The mother of a three-year-old boy who escaped from a nursery through a broken fence and ran towards a busy road has demanded safety reforms. James Maguire, who is non-verbal, was missing for up to 14 minutes after leaving the playground at Elmhurst House Day Nursery in Stone, Staffordshire, on May 16.
CCTV footage showed the toddler standing in the middle of a main road after running through the town centre. His mother Fiona, a 46-year-old NHS worker, said she was not informed of the incident until hours later and feels concerns were 'swept under the carpet'. She has since removed James from the nursery.
The nursery apologised after Ofsted launched a probe, describing the incident as 'its responsibility and its failure'. A spokesperson said urgent steps have been taken to prevent a recurrence. Ofsted issued a welfare notice requiring improvements to risk assessments, staff deployment, and child-to-staff ratios, which the nursery implemented by June 1.
James's family complained to Ofsted two days after the escape. Mark Sutton, the county council’s cabinet member for children and young people, called the incident 'very upsetting' and stressed the importance of child safety.
