Published: Tuesday, 22nd July, 2008 12:00
Gold found guilty
By David Knox
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A FORMER nursery manager from West Linton who force-fed toddlers is to banned from working with children.
Gillian Gold denied causing toddlers suffering at Country Kids between March 2005 and August 2007.
But following a three-day trial at Peebles Sheriff Court the 63-year-old was found guilty of breaching the Children and Young Persons (Scotland) Act 1937.
And Gold’s name was forwarded Scottish Ministers to be placed on national list of people unsuitable to work with children.
Sheriff John Horsburgh said: “Her attitude to children was excessively disciplinarian.
“My impression is that the accused is somewhat impatient, intolerant, and lacked sympathy towards children.
“If that was her order of the day when she was a mother, well times have changed.
“She fed these children in an inappropriate fashion and I find her guilty.”
Former and current workers at the rural West Linton nursery told the trial how they saw children being sick as their boss forced food into their mouths.
Caroline Hogg quit her job at Country Kids after only three weeks because of Gold’s force-feeding.
And she contacted the Care Commission with her concerns.
Mrs Hogg told the trial: “I have never come across someone feeding children like this.
“It would have been instant dismissal at any other place I’ve worked.”
The Care Commission swooped on the nursery last August and within days had passed on their concerns to the council’s Family Protection Unit.
Following this week’s verdict Ronnie Hill, Director of Children’s Services Regulation, told the Peeblesshire News: “The vast majority of people working with children have the best interests of those children at heart and provide care to the highest standards.
“However the public should have confidence in coming forward to the Care Commission or the police if they have any concerns about the treatment of children – or of adults – using registered care services.
“This case has clearly shown that such concerns will be thoroughly investigated the appropriate action taken.”
Another former worker also condemned Gold’s feeding methods during the trial.
Nicole Hogg told Peebles Sheriff Court: “Gillian restrained the children to feed them – she would sometimes wrap the children up in blankets and tea towels.
“Some of the children were choking and she was still shoveling food in. This was happening every day.”
Gail Blackie still works at Country Kids and attempted to defend her former boss.
But under cross-examination she confessed: “There were times I thought I wouldn’t feed them that way, but I suppose my training was different.
“Sometimes the children were coughing and choking.”
Gold told her trial that the evidence against her was exaggerated and that no parent had ever complained.
And the nursery’s owner, who is the accused’s daughter Caroline Gold, claimed that her mother hadn’t done anything wrong.
But Sheriff Horsburgh didn’t accept either of the mother or daughter’s evidence as credible.
Several parents also backed the former deputy manager under oath.
But Procurator Fiscal Duncan MacNeill commented: “Mrs Gold was wise enough not to do these practices in front of parents.
“It is not surprising that these departures from regular practice were done out of sight from parents.”
Sheriff Horsburgh fined Gold £1000 and forwarded her name to Scottish Ministers to be included on a list of people unsuitable to work with children.
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