I desperately need some advice.

Oh my goodness that's terrible 😢 but I'm here to tell you- the most common % of children getting hurt outside their parents care is in Daycare unfortunately.

A. The daycare should have taken photos immediately & called you to inform you immediately

I.e. "Hi so and so.. this is staff name at daycare, your daughter is great, not sick don't worry.. however I am calling to let you know we had an incident where she was unfortunately bitten. It happened while our staff was assisting diapering while the other staff helped a toddler who was crying within 30 seconds or less.
Lots of snuggles, ice pack & washed the site/ bandaid if applicable.

This is how a daycare SHOULD communicate with parents. Period. Immediately, promptly. & you should have been given a injury report to sign & copy to take home PERIOD.

As for 15 mo to 24 mo this is the age of pushing, biting, hitting, they will feel an emotion and ACT ON IT immediately without thinking that hurts or it might hurt etc. Very common for this age.

I know that this is so much more likely to happen at nursery, however I am a single mum and have no choice but to send her to nursery as I need to work.

I really do wish that they had of told me straight after this had happened, they did give me an injury report to sign but did not get given a copy.

I know that this is very common at this age but until today she has never pushed another child or attempted to harm another child, I can’t help but wonder if the two are connected or if there is anything more I can do x

First of all, I’m sorry this is happening. It’s very stressful and a concern for most parents.

The daycare is absolutely supposed to inform you right away and provide an accident report. My son was recently hurt quite badly at daycare and they let me know right away. I was still pissed but they at least followed protocol.

Your daughter is likely pushing the other kids after she was injured by the other child. She may feel threatened possibly or she’s trying to express something you haven’t observed in her yet. My som started hitting and it’s usually when he is tired or hungry so he’s more susceptible to his own emotions. I can’t easily break this habit but I can help him redirect his emotions to a better place.

I work in a nursery myself and we often call parents if it’s a bad accident/incident so they don’t get a shock when they pick their child up just as a pre-warning that there has been an accident/incident. Often than not we let them know at pick up if it’s a grazed knee or a bite that isn’t bad.

As for the pushing as others have said it’s a part of their development as they are testing boundaries but also they are frustrated as they can’t communicate their needs with us properly x

I will definitely be having a conversation with them about this tomorrow as it is just not good enough.

She is often with other children under my supervision and not once has she done this to another child, she has on occasion smacked me when she is overstimulated but I have always told her no firmly and that we use kind hands and to say sorry for hurting mummy, but this has only happened a handful of times x

What has the daycare done on the other side of this? Were the other parents warned? Ie 3 strike rule? Any of that?

If they have like a 3 strike rule where that kind of violence isn’t tolerated then I would continue to send. I would ask them to send you a message in the future letting you know so you can schedule a doctors appt/pick up bandages etc. on the way over in the future.

I am going to ask tomorrow as they have not said, I was in complete shock and have never had anything like this happen xx

I would take her out of the school

My daughter was bitten three times at two different nurseries. It is very common. I would expect them to communicate it straight away though.

As someone who works in nurseries and is also a mum I can see both sides of the argument.

Every setting is different and have their own policies and procedures for things which you should have received a copy of when you signed your daughter up to nursery, if you didn’t request a copy of their policy and procedure on accidents and incidents at nursery.

Personally I do call parents if bites happen at nursery and we also have a neck and above policy at my setting so we always call or text for accidents that are neck and above.

Also biting is developmentally normal in children under the age of three years old, and they really can happen with a click of the fingers. I’m sure the staff in the room are doing everything they can and also feel awful about the situation at hand.

I would definitely speak to the setting manager about their policies and procedures, and if you are unsatisfied with their answers then go to OFSTED.

However, I wouldn’t personally take advice about the procedures that happen within uk childcare settings from parents who go to settings abroad as everything will be completely different as childcare protection laws are completely different, so is the legislation that the settings will follow.

Like I said as a mum and an early years practitioner I understand it is frustrating and upsetting for your child to have such a horrific mark on their face, especially bites because they can look really awful.

She likely did learn this behavior at daycare however I have numerous SAHM friends whose toddlers eventually show aggression which is very very normal.

Their perfect little worlds are suddenly filled with Anger, Sadness etc & they react immediately. & even the perfect parents like myself (knock on wood lol) all go through their toddler hitting, pushing & even biting as teething hurts 😅

Ask for a copy of the injury report, they should provide one