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Press Releases
Ofsted Whistleblower reveals widespread failings in the care of the
under-fives
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Whistleblower, 91Èȱ¬ One's flagship undercover series, will tonight
(Wednesday 5 March, 8.00pm) lift the lid on how nurseries are
putting children at serious risk by failing to check both the
criminal records and references of staff employed to work with very
young children – and the failure of Ofsted to police this.
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In an exclusive interview given to the programme on condition that
her identity was protected, a current Ofsted inspector alleges that
Ofsted – the official body responsible for inspecting and
regulating nurseries and childminders in the UK – is approving
childcare facilities that should not be operating.
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Ofsted inspector: "I am a mother of two young children and many of
my colleagues have young children. Between us, I would say we would
inspect roughly 700 crèches, nurseries, after-school clubs and
childminders and there wasn't more than five that we would take
our own children to."
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Following the tip-off from the Ofsted inspector, 91Èȱ¬ undercover
reporter Imogen Willcocks began an eight-month undercover
investigation, during which she discovered that Ofsted is not only
failing to adequately regulate the childcare industry in order to
protect pre-school children in nurseries and in the care of
childminders, but that political connections could have influenced
Ofsted's decisions.
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The programme uncovers Ofsted documents that indicate that the Just
Learning nursery in Cambourne should have been closed following the
accidental death of a child in its care and critical inspection
reports, but was saved from closure due to concerns about the
implications for Michael Fallon MP. Michael Fallon, the
Conservative MP for Sevenoaks, was the Managing Director of the
nursery at the time and the documents state:
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"If we cancel this particular setting then there are implications
for Michael Fallon, as he would be automatically disqualified."
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Viewers will be shocked to see how Imogen Willcocks, a 21-year-old
undercover 91Èȱ¬ journalist with no experience of looking after
children and no professional qualifications, is employed to look
after young children under the age of five by two nurseries in
Britain, and a leading British holiday company. Furthermore, they
will see her approved as a registered childminder by Ofsted.
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Imogen's undercover filming takes place at Just Learning
in Cambourne (near Cambridge) and Buttons nursery in west London,
as well as a Mark Warner holiday resort in Dahab, Egypt – an
upmarket company that markets itself as offering "award-winning
childcare".
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The undercover footage in the programme reveals:
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 A failure to make criminal record and reference checks –
The companies that featured in the programme all employed Imogen to
look after young children without obtaining CRB (Criminal Records
Bureau) checks, or speaking to any of her referees.
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Adult to child ratios are not met – The required
adult tochild ratios were not always met – on several occasions at
Buttons nursery, Imogen is seen left in sole charge of up to 13 pre-school children. At Mark Warner, an extra child arrives at the
crèche but no one knows who she is and, on one occasion at Just
Learning, Imogen and another member of staff are left caring for 23
children. This was despite complaints from members of staff
concerned about child welfare and safety.
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Health & Safety compromised – The 91Èȱ¬ reporter was given no
practical training to ensure that she could deal with emergency
situations whilst looking after the children. And the health and
safety of the children was compromised on a number of occasions –
the undercover 91Èȱ¬ reporter discovered, for example, potential
choking hazards in the sandpit at Just Learning (which she removed
and disposed of). At Buttons nursery she found pieces of glass in
the garden and witnessed maintenance work, involving power tools,
being carried out whilst the children were in the same room. At
Mark Warner, the 91Èȱ¬ reporter was asked to accompany and supervise
young children on a sailing trip without enough safety helmets for
all the children, and take young children into the water without
any assessment of her swimming ability.
Also, at the Mark Warner resort in Egypt, a room listening
service designed to check on children every 30 minutes whilst
their parents are out, was found to be inappropriate because the
staff could only listen at the door – they couldn't see if the
children were
all right or go into the rooms. Indeed, a Mark Warner nanny
told the 91Èȱ¬ undercover journalist that before the
journalist arrived in April 07, a girl under the age of five had
escaped through the window of a room and was found wandering around
the complex within metres of the pool.
