Nursery nurse struck off for mistreating tots

Nov 21 2012 by Andrea O'Neill, East Kilbride News

A cruel East Kilbride nursery nurse who tried to force toddlers to sleep by holding their eyes closed has been struck off.

Dawn McMillan, 44, pushed one tot flat on her face because she wasnt moving into line. And she forced another to sit down by pushing her, knocking out a toddlers dummy as she tried to grab another child. The incidents happened whilst McMillan was working as a supervisor at Oaklands Nursery.

The abuse against two and three-year-olds took place at {the Stewartfield-based private Careshare nursery and came to light when colleagues raised the alarm. They witnessed McMillan causing tots to cry uncontrollably.

Fellow worker Pauline Millar said: The child was not quite getting into line, so Dawn kind of pushed her into line, but she pushed her a bit too hard and the child fell flat on her face.

She added: At sleep times, Dawn was quite rough with the children. She would hold them tightly and tried to force their eyes shut with her fingers. I said to her that if she was feeling frustrated with the children, she should maybe take some time off. She said she that she was fine.

After the details were revealed at a hearing of the {Scottish Social Services Council, the panel decided McMillan was guilty of {misconduct and banned her from working with children, calling her a risk to the public.

Panel chairman Kevin Culloch said: This {conduct is fundamentally {incompatible with the standards expected of a child care worker.

McMillan, who was dismissed last August, is understood to have had{ depression then. At her Westwood home she told our sister paper, the Sunday Mail: I dont recall this happening. I would never have done this intentionally.

A nursery spokeswoman said: The decision sends a message this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.