In a message to parents, one setting in Essex asked that children do not come in wearing Crocs after a child wearing the footwear had an ‘awful accident’.
The message went on to say that staff have noticed children wearing Crocs, or the same style of shoe, are tripping over, and to avoid any more incidents, children should come to the setting in trainers or other hard rubbed soled footwear.
Nursery World also understands a childminder was recently marked down by Ofsted for children in her care wearing the footwear.
Whether children should be allowed to wear Crocs, or similar styles of shoe, in early years settings has been widely debated on Facebook.
Responding to a question on Nursery World’s Facebook page about whether providers allow children to wear the footwear, several users spoke about the positives of Crocs, including being able to clean and dry them easily when potty training or wearing them during water play or out in the garden.
However, others said the footwear is ‘not suitable for running or climbing and that they don’t provide any support. One user suggested that they are a ‘huge trip hazard and catch on play equipment.’ Another said that they ‘fall off all the time’, meanwhile one user said that any shoe that doesn’t fit properly is a hazard.
One user said that they once had a parent who was an orthopedic surgeon who explained that Crocs are really good for children’s foot development.
A further user said that an Ofsted inspector liked the fact the children in her care wear Crocs.