A COMPANY that ran a Barrow nursery that was forced to close after safeguarding concerns has been ordered to pay out unpaid wages to a former worker.

Cumbria Childcare Ltd was taken to an employment tribunal by a former worker.

An employment judge has now ordered the company to pay out wages ruled to have been unfairly deducted from the employee.

The worker, identified only as S Brownlee, will receive £651.80 in wages from the company.

According to Companies House, the company changed its name from Furness Childcare in May.

Furness Childcare, based at The Corner House on High Street in Barrow, was rated inadequate by the watchdog earlier this year following safeguarding concerns raised Ofsted.

Ofsted also raised concerns about safeguarding at a Barrow out of school also run by the company.

Awarding the unpaid wages, Employment Judge Mcdonald said: "The respondent has failed to present a valid response on time.

"The Employment Judge has decided that a determination can properly be made of the claim, or part of it, in accordance with rule 21 of the Rules of Procedure.

"The respondent has made an unauthorised deduction from the claimant's wages and is ordered to pay the claimant the gross sum of £651.80 3.

"The hearing listed on January 9 2023 is cancelled."

The provider offered full daycare for zero to seven-year-olds and had 30 children on roll. The nursery employed seven members of childcare staff. 

Ofsted inspectors raised concerns over safeguarding of the children, with their safety described as ‘compromised due to the significant weaknesses in the leadership and management of the nursery and several breaches of the legal requirements’.

Their report said the quality of education and the behaviour and attitudes required improvement, while personal development and leadership and management were rated inadequate.

The overall grade of inadequate was a step down for the childcare provider which had been previously rated ‘good’.

The report also said children were also put at further risk as the designated lead for safeguarding did not have adequate understanding of all areas of safeguarding, and in particular, allegations management.

The building was described as not fit for purpose due to various concerns including a broken heating system which had not been addressed by the provider.

On February 11 Ofsted received information the premises was not safe or suitable for the provision of childcare.