Issue - meetings

(i)       to note the content of the report;

(ii)       to instruct the Chief Education Officer to continue to support improvement at Kingsford Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) setting;

(iii)      to instruct the Chief Education Officer to continue to monitor compliance with local procedures designed to keep children safe;

(iv)      to instruct the Chief Officer Corporate Landlord to continue to be proactive in addressing any vulnerabilities identified across our children’s estate;

(v)      to note that officers would provide a service update towards the end of the year which would set out the timescale for the work to be undertaken with settings where additional actions were required to achieve the desired standard;

(vi)      to request that officers provide a service update towards the end of the year following the further monitoring of compliance with local procedures designed to keep children safe.

With reference to article 3 of the minute of its previous meeting, the Committee had before it a report by the Interim Director of Children’s and Family Services in response to the Urgent Notice of Motion moved by the Convener and Councillor Brooks in respect of the incident at the Kingsford Early Learning and Childcare setting, namely:-

That the Committee:-

(a)      express sincere regret about the recent case at Kingsford Nursery and sympathise with the parents and family and others involved;

(b)      agree the safety of children in our care is of paramount importance;

(c)      note the involvement of the Care Inspectorate and their reported finding of a ‘failure to protect the toddler from risk of harm’;

(d)      instruct the Chief Officer – Education to ascertain the confidence of staff in following agreed Council policies designed to keep children safe;

(e)      instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to review door security arrangements at all early years settings; and

(f)       instruct a report back on the above at the next Education and Children's Services Committee detailing the outcome of the above instructions.

The report provided an update on the actions taken in responding to the incident in August 2022, and provided assurance that all efforts had been taken to prevent similar incidents occurring across the Early Learning and Childcare estate.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the content of the report;

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer - Education to continue to support improvement at Kingsford Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) setting;

(c)      instruct the Chief Officer - Education to continue to monitor compliance with local procedures designed to keep children safe; and

(d)      instruct the Chief Officer - Corporate Landlord to continue to be proactive in addressing any vulnerabilities identified across our children’s estate.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that officers would provide a service update towards the end of the year which would set out the timescale for the work to be undertaken with settings where additional actions were required to achieve the desired standard;

(ii)       to request that officers provide a service update towards the end of the year following the further monitoring of compliance with local procedures designed to keep children safe; and

(iii)      to otherwise approve the recommendations.