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No training – No or negligible training was given to the
undercover 91Èȱ¬ reporter in any of her jobs. This is despite the
fact that Mark Warner, for example, told her that she would receive
training before starting the job.
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Illegal working on tourist visas – Mark Warner employees at
the resort were found working illegally on tourist visas because,
according to one member of staff, Mark Warner are "too cheap to
cough up and pay for [work] visas".
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Infrequent inspections – Ofsted fails to make frequent
inspections of nurseries – with the Buttons nursery in west London
having nearly four-and-a-half years between inspections.
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Illegally low pay – 91Èȱ¬ undercover journalist Imogen
Willcocks earned £100 a week (about £2.50 an hour) whilst at
Buttons nursery – well below the national minimum wage. Staff at
Buttons nursery are discouraged from discussing their pay – the
nursery manager told Imogen: "a couple of months ago, we called
people out because they've been discussing wages. That's
confidential, you mustn't do that."
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Imogen's findings go some way towards understanding the Ofsted
Whistleblower's comments in the programme:
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"Ofsted reports are not worth the paper that they're printed on."
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"Anybody can approach Ofsted, talk a good talk and really become
registered [as a childminder]."
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"I've taken a great risk talking to you but I don't believe, and
many of my colleagues don't believe, that we protect children
anymore."
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"Inspectors will go out to undertake an inspection and are
literally skimming the surface. We are told consistently and
constantly: 'if you go in and you don't see a problem, don't look
for one. Get in there, take a quick look and get out'.
The No. 1 priority for all inspectors is to meet their targets,
because if they don't then they are disciplined. So targets take
priority over safeguarding of children."
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The critical Ofsted report, following the inspection of Just
Learning in Cambourne that occurred after 10-month-old Georgia
Hollick died accidentally at the nursery in April 2006, found
serious problems there. There was no criticism of the nursery at
the inquest. Documents obtained by the programme show that Ofsted
took into account the consequences the closure of the nursery and
disqualification from running it could have on the then Managing
Director when considering what action they should take. The
Managing Director at the time was Michael Fallon, Conservative MP
for Sevenoaks, who remains on the Board of Just Learning.
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Since filming, the directors of Just Learning have written to
parents announcing the closure of their Cambourne nursery following
the Ofsted reports and the 91Èȱ¬'s investigation, and have admitted
that the 91Èȱ¬ has made them aware of "a serious breach of
recruitment policy last year".
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Notes to Editors
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1. 91Èȱ¬ undercover reporters Imogen Willcocks and Ashley Kennedy were CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checked by the 91Èȱ¬ prior to
their undercover work for the programme but none of the companies
that feature in the programme were aware of this.
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2. 91Èȱ¬ undercover reporter Imogen Willcocks worked at:
- Just Learning in Cambourne from 7 to 27 November 2007.
- Buttons nursery in west London from July to August 2007.
- Mark Warner resort in Dahab, Egypt between 2 and 14 April 2007.
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3. A second undercover 91Èȱ¬ reporter, Ashley Kennedy, followed up
Imogen Willcock's findings by working undercover at Mark Warner's
La Plagne ski resort, in France, for two days from 17 December 2007
to see if procedures had been tightened since the disappearance of
Madeleine McCann from a Mark Warner resort in Portugal in May 2007.
Again, she was employed by Mark Warner and working at the resort
prior to her references and a CRB check being obtained.
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4. On 18 February 2008, Jonathan Bell, the MD of Just Learning,
wrote to parents announcing that the Cambourne nursery would close
on Friday 29 February 2008. Quote from the letter: "You will be
aware that the nursery recently received an "Inadequate" report
from Ofsted. The directors of Just Learning have considered this
and the increasing difficulty of recruiting staff against
continuing media interest in the nursery. We have also been made
aware, by the 91Èȱ¬, of a serious breach of recruitment policy last
year involving a former member of staff. As a result of this, the
nursery manager has resigned".
