A Dundee nursery has been branded ‘weak’ by an industry watchdog, with investigators finding staff “did not know the needs, personalities or interests” of the children.
Happitots Broughty Ferry, in Belsize Road, received an unannounced visit from the Care Inspectorate in October.
The report published this week noted that medication systems, as part of children’s personal plans, “had gaps and inconsistencies in the information recorded regarding healthcare needs”.
A low level and high turnover of staff were to blame for some of the issues, investigators found.
Children left ‘unsettled and upset’
Children’s emotional needs were not being met, they were left “unsettled and upset” and they were not always supported “in a sensitive or supportive way”, according to the report.
The service, operated at the time by Bertram Nurseries Ltd, is registered to provide care for up to 60 children, aged from newborn up to the child attending school.
The parent company has since been rebranded Thrive Childcare and Education.
A spokesman said today the nursery was “disappointed” that the Dundee facility “had not met its high standards”.
The report said that staffing issues meant “children’s wellbeing was compromised because there was not enough staff present to meet every child’s emotional needs”.
Staff ‘did not have knowledge of kids in their care’
Most staff “did not have knowledge of the children they were caring for as they were not familiar with the children or the service”, the report said.
It noted children had to wait for extended periods of time both at lunch and when going outdoors, which resulted in children “becoming unsettled and upset”.
And, those who required additional support “did not always have their needs met in a sensitive or supportive way”.
The nursery’s care and support, staffing, and management and leadership were all branded ‘weak’ – with the quality of the environment considered ‘adequate’.
Part of the report said: “For children in the three to five-year-old playroom it had been identified that they needed safe, inviting spaces where they could regulate their emotions and relax.
Staff ‘didn’t know children’s needs, personalities or interests’
“These were not available during the inspection. There were missed opportunities to support children’s wellbeing through inviting and cosy spaces.
“Overall, we found staffing levels and the deployment of staff did not effectively or sensitively meet the needs of children. For example, on the day of inspection within the pre-school room, none of the staff had any knowledge of the children’s needs, personalities, or interests.”
It added: “At various times in different playrooms a number of children were distressed as a result of different situations such as waiting a long period for lunch or as a result of needing support with peer relationships. At times, staff were unable to provide effective support and comfort to all the children who needed it.”
Bosses did not fully address complaint
Investigators also found that a requirement made from a complaint in April had not been addressed in full, which “indicates that the service was unable to make the improvements needed to support children’s wellbeing”.
Requirements made by the Care Inspectorate included that children must be cared for by the right number of people to meet their needs, and staff “should have knowledge of children and know how best to care for them”.
Children who require additional support must be cared for using “strategies that support their needs and wellbeing”.
Additional personal plans for all children must also be put in place, investigators insisted.
The nursery must improve the care and support provided to children by “ensuring staff have the skills, knowledge and confidence to effectively and sensitively support them”.
‘A focused and dynamic improvement plan’
In relation to the management and leadership aspect of the service, the Care Inspectorate said: “The provider must ensure that children and parents experience a service that has a culture of continuous improvement with a focused and dynamic improvement plan that addresses key areas for improvement.
“Robust and effective quality assurance systems must be in place to monitor and sustain positive experiences for children across all aspects of the service. There must be effective management arrangements in place to oversee and support the service and ensure the improvement plan is implemented.”
Happitots: ‘We are disappointed’
A spokesperson for Happitots Broughty Ferry said: “We are disappointed that our service has not met our high-quality standards.
“Although the report mentions the positive relationships our staff have developed with children, appropriate infection control procedures to support a safe environment, and effective communication with parents during the pandemic, recent sector-wide staffing challenges have impacted the consistency of our usual practices.
“We have appointed a new nursery manager since the inspection report and an experienced management team to address the issues raised.
“This includes sharing a comprehensive action plan with the Care Inspectorate and local authority, to meet both the statutory requirements and our own high-quality standards.”
