Inspection reports indicating children are still at risk of leaving nurseries without staff noticing have left councillors “stunned”.
Inspectors carried out visits of six Aberdeen nurseries between May and July.
Members of the education committee have now met to discuss some of the alarming Care Inspectorate findings.
Ashen-faced Conservative councillor Richard Brooks said it was “quite challenging” to read the comments made in some of the worrying reports.
Nursery staff were ‘unaware’ child had gone missing
The Kincorth, Nigg and Cove member noted that Northfield’s Cummings Park, Walker Road and Kirkhill Primary nurseries were all rated “weak” by watchdogs.
Mr Brooks said: “At Cummings Park, it talks about pallets being attached to the fence potentially increasing the risk for children to climb and leave unsupervised, which causes me concern.”
In particular, he said he was “absolutely stunned” with feedback given to the Torry nursery.
It stated that staff were “unaware” that a child had been missing for a “prolonged period of time” while inspectors visited in June.
They found the nursery had “several unlocked doors which children could access” and asked management to check staff were supervising youngsters at all times.
Mr Brooks also mentioned Kirkhill’s inspection report.
It highlighted the fact that gaps were found in the perimeter fence big enough for a child to escape.
‘Astonished’ reaction as children are still at risk of going missing
The concerned councillor asked what was being done about the issue.
He urged the local authority to avoid a repeat of the incident at Kingsford Nursery last year, where a toddler managed to slip out without staff noticing.
“Following what we’ve gone through with Kingsford, I’m astonished that we still have children at risk of going missing,” he said.
“Officers assured us that lessons had been learned, but these inspectorate reports suggest otherwise.”
In response, education director Eleanor Sheppard was adamant that teams were working “exceptionally hard” to put the situation right.
She also revealed that inspectors have been back to Cummings Park since the May trip and upgraded its setting rating to “adequate”.
Walker Road ‘moving in the right direction’
Headteacher of the Torry school, Ross Watson, attended the meeting to update councillors on the situation there.
He told the committee that improvements have been made since the inspection, with three of its gradings changed from weak to adequate.
Mr Watson said there was “an improving picture” thanks to assistance from the Care Inspectorate.
An action plan was created which has seen staff get more training and adjustments made in the nursery to ensure a similar incident won’t happen again.
Mr Watson added: “Obviously we are at adequate overall and that’s not where we would like to be, but it has been a positive summer period.
“Since schools have returned in August, it’s been a really positive start to the year and I can say with confidence that we are certainly moving in the right direction.”
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