I was shocked to read about how a nursery seemingly attempted to cover up how a five year old boy was injured whilst in their care.
I understand from the article in the Mail online that the nursery advised the boy’s mother that he had spilled soup on himself when actually a nursery worker had fallen and spilled hot chicken fat on the boy resulting in 2nd degree burns.
Staff at Kids Academy in Leeds initially told Katie Brewster that her five-year-old son Harrison Farrell had dropped his own soup on his lap - but later an assistant admitted a worker had tripped carrying a chicken dish.
Marketing executive Miss Brewster, 30, immediately withdrew her son from the nursery and was then sent a bill for approximately £600 for failing to give a month's notice.
Doctors told her he had sustained second-degree burns to his right leg, and the child had to spend three days in hospital when an infection developed. Once they got out of hospital and Miss Brewster removed her son from the nursery, she was astonished to receive a £634 bill for them for failing to give one month's notice.
She said: “I'd already decided that they needed to be held to account for what they’d done, if only to try to make sure this didn’t happen to anyone else.”
The family sued the nursery and was awarded a five-figure sum after its insurers admitted liability for her son’s burns at Leeds County Court. Miss Brewster has put the money into a fund for her son.
A spokeswoman for Kids Academy said: “Harrison’s parents and Ofsted were immediately notified of the incident.
“We co-operated fully with an Ofsted investigation. They concluded Kids Academy met all of its legal requirements and no further action was recommended.
“A copy of their report was sent to Ms Brewster. Harrison received compensation for his injury which the court has approved.
“Everyone at the nursery wishes Harrison and his family well for the future.”
As a parent with a child in nursery I depend on the nursery to provide high standards of care for my child and I am appalled at the initial stance regarding the circumstances of the incident taken by the Kids Academy in this case.
Whilst it is accepted that accidents will occur in a child’s life and development, this is a clear case of negligence and I am pleased that Harrison now has a fund to rely upon as he reaches maturity at the age of 18.
By Barry Sutton, personal injury team
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