UK Government Introduces New Nursery Safety Rules After Choking Tragedy

Parents of Oliver Steeper, who died from choking at a nursery, welcome reforms set to enhance childcare safety standards.

Oliver Steeper, a nine-month-old, died in 2021 after choking on pasta at Jelly Beans Day Nursery in Ashford, Kent.
His parents, Lewis and Zoe Steeper, have campaigned for improved safety measures in nurseries for three years.
The Department for Education's new rules, effective September 2025, include mandatory paediatric first-aid certification for staff during meals.
Nurseries must now discuss weaning stages with parents and prepare food to minimize choking risks.
The reforms follow a coroner's warning about the risk posed by current first-aid regulations in nurseries.