Secret Garden nursery says future threatened by hand hygiene rules
The future of a pioneering outdoor nursery in north-east Fife has come under threat due to Scottish Government hygiene policies.
Children's minister Adam Ingram on a visit to the Secret Garden nursery in 2008, where he praised its work.
- By Craig McManamon
- Published in the Courier : 27.08.10
- Published online : 27.08.10 @ 12.56pm
That is according to a director at the Secret Garden near Letham, Linda Holt, who is warning that if recommendations by Health Protection Scotland (HPS) are pushed through, the award-winning nursery will "fail to exist."
Care Commission Scotland says this is something it wants to avoid.
The commission asked HPS to write a report on infection control and hand hygiene practices for young children in an outdoor play environment. On the back of this, the report stressed a need for all youngsters to wash hands under fresh water at frequent intervals throughout the day.
This presents huge problems for the nursery which, from its remote location set within mature woodland, would need to transport large volumes of water to meet the proposed hand wash schedule.
Staff use wipes and anti-bacterial gel or spray on children but this has fallen short of what is required by the HPS, which was behind a high-profile hand hygiene campaign in 2007.
In crunch talks this week, representatives met to discuss the issue. A decision was not reached and a further meeting is expected to take place by the end of next month.
The nursery says it has parents' support.
Lead practitioner of the Secret Garden, Cathy Bache, says the Care Commission continues to support its work and has sought further clarification from HPS.
The Secret Garden Outdoor Nursery is a community-led project offering a full-time outdoor pre-school care service and education for children aged three to five years in the Howe of Fife.
It says it aims to provide a spacious play environment in local woodland and countryside to develop curiosity and learning through engagement with nature, the seasons and the elements.
Around 40 families send their children there every week.
'Fully support'
Local farmer and parent Emma Forster (28) is planning to send her daughter when she turns three in October and says she has no qualms over hygiene and is not aware of any other parent who holds concerns.
"I fully support what the nursery is doing and can't wait to send my daughter there," she said. "There is no need for soap and water to be in the woods and in fact there is more risk of me picking up something from working on my farm than at the nursery."
The outdoor nursery attracted political admirers shortly after its opening in 2008 when the children's minister Adam Ingram MSP visited.
On Thursday, the Scottish Government again praised the "excellent work" being carried out but distanced itself from the ongoing talks.
"The handling of this case is an operational matter for the Care Commission, the sector regulator, and we look forward to a workable compromise being agreed that safeguards the health of the nursery's children while continuing to support the nursery's innovative outdoor ethos. We are not aware of any threat of closure," said a spokesman.
Despite concerns over its future, the Care Commission stressed it did not want to see the nursery close.
"The Care Commission is continuing to engage with Health Protection Scotland as the country's lead agency in health protection to find a suitable way forward in these cases," said a spokesman.
"We are also continuing to discuss the best way forward with The Secret Garden, so that acceptable hand hygiene levels can be safely delivered while ensuring children enjoy the unique surroundings at this service."
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