Tragic plea by mother and father of nine-month-old killed at nursery triggers pledge
Early Education Minister Olivia Bailey said the Government is doing “absolutely everything in our power” to protect children after calls from a bereaved family
The parents of a nine-month-old who died in nursery care are piling pressure on ministers to take action(Image: Supplied)
An education minister has promised that updating safe sleeping guidance in nurseries is top of her priorities list after calls from a bereaved family.
Early Education Minister Olivia Bailey said the Government is doing “absolutely everything in our power” to protect children.
It comes after the parents of nine-month-old Genevieve Meehan, known as “Gigi”, who was killed in nursery care in May 2022 warned urgent reforms are still needed in nurseries.
John and Katie Meehan, who handed in a letter to Downing Street to Keir Starmer calling for action last month, voiced their anger that unsafe practices had been allowed to continue.
READ MORE: ‘Our child was killed at nursery – we’re angry that unsafe practices are allowed to continue’
In an interview with The Mirror, they reiterated their “Campaign for Gigi” goals, which call for clear statutory safer sleep requirements, unannounced and more frequent Ofsted inspections and mandatory CCTV in nurseries.
Asked about the family’s safe sleeping plea, Ms Bailey said: “It’s on the top of my list of priorities. We’re doing it as fast as we can. We are doing absolutely everything in our power to protect the safety of our children.”
Ms Bailey pointed to Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson having launched a review of CCTV in early years settings. “That will look at the question of whether that (CCTV) should be mandatory, and it will also look at the question of how it should be used, which I think is really important, she said.
“We’re getting that underway, appointing the panelists, and working as fast as we can to get through that process.
“We’ve made a load of other changes as well. We’re constantly iterating to improve our safeguarding, but we’ve strengthened Ofsted inspections across early years, increased their funding, and increased their frequency.
“We’ve amended the guidance to update the safe safeguarding guidance. And we’re also really determined to do what Katie and John Meehan are asking in terms of the safe sleep guidance and doing that as soon as possible.”
Gigi died in nursery care in Cheadle Hulme, Greater Manchester, after being strapped face-down, tightly swaddled and placed on a bean bag, where she suffocated.
Last month, Mr Meehan told The Mirror: “There’s a real anger because we’re very angry about what happened to Genevieve and we’re angry that the situation is allowed to continue, where there are these practices that are unsafe and they’re occurring.
“Many of the campaign goals don’t require any particular extensive funding or consultation. These are really simple, simple matters.”
Since Gigi’s death, the nursery sector has seen the tragic case of Noah Sibanda, who died after an incident at a nursery in Dudley months after Gigi died. A trial is due to take place in April (2026).
There has also been the horrific case of paedophile Vincent Chan who pleaded guilty last year(2025) after sexually abusing kids at a nursery in Camden, London, and of Roksana Lecka, who was jailed last year(2025) after abusing 21 babies while working at a nursery in Twickenham, London.
