Little Dreams Nursery in Aberdeen has been fined £7,850 after admitting to failings that led to a ten-month-old boy suffering severe burns from bleach and boiling water in 2021. The incident occurred when the child was in a room that was being cleaned, allowing him to access a bucket containing the hazardous substances.
Court documents revealed that the nursery failed to conduct a suitable risk assessment for cleaning procedures and did not implement a safe system of work, breaches of health and safety legislation. The child sustained agonizing injuries and his mother reported that staff did not call an ambulance, instead waiting for his parents to collect him.
The infant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, received treatment at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He underwent a procedure under general anesthetic for a 'skin scrub' and required six layers of bandages. His family was awarded a five-figure compensation payout in 2023, which is being held in trust for him until he turns 16.
In a statement, the family expressed that while they have waited five years for the nursery to admit fault, they do not feel the severity of their son's injuries has been adequately acknowledged. They stated, "We trusted them to take care of him and for such an injury to happen to a ten-month-old baby is indefensible." They are now looking to "close the most horrific chapter of our lives," adding that "No parent should have to experience that."
The Care Inspectorate previously found that emergency services should have been contacted immediately following the incident. Little Dreams Nursery issued a statement emphasizing that the safety, wellbeing, and care of children are their highest priorities. A spokesperson for the nursery stated, "We deeply regret that this incident was able to occur and are profoundly sorry for the distress and impact it has had on the child and their family. We accepted responsibility for the failing identified and pleaded guilty as soon as we were able."