Bognor Regis, UK – Little Monsters Daycare, a facility catering to children aged six months to four years old, has sent shockwaves through the community after announcing its abrupt closure on Facebook. Parents were left stunned, with many lamenting the lack of prior notice regarding the nursery’s sudden liquidation.
In a brief social media post, the nursery management stated, “Little Monsters has unfortunately gone into liquidation. More info to follow on the liquidating practitioner. Many apologies.”
This unexpected turn of events has left parents puzzled, especially given that the daycare center had been actively advertising part-time job vacancies as recently as August 22. These roles were open to staff members interested in working with children up to the age of five.
Several parents have voiced their frustration, pointing out that they had already paid fees for the upcoming school year and have yet to receive any refunds. One parent expressed their ordeal, stating, “At four o’clock yesterday, the owner informed us that, due to unforeseen circumstances, the daycare would not be open until further notice. When we inquired about the situation, she did not respond. A few hours later, she posted about the liquidation on Facebook. It’s hard to believe she didn’t know about this when she was actively collecting fees from us. We even saw a new parent trying to enroll their child on what was supposed to be their first day.”
Now, parents who relied on the nursery’s services are scrambling to secure alternative childcare arrangements at the start of the school term, a task made even more challenging by the limited available spaces.
One parent expressed their predicament, “Both my partner and I are working parents. I return to work next week, and we urgently need to find suitable childcare. What makes this situation even more distressing is that we’ve already paid fees, and now we have to navigate that financial setback all over again. It’s particularly heartbreaking because our child has special needs and was content at Little Monsters. Now, they’re left in uncertainty.”
This turn of events follows earlier concerns raised by Ofsted inspectors earlier this year. In a report published in May, the nursery was found to be failing to meet several statutory requirements. However, corrective actions were subsequently implemented.
The report stated, “On 3rd May 2023, we conducted a regulatory visit and identified areas where the provider was not meeting requirements. The provider failed to identify signs of possible abuse and neglect, and children’s behavior was not managed appropriately. The provider has since reviewed their behavior management policy and improved their knowledge of child protection procedures.”
It’s worth noting that Little Monsters Daycare registered with Ofsted in February of this year, following the closure of a previous nursery, First Steps @ Bersted, at the same location. At this time, Little Monsters Daycare has not provided a statement regarding the situation.
