Coroner Katrina Hepburn issued a warning regarding the UK nurseries’ regulations after the death of nine-month-old Oliver Steeper, who choked on spaghetti bolognese at Jelly Beans Day Nursery in September 2021. Hepburn raised concerns about the requirement for just one first-aider per nursery, stating that this poses a risk to children. She highlighted that only one staff member with a valid pediatric certificate is needed on-site, which may compromise the safety of children in emergencies. The inquest revealed that nursery staff, including Nazia Begum, who was feeding Oliver, were unsure how to respond to the choking incident, as her first aid certificate had expired over a year earlier.
Oliver’s parents expressed shock at the chaos inside the nursery during the incident, with reports of mismanagement and inadequate response to Oliver’s choking. The parents emphasized that Oliver’s death was preventable, questioning why a child with partially-erupted teeth was given unchopped food. They raised concerns about the lack of proper care and supervision at the nursery, calling attention to critical gaps in how nurseries are allowed to care for young children and infants. Solicitor Jill Paterson reiterated the parents’ commitment to ensuring lessons are learned from the tragedy and urged immediate action to make nurseries safer for all children in the future.
During the inquest, nursery manager Debbie Alcock detailed the events leading up to Oliver’s death, revealing the challenges of managing a choking emergency with limited first-aid resources. Alcock described attempts to dislodge the food from Oliver’s throat and provide CPR, but the lack of proper training and certification hindered their response. The coroner highlighted the need for updated training and clear protocols for handling emergency situations like choking incidents in nurseries to prevent similar tragedies. The jury concluded that Oliver’s death was caused by hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury due to choking, ruling it as a misadventure.
Coroner Hepburn emphasized the importance of timely and effective first-aid response in childcare settings to prevent such tragedies. She highlighted the inadequacy of current regulations that require only one qualified first-aider at nurseries, putting children at risk during emergencies. Hepburn pointed out the lack of readiness among nursery staff to deal with urgent situations like choking, emphasizing the critical need for up-to-date training, certification, and clear protocols. She announced plans to report her findings to the Department for Education within 10 days, urging immediate action to address gaps in nursery safety and first-aid provisions.
Oliver’s parents’ statements outside the inquest reflected their grief and frustration over the preventable nature of their son’s death. They questioned the nursery’s handling of the incident, raising concerns about the chaos that unfolded during the emergency. The parents called for accountability and systemic changes in nursery regulations to protect children like Oliver in the future. Their solicitor underscored the need for urgent action from regulators, legislators, and childcare providers to ensure that tragedies like Oliver’s death do not recur. The case of Oliver Steeper serves as a stark reminder of the importance of stringent safety measures and adequate training in childcare settings to safeguard children’s lives. It has sparked a call for immediate reform and improvement in nursery safety protocols to prevent similar incidents.
