A Fort William nursery has been criticised for putting children at risk after inspectors witnessed a series of incidents that ‘had the potential to cause significant harm’.
The Care Inspectorate visited Sgoil Araich Ghaidhlig Loch Abar (Lochaber Gaelic Nursery), on Ardgour Road, in October.
The nursery, which feeds into Lochaber Gaelic Primary School, was rated unsatisfactory and weak in all areas of evaluation following the unannounced inspection.
Highland Council has been ordered to make a raft of improvements by January 31 2025.
A spokesperson for the local authority said improvements have been implemented “in line with the Care Inspectorate timeframes” and that “action plans are in place.”
Care, play and learning rated ‘unsatisfactory’
Sgoil Araich Ghaidhlig Loch Abar was rated unsatisfactory – 1, the lowest rating, for care play and learning.
Inspectors said: “We were very concerned about aspects of care being provided and we evaluated the service as delivering an unsatisfactory level of care for this key question.”
Overall, “children experienced warm and caring approaches from the staff team which supported them to feel included and valued.”
However, children “did not always receive the care and support they needed” as they didn’t consistently get support at the right time.
Inspectors noted that staff were “task orientated and distracted”, creating an unsafe environment for children.
Mealtimes were “not well organised” with not enough seats for all children and no cups available for drinks.
The report stated: “Staff did not always sit with children during snack, which compromised their supervision and safety.
“For example, staff did not notice a child sitting in an unsafe position with a metal knife in their mouth and another child using their hands to scoop margarine from a communal bowl.
“Staff were not aware of the risks posed to children from walking around with food in their mouths, which placed them at risk of choking. This compromised children’s safety.”
There was also “a lack of understanding regarding the management and administration of medication”, with some medicines prescribed in permission forms not matching the medicine within the nursery.
Inspectors also said: “Child protection concerns were not always acted on promptly or
effectively.”
Inspectors noted the nursery used several opportunities to develop children’s Gaelic language skills, but this was inconsistent.
There were concerns from families that the service was very busy and this prevented child development.
One parent told inspectors: “I feel the communication this term has been shocking.
“I had a lot of questions about how my child had settled in and always felt more of a burden and rushed out the door.”
Setting rated ‘weak’
Playrooms were praised for being welcoming and comfortable.
The setting was also praised for helping develop children’s imagination and creativity through building blocks and seasonal arts and crafts.
However, inspectors noted handwashing routines were “inconsistent” and there was a risk of cross-contamination and the spread of infection.
Staff also “did not promote a safe environment for children.”
Inspectors “observed a child walking with scissors close to their neck which
was unnoticed by staff and some children accessed the reception area of the nursery unsupervised.”
The report continued: “Whilst these serious issues were addressed during the inspection, they had the potential to cause significant harm to children.”
One parent commented: “It’s become a very chaotic environment since my first child went, staff are not very present at collection times, 99.9% of the time it’s another parent letting me in the door, this makes me feel very uncomfortable as anyone could walk in and take my child and nobody would know.”
The nursery was also condemned for a “significantly high number of accidents and incidents” that had taken place “over the last month”, after which “effective action had not been taken”.
Leadership rated ‘weak’
Inspectors were heavily critical of the leadership, saying “sufficient action had not been taken to respond promptly to the identified areas of concern” and “we identified significant concerns compromising children’s safety and wellbeing.”
This led to concerns from inspectors about the nursery’s ability to improve.
Highland Council responds to Care Inspectorate report
A Highland Council spokesperson said: “The Highland Council is committed to providing quality ELC learning environments, experiences and interactions for our pupils.
“The ELC is aware of the needs of all their children and take their health, safety and welfare extremely seriously.
“Improvements to the ELC in line with the Care Inspectorate timeframes have been implemented, and action plans are in place to ensure that these are embedded and sustained.”
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To find out how care facilities are doing, visit The Press and Journal care tracker.
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