A NURSERY worker who “roughly” pulled a kid’s leg and yanked another’s ear has been allowed to keep her job.
Melody Copland was let off with a warning – despite social services deeming her a “physical and emotional risk to children”.
Her behaviour – which included forcing two youngsters into chairs and causing another to hit their chest off a table – was described as “serious”, the Daily Record reports.
Other incidents included tugging a child’s leg while putting him to bed and jerking another’s ear when taking their temperature.
The 23-year-old, who worked as a child services practitioner at Great Western Pre-School in Aberdeen, was also found to have referred to one youngster as “a pain in the butt” while handing a colleague a tub of pudding.
And she told a fellow worker that she was “fed up” with another child in her care because “she is always crying”.
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The Scottish Social Services Council also stated Copland had said: “I wish the parents would just pick them up and take them home,” and “I can’t cope with him today, I don’t want anything to do with him”.
Copland admitted shoving a chair forcefully which caused a kid to hit their chest, but claimed it was an accident.
She denied all other allegations.
However, the SSSC found enough evidence to prove all had taken place between January and May 2021 and ruled she had put the children at risk of harm.
Addressing Copland, the watchdog said: “Your behaviour is serious and had the risk of causing harm to the children in an environment where they should have felt safe and secure.
“Your behaviour demonstrates a disregard for the safety and wellbeing of the children.
“Speaking inappropriately with a colleague is unprofessional behaviour and falls below the standard expected of social service workers.
“Your behaviour could indicate an underlying values issue, as your behaviour demonstrates your frustration and impatience towards the children in your care.
“Your behaviour indicates you did not care for the children in the compassionate way required by a social service role.”
They added that Copland had “breached the trust” of the children she was employed to look after by her “rough handling”.
And the repeated incidents indicated “a pattern of unacceptable behaviour”.
“Given the potential for physical and emotional harm to have come to the children, your behaviour is serious and would be considered as a failure to provide an acceptable level of care,” they continued.
“You have not shown any insight, regret or remorse.
“In light of the lack of reflection or insight into your behaviour, and concerns over your attitude, indicates, without any protective steps in place, a high risk of repetition.
“Any repeat of the behaviour would place children at risk of physical and emotional harm.
“A reasonable member of the public would be shocked and dismayed to learn of the behaviour and realise that nothing was done in order to safeguard against them being repeated.”
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Copland, who has been working for five years with no previous history with the SSSC, was handed a one-year warning and must remain under supervision by her employer for nine months.
She must also complete additional training.
