Care Inspectorate Wales is investigating the incident
Noah left the nursery and was found by a member of the public(Image: Sarah Durgan)
Parents claim their toddler walked out of his nursery and towards a main road without staff knowing. Two-year-old Noah managed to leave Seren Fach Day Nursery on Gors Avenue in Swansea at around 10.15am on Wednesday.
His distraught parents, Sarah Durgan and Tarik Al Roshoq, told WalesOnline that they were only told that the incident had unfolded when they picked their son up later that day.
Sarah, 22, claimed: “About 10.15am my son got out into the middle of the road at Gors Avenue, Swansea.
“A lady saw him in the middle of the road. She stopped the car, scooped him off the road to get him to safety and there was nobody around.
“The lady who found him didn’t go in because she had her kids in the car as well. As she was holding him [a male worker who works nearby] went into the nursery and told them that they had a child missing in the middle of the road. They [nursery staff] didn’t even know.
“We weren’t notified until 11am when we went to pick him up. They told us they didn’t want to worry us. We were like: ‘No, you tell us if our child is missing.’” Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here
Sarah said little Noah would have had to negotiate two baby gates, four doors including fire doors, and the main gate in order to reach Gors Avenue.
A spokesman for the nursery claimed that the child did not reach the road, however the woman who found Noah claimed in a public social media post: “Today has been one of the scariest days in my life. I was driving up Gors avenue and could see a little boy walking in the middle of the road all on his own. I stopped and grabbed him. A man went down to the nursery to grab someone. A woman came out. I explained he was in the middle of the road…I didn’t want to let the child go but had no option.”
Sarah said her older son had attended the nursery for two years and that she had “trusted them completely”, however she said Noah is “never going back”.
Speaking about the impact on her, Sarah said she spent the rest of Wednesday crying.
She said: “I didn’t sleep a wink last night, I just kept checking on him even though I knew he was sleeping in bed. I just couldn’t sleep. Honestly, I didn’t stop crying all day.”
Noah’s father Tarik said they want to take the incident further and will be seeking guidance from Citizen’s Advice. He said: “We are going through this, so another parent doesn’t have to.”
South Wales Police and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) have been notified.
A spokesman for the nursery said: “Seren Fach Ltd is aware of the concerns following an incident at our setting on September 23, 2026. We want to reassure parents and the local community that children’s safety and care are, and have always been, our highest priority.
“In our 32-year history, an incident of this nature has not occurred before.
“We reported it to CIW in line with the required procedures for a significant event within the hour. Via phone call and e-mail.
“The child was spotted by an employee of the business that shares our driveway and the child was also spotted by a passerby and returned safely to the setting.
“He was not further down the road from the setting near traffic lights; as has been stated…none the less he should not have been able to exit the premises.
“We totally whole heartedly regret that this event occurred and that it is totally unacceptable.
“We are working with the police, the child’s family, CIW and our local authority contact; we have had further support and advice.
“The parents and the little boy were with us this morning reviewing all the evidence and statements to establish a timeline leading up to this event and how it could have occurred. Their little boy went into the nursery and played happily as usual with his friends.
“CIW is aware of comments circulating on social media, including some that do not relate to our setting.
“They will review all the evidence we have provided and will conduct its own investigation and notify us in due course of the outcome.
“They are satisfied that we have been open, honest and factual in the submission of our internal investigation.
“We have reviewed our security arrangements and introduced additional safety measures.
“We have also provided further staff training and updated our risk assessments and protocols to strengthen security and reduce the risk of a child accessing an exit without staff knowledge.
“We are keeping the family informed and working with them to ensure they receive accurate information.
“We remain committed to the families who place their trust in us and to providing a safe, caring environment for every child.”
A spokesman for CIW said: “Care Inspectorate Wales takes any concerns about the safety of children in registered childcare settings extremely seriously.
“Where concerns are raised, we work to ensure providers meet the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare, which include specific requirements on safeguarding, premises security and child protection. We are unable to comment further while our enquiries are ongoing, but we will take any necessary action to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing.
“We would encourage anyone with concerns about the care of a child to contact CIW directly.”
A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “Officers were called to Gors Avenue, Mayhill, Swansea at around 11am on Wednesday, September 23 following a report of safeguarding concerns following a child leaving a nursery premises without the knowledge of staff.
“The child was confirmed to be safe and well at home with a parent having been discovered by a member of the public. Child Protection and Professional Concerns have been made aware of the incident. The incident is currently under investigation.”
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