An investigation has been launched after two toddlers were found wandering on the main street outside a Broughty Ferry nursery.
The incident happened on March 28 when the children aged two and three were able to get out of Happitots Nursery in Belsize Road.
According to a former parent at the nursery, one of the children was found on the main road.
Both children were taken back to the nursery, which is just off Craigie Drive, by the person who found them.
Gate was left unlocked
The nursery has admitted the children were able to leave the nursery grounds after a gate was left open by maintenance workers.
Julie Campbell, operations manager of Bertram Nursery Group who operate the nursery, has written to all parents and carers advising them of the situation and confirming an investigation has been launched.
In her letter Ms Campbell also details what action is being taken to make sure something similar can’t happen in future.
It states: “Both children were returned safely and we are working with the families involved to provide a full report as to what happened.
“We would like to express our sincere apologies to everyone and would like to reassure you that we have taken immediate steps to ensure this never happens again.”
Ms Campbell’s letter states that maintenance work being carried out in the garden resulted in the gate being left unlocked.
‘Passer-by took the children back to safety’
One parent whose child previously attended the nursery told The Courier: “It’s very concerning to hear of this incident.
“The children made it around to the main road with one child actually on the road. A passer-by took the children back to safety.”
A spokeswoman for Happitots Nursery said: “We are taking this incident extremely seriously.
“We have launched a full investigation and have taken immediate steps to ensure this could never happen again.
“We have apologised to the families concerned and we are working with them and the Care Inspectorate to provide a full report. ”
She added: “We have established that a maintenance worker failed to secure the garden gate properly and have immediately introduced new maintenance work procedures and installed an additional garden gate for extra security.
“We are urgently reviewing staffing deployment and increasing staff training to ensure correct supervision and risk assessment procedures are maintained at all times, with children’s safety and security given the highest priority.”
Care inspectorate will “monitor” nursery
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “We have been appropriately notified of an incident at Thrive Childcare and Education Happitots Broughty Ferry and the nursery has taken action to address the issue.
“We continue to monitor the care experienced by children at this nursery.
“Every child in Scotland has the right to good quality, safe care which meets their needs and respects their rights.
“Anyone with a concern can contact us on 0345 600 9527.”
Care Inspectorate: Nursery was ‘weak’
Last December the nursery was criticised by Care Inspectorate officials who said children’s wellbeing was compromised due to staffing issues.
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.
Weaknesses reported during the inspection last October included that staffing issues meant “children’s wellbeing was compromised because there was not enough staff present to meet every child’s emotional needs”.
It also found that children had to wait for extended periods of time both at lunch and when going outdoors, which resulted in children “becoming unsettled and upset”.
The nursery’s care and support, staffing, and management and leadership were all branded “weak” – with the quality of the environment considered “adequate”.
