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Two-year-old girl dies at nursery | Two-year-old girl dies at nursery |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A two-year-old girl has died at a nursery in what staff said was a "freak" playground accident. | |
Essex Police and ambulance services were called to Eton Manor Day Nursery in Chigwell at 1115 GMT. | |
The child was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone, and certified dead at 1141 GMT. | The child was taken to Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone, and certified dead at 1141 GMT. |
Police said the parents of the girl were at the hospital and police family liaison officers had been appointed to help them. | Police said the parents of the girl were at the hospital and police family liaison officers had been appointed to help them. |
Nursery staff are helping police with their investigation. Earlier officers had described the death as "unexplained". | |
'Mark of respect' | |
In a statement, Eton Manor Children's Day Nursery and the directors of Casterbridge Care and Education Ltd said: "Our thoughts are with the child's family at this terrible time. | In a statement, Eton Manor Children's Day Nursery and the directors of Casterbridge Care and Education Ltd said: "Our thoughts are with the child's family at this terrible time. |
"We are obviously co-operating fully with the Essex Police investigation. While we don't want to pre-judge the outcome of the investigation, this appears to have been a freak playground accident. | "We are obviously co-operating fully with the Essex Police investigation. While we don't want to pre-judge the outcome of the investigation, this appears to have been a freak playground accident. |
"At the request of the police, we have not spoken to the members of staff who were in the play area at the time of the incident. | "At the request of the police, we have not spoken to the members of staff who were in the play area at the time of the incident. |
"It is a position of great privilege and responsibility to care for children and the safety and security of those children is of the utmost importance to us. | "It is a position of great privilege and responsibility to care for children and the safety and security of those children is of the utmost importance to us. |
"We have informed the families of the other children at Eton Manor of this incident and the nursery is closing as a mark of respect and to facilitate the investigation." | "We have informed the families of the other children at Eton Manor of this incident and the nursery is closing as a mark of respect and to facilitate the investigation." |
The nursery said it was offering counselling to people affected by the incident. | The nursery said it was offering counselling to people affected by the incident. |
An Ofsted spokesman said: "Ofsted is aware of a tragic incident at Eton Manor children's day nursery, Chigwell, Essex. | |
"Ofsted is liaising with the relevant agencies. We offer our sincere condolences to the child's family at this sad time." | |
The watchdog's website shows that the nursery was last inspected in January 2006. | |
'Good safety measures' | |
In her report, inspector Lisa Paisley said the nursery has space for a maximum of 102 children and, at the start of 2006, 86 children aged from two to five were registered there. | |
"Children benefit from being cared for in an environment where good hygiene practices are maintained," said the report. | |
It added that the provision for protecting children is good, with "good measures in place to ensure that risks to children's safety, both indoors and outdoors, are minimised". | |
"Clear formal risk assessments are carried out in each group room and a central log is maintained in the office, ensuring that potential hazards to children are minimised." | |
The report went on: "Children learn about keeping themselves safe through gentle reminders from staff and by safe negotiation of hazards such as the stairs. | |
"Children are well protected by staff, who have a good awareness of child protection procedures and know how to put these into practice to safeguard children's welfare." | |
The quality of teaching and learning was deemed good and the inspectors added: "Children are encouraged to be independent, as they can freely access resources and choose their own activities." | |
However in 2005 inspectors found the acceptable ratio of staff to children was not always met. | |
The nursery was also told to ensure children aged under two were cared for in groups no larger than 12. |