Call for on-the-spot nursery checks follows BBC documentary

Nursery nurses must be properly regulated and Ofsted should
start carrying out spot checks on nurseries, say the Community
Practitioners and Health Visitors Association, writes
Sally Gillen.

The health body, whose membership includes nursery nurses, is
calling for the measures after an undercover BBC investigation
revealed shortcomings in nursery care.

Director of the CPHVA Mark Jones said the programme, which
contained a catalogue of incidents of verbal and emotional abuse,
exposed “shoddy and shameful practices”.

He said: “We would like to see nursery nurses eventually
registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in partnership
with the Health Professions Council. This would reassure parents
that their child is being looked after by nursery nurses who are
properly trained and who were answerable for their actions to a
professional body.”

The organisation has drawn up a voluntary code of conduct for
nursery nurses, which Jones said would be made available as
“a matter of urgency”.

In a statement Ofsted said it was investigating the three nurseries
featured in the documentary and four members of staff had been
dismissed and disciplinary action against a fifth was being
considered.