The serious case review into Vanessa George's abuse of nursery children at Little Ted's, held by Plymouth Safeguarding Children Board, makes for sobering and instructive reading (see News, page 3).
The review found that the nursery 'provided an ideal environment' for George to be able to carry out her abuse, with its lack of staff supervision, confused accountability, poor recruitment procedures and lack of knowledge of safeguarding practice.
The vast majority of nurseries are much better than this, of course, and to some extent you could argue that George's evil behaviour could have slipped through many nets, and that the responsibility for what happened lies ultimately with her.
However, the review documents a number of errors and flaws in the nursery itself and the wider regulatory system. The lessons these offer could be the starting point for important improvements to the way children are kept safe in the early years sector.
The lack of a means of communication between the local authority early years team and Ofsted is of particular concern. The authority had serious reservations about standards at Little Ted's, but there was no breach that would have triggered referral to Ofsted, who consistently rated the nursery good or satisfactory. This disconnect between those responsible for supporting good standards at settings and those who inspect them is alarming. It can be improved - but the further concern is that, as early years advisors fall victim to cuts, there will be even fewer checks on poor practice.
The culture at Little Ted's, where staff felt unable to challenge George's behaviour, is a more intangible matter, but one that is equally necessary to tackle through the EYFS and the inspection framework.