Chaos following Denton nursery’s sudden closure

A nursery that was deemed a ‘risk to children’s safety’ has been closed, with staff and parents claiming to be left out of pocket.

Jungle Junction in Denton was temporarily shut down last month due to concerns ‘children were potentially at risk of harm’, according to Ofsted. 

Ofsted has not revealed the concerns that led them to shut down the Duke Street establishment for six weeks.

The nursery, operated by Denton Daycare Ltd, has now taken the decision to close permanently due to the company’s ‘financial challenges’. 

Company director Alina Naveed has apologised to parents for the ‘difficult circumstances’ they are all facing having to find alternative childcare at such short notice.

Keeley Godwin’s three-year-old was one of the nursery’s children with special educational needs (SEND). She explained that she spoke to one of the Ofsted inspectors when they visited on October 16.

When she returned to pick up her son later that day, the nursery announced its sudden closure.

She is finding it incredibly difficult to find replacement care for Jackson. She believes he has autism like his two older siblings, which means he requires specialist provision.

Keeley added: “The nursery was supposed to be gathering evidence of his autism so he could find a specialist place at school. That will be delayed now. 

“I am angry at the moment because there has been very little communication.

“We had just got him into a routine of going. The crying had stopped but now it’s all ended.

“Ofsted aren’t telling us anything, the nursery aren’t telling us anything. It’s like it’s all a big secret.”

All the parents have been shocked by the sudden closure and have had to make quick decisions over replacement care for their little ones. Some have been hit financially as well, having to pay extra nursery fees up front for replacement care provision.

There is concern they won’t be compensated for the up front fees already paid to Jungle Junction. 

Lauren Harrison has a four-year-old who goes to the nursery before and after pre-school. She is one of many parents who claim to be left out of pocket after paying in advance for her son’s care for before and after pre-school.

Lauren says there had been issues at Jungle Junction since a change of management in the Summer and a high staff turnover.

“No one knew who was going to be working there when you turned up at one point,” she explained. “They said they were closing the doors because ‘they had Ofsted here’. This was in the afternoon on a Friday.

“Luckily I have managed to find a child minder but that is after weeks of cutting my hours short at work. We are just all in the dark and all getting different things fed down to us.”

Lauren explained that in addition to being owed hundreds of pounds from the nursery through paid-for hours that have now not been honoured, she is also expecting less in her pay packet next month due to taking reduced hours as a result of the sudden closure. 

Ms Naveed outlined that due to the financial position of the business, they won’t be able to ‘meet all of these outstanding payments directly’. The nursery director has apologised for any hardship caused by this.

One parent, who wanted to remain anonymous, described the situation as ‘chaos’. 

She said: “The consequences have been devastating. For working parents and carers, this is not simply an inconvenience. 

“It is a childcare emergency that has turned family life upside down overnight which has been made worse by lack of any meaningful communication from the nursery’s management to parents and staff.

“Parents were faced with scrambling to find alternative childcare at extremely short notice. Some had no choice but to take unpaid leave, rearrange shifts or rely on family and friends to help them cope.  

“Parents are still in the dark as to why Ofsted closed the nursery. It’s a complete mess.”

The mother went on to explain that the nursery has been locked up and parents haven’t been able to pick up some of their children’s items. This is despite the nursery saying parents can arrange to do this, she says.

Alina Naveed, director of Denton Daycare Ltd, said: “Firstly, I want to say how genuinely sorry I am to all the children, families and staff who have been affected by what has happened at Jungle Junction.

“I completely understand the anger, disappointment and worry this has caused, particularly for parents who have suddenly had to arrange alternative childcare and staff who are now facing financial uncertainty.

“I took over the nursery in January this year with every intention of making it a success. Unfortunately, it has been an incredibly challenging period, with ongoing staffing difficulties, operational pressures and financial challenges that became increasingly difficult to overcome.

“When Ofsted suspended the nursery’s registration, it placed an already struggling business in an extremely difficult position. After considering the circumstances and whether reopening would be financially and operationally possible, I had to make the heartbreaking decision that the nursery could not continue.

“I recognise the seriousness of the concerns raised by Ofsted, and I would never want children’s safety or welfare to be compromised.

“I also accept that communication could have been better, particularly given how suddenly everything happened. I understand why people feel upset and frustrated.

“This has been an incredibly difficult experience, and certainly not the outcome I had hoped for when I became involved in Jungle Junction. My intention was always to build a successful nursery and provide a positive environment for children, families and staff. I am deeply saddened that things have ended this way.

“I can only apologise sincerely to everyone affected and assure them that their concerns are being taken seriously.”

Denton Daycare Ltd took control of the nursery in January, according to Ofsted’s records. This follows the previous operator, Jungle Junction Denton Ltd, stepping away from the nursery last year.