A nursery in Ramsgate has launched an investigation after one of the children in its care managed to leave the building unnoticed yesterday (November 15).
The boy was spotted alone and looking lost by a woman and her daughter at around 2.30pm near to School Lane, where The Children’s Nest Nursery is based.
They took him to the nursery and alerted staff who took him back inside.
A spokesman for the nursery, which is part of the Thanet Early Years Project and has been rated as Good by Ofsted, said the seriousness of the incident and the need for confidentiality meant they were unable to comment.
However, they did confirm an investigation is underway. They said: “We had a serious safeguarding incident and so it is not appropriate for us to make a statement.
“We are carrying out our own investigation.”
One resident who has a family member at the nursery said staff were mortified and she had been assured that measures have been put in to avoid a further incident.
She added: “I was also assured all children will have a member of staff with them and the area in question (where the child exited the site) is now totally inaccessible by any child. They are a fantastic nursery who sadly lost their manager last month. She was excellent in every way but left to go to different pastures.I think that has had a big impact on the running of the nursery in general. All the parents were really sad to see her go.”
The Thanet Early Years Project is a small charitable organisation which specialises in providing care and education to children under the age of 5 years. The aim is to provide services in areas of socio-economic deprivation.
A spokesman for education watchdog Ofsted said: “The nursery told us about this incident and we are currently investigating.”