching, mentoring and training to ensure all staff have the skills and knowledge to fulfil their role and improve their practice further.”
Staff at the nursery told the LDRS they were “distraught” at the findings of the report but were confident a follow-up inspection would prove to be more positive. Responding to the findings, Christine Barton, owner of Barton Day Nurseries, said: “This inspection report is most unexpected, however, we have reviewed our processes and put robust procedures in place to ensure that baby lotion or any substance deemed inappropriate is not used in messy play and sensory activities for children in our care.
“This nursery has traded in Fazakerley for almost 30 years and as Barton’s for almost five years. Barton Day Nurseries has worked hard to support parents and carers by creating a safe, stimulating and happy place for their children to learn and thrive.
“All staff have since taken the relevant risk assessment training and we are confident that our next inspection will paint a truer picture of our setting as a whole.”
