A CHILDREN'S day nursery has been deemed inadequate following a visit by government inspectors.

Inspectors from Ofsted rated Lilliput Farm Day Nursery in Dunhampton, near Worcester, 'inadequate' just six years after it was deemed to be 'outstanding'.

The nursery, which opened in 1993, has 61 children on its roll aged from 0 until four, with sessions running between 8am and 6pm.

Both the effectiveness of the leadership and management and the personal development, behaviour and welfare of the children were judged to be falling short of the required standards, according to the inspectors' report, published on February 19.

Ofsted inspectors cited that during their visit on January 14 a lack of care in suitability checks when recruiting staff was a major issue and that the welfare and safety of children was often conceded.

Inspector Julia Galloway said: “Children’s welfare and safety is compromised because of weaknesses in safeguarding practice.

“This provider does not demonstrate a secure enough understanding of the legal requirements.”

The report suggested that Disclosure and Barring service checks are not always conducted before the nursery recruit staff and that children are occasionally left alone with unchecked staff - a claim which has since been denied.

Petra Silvester, who runs the nursery, said: “At no time were any staff members, highlighted in the report, left unsupervised with any child.”

When Ofsted inspectors carried out a subsequent unannounced visit they found that immediate steps had been taken so that staff cannot take up their post until their checks have been completed.

Additionally, all staff are now signed up to the Disclosure and Barring Service update service to allow the suitability of staff to be rechecked periodically.

In addition inspectors found that whilst the nursery is assessed to have a well-resourced outdoor area, the nursery is not reaching the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements for how much exercise children should have.

Ms Galloway said: “Staff do not plan and provide daily opportunities for children to play outdoors in the fresh air.”

To improve, the report also suggested that the nursery should ensure Ofsted is informed of any allegations of serious harm or abuse and what action has been taken.

However, after the further visit on February 2, Ofsted inspectors were satisfied that staff now understood what to do in such situations.

Ms Silvester wrote to parents in order to reassure them that the nursery had taken steps to rectify the problems that the report brought up.

She said: “I can absolutely promise you that, at all times, your child’s welfare is our primary concern and their safety, of paramount importance.

“I would like to offer you my personal reassurance that we have already implemented the few recommendations of our Advisory Action Plan and have now submitted this in order to enable an immediate re-inspection.”