UK, death of an 8 month baby In a nursery, Cheadle Stockport, 9 May 2022, ‘arrests’

[seasideForest]

"You silly girl": The nursery worker that parents will never be able to forgive

Kate Roughley had been in childcare for nearly 20 years, but she took a dislike to a baby who had done nothing wrong...

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk

I can't stop thinking about this case. All the details in this newspaper article show absolutely vile and consistently vile behaviour to that poor little baby. If it were just one instance, you could maybe say Roughley had a bad day and 'lost the plot', for example if R. had thrown one soft toy at little Gigi, but there were at least 2 occasions and on one occasion, she threw four, hitting her with one of them. SMH in disgust. A thrown soft toy may not physically hurt (?) but it will frighten a baby. It's NOT OK to use fear as punishment, especially not on a wee one.

btw I don't condone having a bad day and 'losing the plot' to the extent of using violence like throwing a toy or a lot of other stuff R. did, I just mean it would be more understandable if it had only happened once, instead of the vendetta it seemed to be. MOO.

Who knows why Gigi cried at the nursery. Maybe she was a sensitive child and could feel the animosity towards her from Roughley and/or see it in R.'s facial expressions and posture? A baby who unconsciously picks up on this would be frightened and cry for help and comfort because that's what babies do since they don't have the ability to speak yet.

The photos of little Genevieve are so sweet - her little smiling face, peering at the camera and those big eyes.

This wasn't just a crime towards little Genevieve whose life was taken, stolen. Roughley took this child from her parents and sister. Those poor parents finding out how badly their little Gigi had regularly suffered at nursery, at how much distress she must have been in consistently, and how awful her last 90 minutes must have been.

I don't usually feel vindictive towards criminals since I believe it's the job of the Prison Service to punish, but in this case I do wish Roughley h*ll on earth, now.

All MOO

 

[Rusty Braincells]

What a heartbreaking case. I have heard some total horror stories about nurseries. A small number of those who are meant to care for others seek out roles where they can torment and bully others, particularly those much weaker than them. I doubt Genevieve was the only child mistreated and note another worker at this same nursery is going on trial for neglect, relating to a different incident. I don't know why Roughley thought she would get away with this, perhaps she thought no-one could believe anyone would be so cruel and vindictive to a 9 month old baby. I hope she has a miserable time in prison, but I am led to believe those who hurt children have an easier time inside than most of us might guess.

 

[seasideForest]

I doubt Genevieve was the only child mistreated and note another worker at this same nursery is going on trial for neglect, relating to a different incident.

Then it does sound as if Genevieve wasn't the only one. Also as has been pointed out, nobody else checked on Genevieve in those 90+ minutes. And it seems nobody checked cctv before this incident, otherwise they would have known and should have acted to protect Genevieve.

I don't know why Roughley thought she would get away with this, perhaps she thought no-one could believe anyone would be so cruel and vindictive to a 9 month old baby.

Perhaps. Or maybe like some (alleged) criminals, she was overly optimistic in her expertise of (somehow) not being noticed/caught. Or of course the despicable thoughts of some abusers: "safe to do it to a baby, because babies can't tell anybody". IMHO and in my unfortunate experience growing up with a parent with thoughts like that ...

 

[Dotta]

Then it does sound as if Genevieve wasn't the only one. Also as has been pointed out, nobody else checked on Genevieve in those 90+ minutes. And it seems nobody checked cctv before this incident, otherwise they would have known and should have acted to protect Genevieve.

Perhaps. Or maybe like some (alleged) criminals, she was overly optimistic in her expertise of (somehow) not being noticed/caught. Or of course the despicable thoughts of some abusers: "safe to do it to a baby, because babies can't tell anybody". IMHO and in my unfortunate experience growing up with a parent with thoughts like that ...

That is why strict supervision is needed.

"Mice play
When cat is away".

 

[Parker Knoll]

It’s incomprehensible to me that this was allowed to happen and when you boil it down it WAS allowed to happen maybe by apathy or fear or both.
90 minutes is horrific. It makes me nauseous.

 

[seasideForest]

That is why strict supervision is needed.

"Mice play
When cat is away".

"When the cat's away, the mice do play" - I would have hoped this would apply to something less deliberate, callous and cruel in a nursery. But afai understand it R. was herself in some supervisory position. Who thought that was a good idea?!?
All MOO

 

[Parker Knoll]

She was deputy manager apparently. She had worked there straight from school.
The owners were too busy enjoying the trappings of their “ success “ either in their multi million pound house in Cheshire or their massive chalet in France … as long as the fees kept rolling in.
I hope they are prosecuted and ruined.

