Toddler told to ‘hit harder’ by worker at nursery

A NURSERY worker who encouraged a toddler to hit another child has been struck off from working in social services.

Jenna Kincaid was employed at Woodlands Day Nursery – now Gryffe Manor Nursery – in Renfrewshire, when she abused eight children in 2016, a ‘fitness to practise’ panel was told.

On one occasion, after seeing a child push another from his bike, she called them over and asked the victim to hit the attacker.

The child was ‘really uncomfortable’ and delivered a sympathetic tap on the arm, to which Kincaid said, ‘No, hit her harder’.

Both children were left upset and close to tears.

Kincaid partially admitted the allegation, saying she had ‘stupidly replied, “Aw, just hit her back”.’

A Scottish Social Services Council hearing in Dundee was told how Kincaid had used her legs to pin toddlers to the ground on two separate occasions.

There were other instances of physicality where Kincaid yelled

‘Told he wouldn’t see his father’

in the faces of children while pulling them down by the wrist.

She showed little empathy when children burst into tears and threatened one that if he did not stop crying he would not get to the airport that evening to see his father.

Kincaid denied ever shouting at any children

Her supervisor described ‘peaks and troughs’ in her performance and said there were numerous days when she had to take her aside.

The panel ruled: ‘We are of the view that the facts found proved demonstrate an attitudinal problem: you appear to have had poor impulse control and difficulties with your emotional regulation.’

It said there was no evidence of the problem being remedied because Kincaid had failed to ‘participate in the hearing’.