An Ayrshire nursery worker has been struck off after assaulting a child in her care by seizing and dragging them. Louise Kitchen was also found to have used 'rough handling' and 'unnecessary force' against other children while employed as an early years practitioner.
Kitchen was convicted in court over the assault allegation, and the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) uncovered additional care failures. The SSSC said Kitchen committed the assault against a nursery pupil, a boy, on 31 July 2024, and she was later convicted of assault in March 2025. The nursery where Kitchen worked was not named in the SSSC report, but her town of employment was revealed as Troon.
Incidents detailed by regulator
The SSSC said Kitchen's victim was 'excluded' from a group play session on the same day of the assault 'without reasonable cause' when he moved to join other children. The boy was told by Kitchen: 'No you're not, you are to do your own thing,' or words to that effect.
Other behaviours were flagged by the SSSC. On or around 29 July 2024, when a child knocked down a sand castle made by another at the beach, Kitchen grabbed them 'forcefully' by his arm and pushed him with 'unnecessary force' to the ground. Kitchen also pointed in the child's face, causing them 'upset.'
On or around 31 July 2024, Kitchen grabbed a child 'by his wrist' and when they tried to move away, she grabbed him by the waist area and pulled him back towards her. Kitchen then sat the child on the floor with 'unnecessary force.'
Further allegations proved
On or around 2 August 2024, Kitchen repeatedly shouted 'no' in an aggressive manner to a child before grabbing them by the wrist, then pulling them towards her 'by her ankles.' Kitchen then lifted the child under her armpits and carried her across the nursery. The child was placed in a seated position on Kitchen's knees before she wrapped her arms around her. The SSSC said Kitchen restrained the child 'without reasonable cause' for 'around two minutes.' When Kitchen released the child and she moved away, Kitchen pulled the child back to a seated position with her again 'without reasonable cause.'
On dates unknown in or prior to around November 2023, when a child had her comforter doll with her at the lunch table, Kitchen snatched the doll and put it on the work top, saying: 'You are a big girl now you're not a baby anymore' or words to that effect. On another occasion, when Kitchen took a doll from the same child and she was screaming, Kitchen said: 'You must be tired,' or words to that effect, before placing the child in a buggy with 'unnecessary force.' Kitchen strapped the child into the buggy in 'an aggressive manner' before moving the buggy with child in it with 'unnecessary force.' Kitchen then said: 'Go to sleep' or words to that effect. The SSSC said Kitchen caused 'unnecessary escalation' in the child's distress.
On a precise date unknown around November 2023, Kitchen picked up a child and moved him to the back end of the room 'without reasonable cause' when they were lying on the floor and distressed. Kitchen then spoke to the child 'in an angry manner,' kneeling over the child and pointing at him.
Fitness to practise impaired
The SSSC said Kitchen's fitness to practise was 'impaired' due to her assault conviction and as a result of 'misconduct.' In a written statement to the SSSC Practice Panel impairment hearing, Kitchen 'did not accept the allegations as set out.' Witnesses were called to the seven-day hearing, including former colleagues of Kitchen's. One witness spoke of her 'general discomfort' with Kitchen's 'rough handling' of children and raising her voice to them, while another revealed how she was 'very concerned' at Kitchen's practice.
The SSSC's Fitness to Practise Panel found all allegations against Kitchen to be 'proved' and said Kitchen's behaviour represented a 'serious lack of care and compassion.' In her statement, Kitchen revealed she had since stopped working in the childcare sector as she 'no longer enjoyed it' and had 'no real desire to be working with children.'
The SSSC told Kitchen: 'The victims in this matter were inherently vulnerable due to their ages. The behaviour, when considered in the round, is serious, and entirely at odds with that which would be expected and indeed demanded of a registered social care worker. The behaviour was not a single isolated act, but a pattern of behaviour.'
Issuing a striking off order, the SSSC added: 'The children in your care were displaying normal age and stage appropriate behaviours. Due to your conviction for assault on child 'AA' and your rough handling of all the children, the behaviour is at the highest end of behaviour which the SSSC considers to be unacceptable. The behaviour is a serious departure from the Codes and there is a prolonged period of unacceptable behaviour. Public confidence in the social care profession and in the SSSC as a safe and effective regulator would be undermined if you were to remain on the SSSC Register.'
