Nursery 'left babies unattended' at mealtimes

Staff at a nursery left babies unattended during mealtimes, putting them at an increased risk of choking, inspectors found.

A damning Ofsted report uncovered a litany of failures at Teeny Haven, on Birmingham's Pershore Road, and gave the nursery the lowest possible rating - urgent improvement - in every area.

Multiple issues relating to the care of children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) were highlighted, while inspectors found that babies were "sometimes left to watch programmes on a computer tablet, while staff feed other children".

Recruitment and training issues meant children were left "at risk of harm", the report said.

Children with Send were "not supported effectively", the inspection on 9 June discovered, with inspectors adding they would "lie on the floor alone drinking from bottles of milk".

"This increases their risk of choking and puts children's health and wellbeing at risk," the report said.

They also found the nursery's leaders "do not ensure children [Send] have their needs met effectively. They do not gather vital information about some children, including those who are known to social care, before they start at the nursery".

"This means they do not have the knowledge they need to support the children appropriately," inspectors added, concluding that generally "children with Send experience little interaction or learning opportunities".

Other failings included:

• Children did not learnt to do things for themselves, such as eating meals on their own
• Any progress children did make at the nursery was "due to their existing curiosity" and they were not helped to improve their communication skills
• Staff were not skilled at teaching children and there was "little attempt to engage children in play"
• Rigorous checks to make sure staff with regular contact with children were suitable for the role were not completed by managers

Overall, Ofsted said that children's health and wellbeing was "compromised at this setting", and criticised leaders for not taking action to address weaknesses identified in a previous inspection in February, when the nursery was again rating as needing urgent improvement across the board.

"In addition, staff do not have a secure knowledge of safeguarding procedures. They are unsure of what to do if they are concerned about a child," the report added.

Inspectors said that "repeated breaches of the requirements continue to put children at risk and do not promote their safety and welfare", and Ofsted would seek to take enforcement action.

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