Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
After four years of enduring immense grief and relentless perseverance, the parents of a nine-month-old boy who tragically passed away following a choking incident at nursery have accepted a financial settlement. Oliver Steeper died in hospital six days after choking on chopped pasta at the Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford in September 2021. His parents, Lewis and Zoe Steeper, have secured a six-figure settlement from the former nursery, although the agreement was reached without the nursery admitting any liability. The nursery itself closed shortly after Oliver’s death, and the former management has chosen not to comment on the settlement.
Mrs Steeper expressed a sense of closure regarding the agreement, stating, “We can put that chapter of Oli’s life behind us and remember him positively.” Her husband echoed this sentiment, acknowledging that while no sum of money could make up for the loss of their child, settling the matter allows the family to move forward. Mr Steeper said, “No amount of financial compensation can ever equate to the loss of our child but this resolution allows us to focus our energies on ensuring that no other family endures the same devastation that we have suffered whilst ensuring Oliver’s brother Jake has the best of futures ahead.” Both have been committed to raising awareness of the systemic failures that contributed to Oli’s death.
The official inquest concluded that Oliver’s death was due to misadventure. At the time of the incident, he had only been fed pureed meals at home, and nursery staff had advised his parents that solids could be blended before feeding. However, an expert in resuscitation testified at the inquest that the nursery’s first aid response was inadequate and that established guidelines were not properly followed. In response, coroner Katrina Hepburn issued a prevention of future deaths report to the Department for Education, highlighting deficiencies in staff training, particularly concerning pediatric first aid and education around weaning.
Since the tragedy, Oliver’s parents have advocated for stronger safety protocols around introducing solid foods and improved emergency first aid provisions in nurseries. They welcomed new safer-eating regulations introduced in September, which require childcare providers to communicate with parents about their child’s weaning stage, prepare food to minimise choking risks, and ensure children are supervised closely while eating. The Oliver Steeper Foundation, established in his memory, aims to make anti-choking devices available in all registered childcare and early years settings across the UK. To date, the foundation has distributed over 1,450 such devices. Meanwhile, the former Jelly Beans Day Nursery site in Kingsnorth has been sold and repurposed as a school for children with special educational needs
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.