Outrage over TV show claiming nurseries are unsafe

The GMB report- ‘Are nurseries safe’, broadcast this morning, suggests Ofsted’s ratings are 'meaningless' and that nurseries are compromising the safety and well-being of children.  

The report is based upon an undercover investigation into one nursery, which found serious safeguarding and health and safety failings, along with interviews with whistle-blowers, parents and ‘experts’. The nursery, which was rated good by Ofsted, has since closed.

Nursery owners and early years organisations have called the report ‘sensationalist’ and say it fails to paint a true picture of the standard of early years provision across the whole sector.

The report also suggests a ‘catalogue of injuries’ at nurseries across the UK including burns, head injuries and broken bones, and quotes figures that five nursery and pre-school workers are reported to authorities per day for being a potential danger to children – data that it says is not monitored by Ofsted.

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said, ‘Headlines like "Are nurseries safe?" paint a grossly unfair and negative picture of the early years sector that in no way reflects the quality of care provided day in and day out by thousands of providers.