Nursery where toddler went missing near motorway was being inspected

Missing toddler: The three year old went missing during an inspection

A nursery that was looking after a toddler who went missing and was found walking near a motorway was being visited by inspectors on the day of the incident.

Child care watchdogs, the Care Inspectorate, said it was a coincidence that they were visiting the Partnership Nursery in Cowglen, Glasgow, for an inspection when the three year old child went missing on May 27.

The nursery was rapped by the inspectorate after the girl walked through an open gate, crossed a main road and was found near the M77.

A spokeswoman for the Care Inspectorate said: "Inspectors were coincidentally visiting the nursery on the day the little girl went missing as part of a routine inspection.

"The inspection was being carried out as a matter of course, however, as a direct result of the incident a series of recommendations were made to improve the nursery within the report."

Glasgow City Council, who fund 28 places at the nursery, had already taken a decision not to pay for any future child care at the facility when the incident occurred.

The girl was spotted by an office worker who found her at a bus stop and returned her to staff, who did not know she was missing.

After the child was discovered, social services and police were alerted. A senior worker was then sacked and another resigned.

The Care Inspectorate has made a series of recommendations to improve the nursery's heath and safety requirements and a new management structure has been put in place to tighten security procedures.

A spokeswoman for the Care Inspectorate said: "Recommendations focusing on health and safety requirements and risk assessments were given and acted upon by the service.

"The Care Inspectorate is working closely with the service to ensure it is providing quality care that meets the needs of the individuals.

"A recent inspection of the service was made and the report will be available in due course."

The drama unfolded when the toddler wandered off from the nursery - which takes up to 77 children - shortly after 12.15pm on the day of the incident.

Staff reportedly failed to do a head count when youngsters went back into the building and the toddler was only discovered 20 minutes later at a bus stop close to the M77 by an office worker.

The nursery's sister facility in Hillington was named as one of the worst in Scotland in January last year in a report by the Care Commission.

The Partnership Nursery is privately run but has 28 places funded by Glasgow City Council.

A council spokesman said it would stop funding places at the nursery from the beginning of next year's term, but that this decision was taken before the recent incident.

People who read this story also read