 

[Dotta]

"When the cat's away, the mice do play" - I would have hoped this would apply to something less deliberate, callous and cruel in a nursery. But afai understand it R. was herself in some supervisory position. Who thought that was a good idea?!?
All MOO

I meant "higher supervision",
like local authorities.
(As I wrote in an earlier post upthread)

I can only speak about my country,
but Law is Law.
Ratio of children to nursery nurses is written in Law.

3 children per 1 nursery nurse.
(In a group of children aged 12 months and younger).

It doesn't matter if the nursery is state run or private.

If the nursery is understaffed,
it simply cannot operate.
It is closed.
No Mercy.

Every year there is a list of staff which must be approved by Local Authority.

The number of nursery nurses must be right according to Law.

JMO

 

[seasideForest]

I meant "higher supervision",
like local authorities.

Thank you for clarifying and sorry for misunderstanding.

No mercy.
If the nursery is understaffed,
it simply cannot operate.
It is closed.

afaik it's the same in my country too, either the nursery is closed or fewer children are given a spot so that there are then the correct number of nurses per child. MOO

 

[Dotta]

"Council ​

to carry out an investigation into Tiny Toes Nursery in Stockport.​

Stockport Council
is to carry out an investigation into possible health and safety failings
at the nursery where Genevieve Meehan was killed.

Stockport Council
has confirmed its investigation into the nursery will continue now the trial of Kate Roughley of Heaton Norris,
the former deputy manager of the setting,
has come to a close.

Stockport Council said it has
a ‘responsibility for any investigations and enforcement of the provisions in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
in respect of any accident or death in a childcare setting
(non-domestic premises,
not part of a school
and independently run)'.

The council has been working with Greater Manchester Police since 2022,
however had to pause its investigation in light of Roughley’s trial at Manchester Crown Court."

Council to carry out an investigation into Tiny Toes Nursery in Stockport

Stockport Council is to carry out an investigation into possible health and safety failings at the nursery where Genevieve Meehan was killed.

www.nurseryworld.co.uk

 

[Dotta]

"Nursery death of baby Genevieve Meehan raises troubling questions.​

Tiny Toes nursery was suspended by Ofsted,
the regulator,
the day after the little girl’s death.

Four months later, an inspection found it had failed to meet its legal requirements and soon after the nursery’s owners,
Franck and Karen Pelle, relinquished their licence.

National guidelines state that there must be at least one member of staff for every three children aged under two in nurseries in England.

But at Tiny Toes,
the ratios far exceeded those levels, the court was told:

at various times they were one to nine, two to 11,
two to 13 and one to 16.

On the day Genevieve died,
Roughley was only one of two members of staff looking after 11 babies.

The previous weekday there were 16 babies.

The nursery’s shocking fall in standards
is likely to raise pressure on Ofsted to carry out more regular inspections of early-years settings.

At present,
the regulator is only obliged to inspect nurseries in England once every six years,
compared with once every four academic years for schools.

Stockport council is carrying out a separate investigation into health and safety at Tiny Toes,
which local authorities are obliged to undertake following any death in a childcare setting.

There are also questions about whether regulations should be tightened to
explicitly ban the use
of bean bags as sleep aids.

These are widely available online
despite being declared unsafe by the Lullaby Trust,
a charity that promotes safe sleeping.

Strapping a swaddled child to any item would appear to be
a blatant breach of the government’s guidance for early years sleeping arrangements,
although there is no explicit ban on bean bags."

Nursery death of baby Genevieve Meehan raises troubling questions | Crime | The Guardian

amp-theguardian-com.cdn.ampproject.org

 

[Dotta]

"Tiny Toes was first registered with Ofsted, as required by law, in June 2016,
but the Mail's research reveals it had already been running out of premises in Mellor Road, Cheadle
for several years by then.

Right from the off,
Tiny Toes was very much a family business.

Both Franck and Karen Pelle,
who had four children from her first marriage as well as a daughter with Franck,
were directors and joint shareholders.

In 2020, their daughter Grace also became a director.
She was, for a time, described as
'deputy manager' on the nursery's website.

Also,
making an appearance on the 'team' page was a 'Daniele Pelle',
thought to be Mr Pelle's mother,
who was described as a consultant and said to have been awarded
a 'knighthood' in France for services to education;
an honour that does not exist in that country

At least one of Mrs Pelle's older daughters also worked at the nursery."

'Overcrowded' nursery owners quit Cheshire mansion for France

As one of Franck Pelle's most senior staff members was jailed for manslaughter at Tiny Toes nursery, neither he or his 66-year-old wife Karen were anywhere to be seen or heard.

www.dailymail.co.uk