Calls for change after children abused at a nursery
More than 20 recommendations have made after a serious case review into the abuse of children at a now closed South Devon nursery - which could impact the way future cases are handled.
In July a former nursery apprentice was jailed for 14-and-a-half years for abuse at the nursery and historic offences.
Charges were brought in December 2019 after an initial disclosure was made by a child at the nursery to a family member who then contacted police.
The review - produced for the Torbay Safeguarding Children Partnership - calls on Ofsted and the National Police Chiefs' Council to learn from what happened.
The abuser is referred to as C80 in the report, which says: "Childcare settings should view safeguarding through a lens of ‘it could happen here’ in the light of this review.
"There is a crucial period for evidence gathering when sexual abuse is suspected. Consideration should be given to developing critical incident procedures within settings to respond to such cases in future.
"Parents reflected to the reviewer was that it felt as if nursery owners were suggesting it was impossible, because of CCTV, supervision, and staffing levels. This was also the view of the owners when communicating with partners and crucially Ofsted inspectors in their early visits to the setting when they attended shortly after the incident. Tragically this was not the case. It is clear that many perpetrators of abuse, whatever their motivation, will seek out opportunities to abuse regardless of how well guarded non abusive individuals or organisations feel they are against this."
Recomendations include for Ofsted and the National Police Chiefs' Council to develop a 'joint protocol to support working together when responding to serious incidents in regulated settings'.
It added that: "Early communications to parents of children attending nursery regarding this case were sent by the owners of the nursery. The earliest communication was sent by email and suggested that ‘all safeguarding process are in place’, it was an ‘isolated incident’ and advised against discussing on social media.
"The mention of safeguarding highlighted the nature of allegations and subsequently this caused anxiety. When enquiries were made about this to the nursery, parents were told they couldn’t be given any further details and therefore felt that they were being asked to make their own decisions about continuing to send their child in to their care. It was difficult therefore for parents to make informed decisions about their children’s future care arrangements in these early days given limited information that came from the provider."
As a 'learning point' the review adds: "Where police investigations relate to abuse within a childcare or similar setting, communications to parents and carers should be delivered by a member of the safeguarding partnership, rather than through an interested party or witness."
It also adds: "Local partners have expressed a sense of frustration with the time taken between notification of concerns to suspension of the registration of the setting. This was rightly centred around concerns for the safety of the remaining children in the care of the nursery. As identified earlier in the report, it was the view of the that the owners of the nursery that the abuse ‘couldn’t have happened’ in their setting."
The Executive for the Torbay Safeguarding Children Partnership said: “It is tragic that children and their families have been so affected by the offences committed by this young man.
"The full learning review that we have undertaken in accordance with statutory guidance has made 23 recommendations designed to ensure that such events do not happen in the future. The Torbay Safeguarding Partnership accepts these recommendation in full.
"In our meeting with parents we have given an assurance that our action plan in response to the recommendations will be shared with them, implemented in full and with rigour, and will be monitored for their lasting effectiveness.
"As a result Torbay children will be better safeguarded.”
To read the full report click here