There have been nearly 20,000 reports of “serious childcare incidents” in nurseries in England over the last five years, according to the BBC. This is an average of 75 “significant events” that are reported to Ofsted every week. These include serious injury, significant harm, and, in some rare cases, even death.
The latest figures for “serious childcare incidents” for the year 2023-24 are 40% higher than over the five years previously. Ofsted says that the rise could be partly due to its efforts to ensure nurseries are reporting such incidents. The Early Years Alliance says that most providers prioritise safety, adding that safeguarding breaches are extremely rare.
Nurseries made over 4,200 reports of serious childcare incidents in 2023-24. In 2019-20, they made 3,021, Ofsted figures revealed to the BBC following a Freedom of Information request. The education body, responsible for regulating more than 27,000 non-domestic childcare settings in England, says that these were reports that it deemed urgent.
These can range from injuries or illnesses, to more serious accidents, injuries, and deaths. They include events such as floods and fires. Its broad criteria means nursery workers can “err on the side of caution,” according to the Early Years Alliance. It means that investigations usually find no safeguarding breaches have occurred.
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