Glasgow nursery worker struck off for swearing at children

A nursery worker has been struck off following allegations that she swore at the children in her care.

Gemma Feeney, who was employed as an Early Years Practitioner by Sunshine Nursery in Uddingston, faced a Scottish Social Service Council Fitness to Practise Panel in June.

The nursery worker was accused of a raft of misconduct issues including using of foul language.

Feeney was accused of habitually using expletives around both children and staff during her employment between November 1, 2019, and July 20, 2022.

Instances included the use of the words f*** and s***, as well as the use of phrases such as “I need to change his f****** nappy again”, or “this place is a f****** mess”.

The SSSC also heard that she hit a colleague and a child with a toy brick while she was cleaning – a task which witnesses said would regularly see her throw items across the room.

In another incident, she was accused of pulling forcefully on the arm of a child who was upset, before telling her to “grow the f*** up”, a phrase she used on multiple occasions towards the young people in her care.

Feeney was found to have acted aggressively towards other staff members.

The “final straw” for the worker came when she pulled a boy from a paddling pool after they had splashed her with water, before placing him behind a child gate and telling him he would not be allowed out for the rest of the day, which caused the child distress.

Concluding the case, the report found: “Your use of expletives on a very regular basis, without regard for the presence of the children, as well as your use of expletives in talking to the children and your colleagues amounts to communication which is inappropriate.

“Your conduct amounts to the abuse, neglect or harm of both children and your colleagues. You have acted in an aggressive manner in speaking to colleagues on more than one occasion.

“You have spoken to and about children in an inappropriate manner…your breach of confidentiality amounts to a breach of trust.

“You put yourself and others at unnecessary risk in throwing things in the nursery. All of the allegations found proved amount to behaviour which brings your suitability to work in social services into question.

“You have failed to meet the standards of practise expected of you. You have handled children in an inappropriate manner which caused them distress. Such conduct could have caused physical harm.”