Tighter rules on nurseries urged

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

The organisation, whose membership includes nursery nurses, is
calling for the measures after a BBC One investigation, Nurseries
Undercover, revealed that current checks may be inadequate.

Association director 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 in the documentary – four members of staff have already
been dismissed.

From next April Ofsted will give shorter notice of its visits.