The family of a tot who was left badly burned by bleach and boiling water after an accident at nursery have been handed a five-figure pay out for damages.
Little Blake Nilssen, then 10-months-old, passed out from the pain after using a cleaning bucket to pull himself to his feet at Little Dreams Nursery in Aberdeen. The care watchdog upheld multiple complaints against the nursery, with senior staff being subsequently reprimanded following the incident.
A legal action against the nursery has now settled out-of-court with all compensation being set aside in a trust for Blake until he turns 16. Blake's mum Ellie, 28, has told how, despite the cash payout, she remains "disappointed" by nursery's "indefensible" failings.
She said: "At the time I said this incident was indefensible and I still feel that way. There really was a sense that it shocked parents all over the country. Many people reached out with concern and support.
"I am still disappointed in the nursery’s reaction to everything. Even when presented with evidence – like photos of my burned and blistered baby – they tried to deny or downplay their failings.
"It took a legal action to get the answers we deserved and get Little Dreams to hold their hands up. This was never about the money which is why we’ve taken steps to have the compensation put in a trust for our son for when he’s older."
The horrifying incident happened after staff left the bucket unattended on November 4, 2021. Blake's suffering worsened after staff at the nursery then covered him in paper towels which later ripped blisters from his skin.
The boy's mum Ellie, 28, and dad Daryl, 32, were then asked to collect Blake from the facility but were not told how serious the incident was. On arrival, the pair described hearing "chilling" screams coming from inside the premises.
The shocked couple rushed Blake to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he was placed in a special shower for 90 minutes that helped monitor his skin’s pH levels. Ellie says little Blake, now two, is still uncomfortable around liquids to this day.
She added: “Thankfully Blake has responded well to medical treatment but his recovery is not over. We still see some signs of emotional trauma, especially around water, but we’re hopeful he will calm over time and things can improve for him.
“We’re grateful to everyone who has helped us from friends and family, to NHS staff who treated Blake’s injuries to our legal team who helped hold the nursery accountable. As a family we now just want to try and put this painful episode behind us and look forwards so we request that our privacy is now respected.”
A legal investigation by Digby Brown Solicitors revealed policies and procedures at Little Dreams were not followed as they should have been. Lawyers also uncovered evidence that staff were not trained to the appropriate standard and risk assessments were not carried out.
Details were confirmed in a Care Inspectorate investigation where the watchdog found staff gave “differing accounts of what happened”, had “ineffective” supervision and criticised the nursery for response including failing to call an ambulance. Neil Davidson, Partner at Digby Brown Solicitors in Aberdeen, led the legal action for little Blake.
He said: “No parent should have to worry about the welfare of their child when placing them into the care of professionals so with this legal action we knew there were three key priorities. This included providing Blake with access to specialist medical care, providing
Ellie and Daryl with answers and shedding light on negligent care to improve standards for everyone.
“I sincerely hope parents and care providers everywhere consider the gravity of what happened in this very harrowing ordeal and take steps to ensure such incidents are never repeated.”
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