Aberdeen nursery fined £7,500 after 10-month-old burned by bleach and boiling water

A nursery in Aberdeen has been ordered to pay £7,500 after a 10-month-old boy suffered severe burns from a bucket containing boiling water mixed with bleach in November 2021. Sheriff Harry Small ruled at Aberdeen Sheriff Court that the incident was entirely preventable and avoidable, and the nursery admitted breaching health and safety regulations by failing to conduct proper risk assessments and maintain safe working practices during cleaning operations.

The child, identified in later reporting as Blake Nilssen, sustained second-degree burns to his left arm and both legs when the bucket tipped over during a cleaning operation while two staff members were providing care and preparing snacks. According to local reporting, staff did not call emergency services immediately after the injury; instead, they contacted the parents, who transported their son to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary themselves, where he received treatment for partial blistering.

The family expressed mixed feelings about the outcome. In a statement released through their legal representatives, they said they had waited five years for the nursery to accept responsibility.

We've had to wait five years for Little Dreams Nursery to admit what happened to our son was their fault but we don't feel the severity of his injuries have been acknowledged. We trusted them to take care of him and for such an injury to happen to a 10-month-old baby is indefensible.

The family added that they considered the fine too low but wished to move forward. According to subsequent reporting, they had previously secured an out-of-court settlement exceeding £10,000.

How did the incident occur?

The accident happened at Little Dreams Nursery on Bon Accord Street while the child was in a room being cleaned. One staff member boiled a kettle and poured the contents into a bucket, adding a cap of bleach for sanitising purposes. The bucket was then placed on the floor, and moments later a splash was heard as one of the children tipped the container over themselves. The court heard that the child's clothes were immediately removed and he was placed in a sink of water before being wrapped in clingfilm as a temporary measure.

What were the regulatory failures?

The nursery admitted to failing to conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and to establish a safe system of work for cleaning the premises. This oversight meant that hazardous cleaning materials and boiling water were left accessible to children in an active care area. The Care Inspectorate later upheld multiple complaints against the nursery, and according to available records, senior staff including the nursery manager were reprimanded. A Care Inspectorate inspection report criticised the service for not contacting emergency services immediately after the injury occurred, representing a significant breach of safeguarding protocol.

What did the court hear?

Fiscal depute Lisa Duffus outlined the sequence of events to the court. Two staff members were present in the room, one of whom began preparing hot water for cleaning while the other started to serve snacks to the children. The bucket containing boiling water and bleach was placed on the floor without any barrier or supervision mechanism to prevent access. Defence advocate Barry Smith KC acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, stating that

the first priority of a nursery was the safety and wellbeing of the children there

and expressing regret from the director and all staff that the accident had occurred.

Sheriff Small's decision reflected his view that the incident represented a fundamental failure in duty of care. The family's statement concluded:

In the months and years that followed, we had to watch our boy deal with the consequences of something that was never his fault. No parent should have to experience that, but we are thankful what happened hasn't had a more serious or longer-lasting impact. Today we close the most horrific chapter of our lives and we want to thank everyone who has supported us during this time and now request our privacy as we move forward.

What is the nursery's response?

Little Dreams Nursery issued a statement acknowledging the incident.

We deeply regret that this incident was able to occur and are profoundly sorry for the distress and impact it has had on the child and their family.

The nursery emphasised that the safety, wellbeing and care of every child entrusted to them was of the highest priority. The facility is registered with the Care Inspectorate for up to 53 children aged from birth to pre-primary age.

Key Facts

• A 10-month-old boy suffered second-degree burns to his arm and legs when a bucket of boiling water mixed with bleach tipped over at Little Dreams Nursery in Aberdeen in November 2021
• The nursery admitted failing to conduct proper risk assessments and maintain safe cleaning practices, leaving hazardous materials accessible to children
• Sheriff Harry Small imposed a £7,500 fine, describing the incident as entirely preventable and avoidable
• The family received an out-of-court settlement exceeding £10,000 and said the fine did not adequately reflect the severity of their son's injuries
• The Care Inspectorate later upheld complaints and criticised the nursery for not calling emergency services immediately after the incident