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5. Mark Warner resorts are not required to work to Ofsted
regulations.
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6. Rights of Reply Ìý
Written statement from Michael Fallon MP in response to the findings
in the 91Èȱ¬ undercover investigation:
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"This is news to me, and a matter for Ofsted. I had no discussions with Ofsted about the fatal accident at Cambourne. I resigned as managing director immediately afterwards. I strongly endorse the decision of the board to close the Cambourne nursery. The breach of the company's recruitment procedures was completely unacceptable."
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Written statement from Buttons nursery in response to the findings
in the 91Èȱ¬ undercover investigation:
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"Buttons Day Nursery is a family-run nursery with a loyal
following. Our aim is to provide a safe, happy and stimulating
environment for our children. We try to foster trusting and
supportive relationships between families and staff. The care and
safety of our children is of utmost importance.
"Buttons has regularly received favourable Ofsted inspection
reports, one as recently as February, 2008.
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"Buttons has a low staff turnover. New joiners undertake a full
induction programme and there are procedures in place to ensure the
safety of children.
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"We take any allegations or criticism very seriously and will
investigate these complaints and take appropriate action."
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Written statement from Mark Warner in response to the findings in
the 91Èȱ¬ undercover investigation:
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"It's company policy that all childcare staff employed by Mark
Warner must supply two references and submit a form to check their
criminal record. There were clearly two occasions where we failed
to do this. That is completely unacceptable and we apologise. We
have now reviewed and strengthened our procedures for hiring staff.
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"We take the safety and security of children in our care extremely
seriously. It is the reason why we replaced our very popular room
listening service with a drop in crèche.
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"Guests who've been on a Mark Warner holiday consistently tell us
that the quality of our childcare is high.
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"Eighty-nine out of the 93 nannies we currently employ have a professional
childcare qualification. And every single one of our water sports
instructors has a professional qualification."
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Mark Warner never responded to the allegations regarding the lack
of safety helmets for the children. Nor the fact that the 91Èȱ¬
undercover reporter, and many other Mark Warner staff, were working
illegally in Egypt.
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Written statement from Just Learning in response to the findings in
the 91Èȱ¬ undercover investigation:
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"The company has found that its rigorous policies and procedures
have been seriously breached in this case and this was one factor
considered when it decided to close this nursery.
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"The issues at Cambourne are isolated to this one nursery.
"The prescribed staff ratios should be maintained at our nurseries
at all times and the company requires this. We do not condone any
breaches the 91Èȱ¬ has discovered.
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"Choking hazards are very serious and any member of staff would be
expected to be vigilant and to remove and dispose of them as well
as raising awareness of other staff.
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"The death of Georgia Hollick was the subject of a coroner's
inquest. It did not find our first aid provision wanting – our
staff did everything humanly possible to save Georgia's life. The
company has expressed its regret and sympathy to Georgia's family.
The health and safety investigation is still being carried out and
we do not intend to comment upon it at present."
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Written statement from Ofsted in response to the findings in the
91Èȱ¬ undercover investigation:
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"Ofsted makes 70,000 visits a year to check children and young
people are safe, healthy and happy. Ours is the most intensive
inspection and monitoring system in Europe.
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"If Whistleblower has identified things that can be improved, we
will want to consider them, including making recommendations to the
government about possible future changes.
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"Our inspections of nurseries and childminders are rigorous and the
vast majority of our inspectors are highly skilled professionals
who do a good job.
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"Our policy of unannounced inspections keeps most nurseries and
childminders on their toes.
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"Parents have choices over where to place their children. Ofsted
inspection reports are available on our website to help them.
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"Childminders know a good report is important to their business.
Where they don't improve, we take action."
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We put to them our charge that they allowed Michael Fallon MP's
position, as managing director of Just Learning, to influence their
decision not to close the Cambourne nursery. They would not respond
directly, but said: "Ofsted is independent. We report without fear or favour. Our
reports are often critical of government initiatives. We make no
apology for that." Ìý
SB
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