day nursery after receiving complaints from parents, The Royal Gazette has learned.

Dr. John Cann, the Island's chief medical officer, confirmed "there have been parents who have registered complaints who no longer have children at the nursery.

"We have completed our investigations at this point and will be working with the nursery to monitor their procedures,'' he said yesterday.

Dr. Cann would not identify the nursery, but sources told The Royal Gazette it was Nambour Day Nursery in Paget. Management there did not return telephone calls yesterday.

Dr. Cann said the complaints related to "a variety of areas,'' and "discipline was one of them.'' The findings of a ministry investigation have been reviewed with the operators of the day nursery and "we...have stipulated what we would like to see in place,'' Dr. Cann said.

Professionals from both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education would work with the operators, but would not be at the site on an ongoing basis, he said.

A firm deadline for making the changes was not set, but "I would say within a month we will have a better idea of how things are progressing,'' he said.

Children at the day nursery, which is registered with the Health Ministry, are two, three, and four-years-old.

"We have to take any complaint that we receive seriously, which we do,'' he said. "We have to, before we take any action, get a very clear indication that there is a problem. Then we have to make the decision whether it warrants any further action.

"The bottom line is assuring the children receive quality care.'' One well-placed Government source said the allegations which were found to have foundation were not serious. Parents who sent children to the day nursery gave permission for the operators to impose discipline, he said.

The day nursery operators "believe in the old-time method'' of discipline, and "one or two parents have complained,'' he said.

Dr. John Cann.