Aberdeen nursery pays five-figure sum after toddler breaks leg on first day of care

A nursery in Aberdeen has paid out a five-figure sum in damages after a toddler suffered a broken leg just 90 minutes into her first day of care.

Skye Tucker was injured at Little Clouds Nursery in Altens on January 7 after falling from a nappy changing table.

The one-year-old then faced a ten-hour wait for treatment after her parents, Kyle and Sheena Tucker, were told she was “absolutely fine” and had been given cuddles and an ice pack.

The family previously confirmed they were pursuing legal action after nursery staff admitted to a “complete lapse in judgment.”

In a statement, the Tuckers said: “Skye has now fully recovered, and her physical well-being has always been the utmost priority, so we’re glad there was no lasting harm. We know Little Clouds staff did not set out to harm any child that day, but what happened to Skye was totally avoidable.”

The family hopes their case will encourage other parents to seek second opinions if they have concerns about care standards.

“The nursery held its hands up very quickly, which we appreciated, but accountability and a commitment to improvement are more important than a private message,” they added.

“We wanted to make sure nothing like this would happen again and that other parents could make informed decisions about their child’s care.”

Skye and her twin brother, Aaron, were just 90 minutes into their first full day at the nursery when the incident unfolded.

Staff reportedly left Skye unattended while looking for nappy cream, resulting in her fall shortly after 9am.

A nursery-to-parent messaging service stated that Skye “was sad when this happened” and that she had had “lots of cuddles and was absolutely fine”.

She remained at nursery with her brother but was taken to A&E by her parents after she continued to show discomfort at home.

Medics at Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital found that she had suffered an undisplaced proximal tibial fracture to her right leg.

The Care Inspectorate later investigated Little Clouds Nursery and upheld five complaints, citing multiple failings in care and communication. Following the incident, Skye and Aaron were moved to a different nursery.

Neil Davidson, partner at law firm Digby Brown, who represented the Tucker family, said: “It’s heartbreaking when young children are injured and cannot fully communicate their suffering. I’m truly glad Skye has made a full recovery.

“Nurseries have safety processes to prevent incidents like this, and the Tuckers’ bravery in taking action helps protect other children and empowers other parents.”

A spokesperson for Little Clouds Nursery said: “We would like to once again express our sincere apologies to Skye and her family for the distress caused by this incident. What happened that day did not meet our usual high standards and we deeply regret that a child was hurt while in our care.

“We are thankful that Skye has made a full recovery and wish her and her family all the very best. The safety, wellbeing and happiness of our children is our top priority. We remain fully committed to continuous improvement and maintaining the trust that families place in us every day.

“We also recognise that the story shared publicly by the family reflects only one side of events. While we fully accept that the incident should not have occurred, it is important to acknowledge that our staff acted without intent to harm, and the member of staff involved has not worked in the setting since the incident happened.

“This incident was deeply upsetting for everyone involved and prompted a period of reflection and improvement across our entire team. We are extremely grateful to the families who believed in us and supported our ongoing efforts to improve and maintain our high standards.

“We have worked closely with the Care Inspectorate and other relevant childcare professionals to review and strengthen every aspect of our practice. This has included enhanced staff training, revised safety and supervision procedures and improved communication with families.

“Following a full inspection, the Care Inspectorate rated Little Clouds Nursery as ‘Good’ and ‘Very Good’ across key areas, with no outstanding actions. We encourage everyone to read our recent Care Inspectorate report.”