Oliver Steeper inquest to look at staff: child ratios and training of nursery employees

At a pre-inquest hearing this morning in Maidstone, Kent, coroner Ms Katrina Hepburn said that the ‘scope of the inquest will be the events of 23 September 2021 – the day Oliver choked on food at Jelly Beans nursery.’

Following the tragic incident, the nursery closed down.

Hepburn confirmed that the inquest will cover the ‘background of Oliver’s developmental stage, particularly regarding his feeding, to understand what on the day he could eat.

‘It will also probe staff training and ratios deployed in the room, along with looking at the preparation of food and its consistency, specifically determining who was responsible for deciding what child eats what.’

Oliver’s parents Lewis and Zoe have campaigned against the Government proposal to relax ratios in early years settings since it was first outlined in a Government consultation into childcare reform, believing it will ‘place children at risk at the most vital time of their lives, especially during feeding.’

At the hearing this morning, it was revealed that the Steepers had expected a meeting with the nursery chef to decide what stage Oliver was at with his feeding, however that never happened.

Also, that the first aid offered to nursery staff was ‘not textbook’.

Craig Hassall KC, representing the Steeper family at today’s hearing, said, ‘The understanding that the parents had was that there would be a meeting between themselves and the chef to discuss what stage Oliver was at with his feeding prior to him starting at Jelly Beans. That meeting never happened.

‘It’s not entirely clear whose responsibility it was to deal with the consistency of the food. It seems to be that the same basic meal was prepared for all of the children and then it would be for the individual nursery staff to then cut up or process or puree, or whatever it may be, that meal for the specific child that they were responsible for feeding that day.

‘That may be the case, but it’s not clear.’

He added, ‘Although members of staff were trained in first aid, the first aid that was offered was certainly not textbook.

‘And the concern is whether there were missed opportunities to save Oliver’s life – or if some of what was done may have been counter-productive.’

The lawyer said that the family are seeking a jury to be called for the full inquest.

Another pre-inquest review is due to be scheduled on 9 November.

Speaking to KentOnline after the hearing, Oliver’s father Lewis said, ‘We are pleased that the coroner is looking into the scope of things that she is looking at.

'The items looked at as well we feel will show us as a family what happened to Oliver on that day. And we await the next pre-inquest review in November.’

Nursery World reported in February that the Steeper Family were to lodge an appeal against the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) decision last December that no-one is accountable for their son’s death.