Child with broken leg

[JJA]

Just wondered what you would do in this situation??

A 2 year old broke his leg over the weekend (not on our watch, thank goodness!) Mum wants him to come back in to nursery as soon as possible - he does 2 days, 8-6. What procedure should we follow? What do we legally have to do? What if, when we've had the re-integration meeting with mum, we feel we can't keep him safe at nursery?

Just a general to see what your thoughts are...

Thanks!

[hopeytg]

I haven't been in the situation but my concern would be how mobile he was if there was a need to evacuate? Also will he need 1-1 care - manage toileting etc etc - will be interested to see other's views.

[Melba]

We had one with a broken leg recently and felt we had to agree to take her.

Mum was really worried about her going outside, or doing anything much on her feet.

But we couldn't stop the little one! She just wanted to be into everything as usual. It definitely needed a 1:1 for her to keep her safe

[Helen]

I'd contact your insurers to see if they're happy that the child returns to nursery.

[woodlands1997]

We have had 2 children with broken legs, one had a wheelchair and one got around in a crawling type way! We just did a risk assessment and spoke to parents and insurance. They just needed help toileting but apart from that we did find it quite manageable!

[Stargrower]

Same as Woodlands, we have managed broken legs. We talked to parents and did a risk assessment. Both times this has happened it has been with four-year-olds though, so possibly a bit more manageable than a two-year-old.

[Upsy Daisy]

Why not complete a risk assessment and share it with the mother? You can work together to consider the risks and find solutions. If there is a problem you feel you cannot overcome you will at least have shown that you were willing and have a genuine difficulty.

You can also use this as an opportunity to consider how you would accommodate a child with a permanent physical disability and if there are reasonable adjustments you could/should make in the longer term to enable such a child to attend your setting in the future.

[Fredbear]

We have had a few children over the years with broken limbs ( not happened with us I hasten to add, although accidents can happen anywhere.)

We invited the parent and child into the setting, considered the risks and any additional support that might be required, have to say the children managed incredibly well.

[diesel10]

Hi

My son broke his leg age 17months. He had to have the bone put back in position but was in a lot of pain the week after, so you might want to think about that. He was fine after that but his plaster cast kept falling off!!!!!

Also even after the plaster comes off the area is weak.

[MarshaD]

My daughter too broke her leg at about 22 months (non accidental spiral fracture to her thigh bone - I won't go into the grilling I got about how it happened). The day nursery didn't want to have her in at first but after a couple of weeks I insisted, which was probably just as well because the plaster didn't come off for about two months. We sat her up in a back pack for meals and she dragged herself about the rest of the time. She was fine.

[JJA]

Thanks everyone. Very useful.