On Thursday afternoon, the police received information that a boy under the age of seven had injured himself at one of the Waldorf school’s preschools in Umeå. He was treated in the intensive care unit at Norrland University Hospital for life-threatening injuries.
On Monday, the news came that the boy had died.
– We are in shock and we do not feel good at all about what happened, and we really regret that it has happened. Our deep thoughts naturally go out to the parents, relatives and their friends, at this difficult time, says Elisabeth Zachrisson, president of the Umeå Waldorf School foundation.
Three of the staff were on duty at the farm when the accident occurred and followed the existing safety procedures.
– Staff acted very quickly and the child was taken care of at once. They called 112. CPR was started on the child. The ambulances arrived quickly, as did the police, and they took over, says the school’s president.
Reflective vest stuck
The boy was wearing a reflective vest at the time of the accident, which he allegedly got stuck in.
– We have decided not to use reflective vests in the future. The reflective vests we have used are the same as the municipality has used, and it is Länsförsäkringar’s reflective vests that they also distribute, says Elisabeth Zachrisson.
The accident happened next to a playground that the school staff could not expect anything to happen to. You don’t see how the fatal accident could have been prevented.
– At the moment, we don’t see what we would have done differently. We think we have a very nice outdoor yard. And for us, the outdoor environment is an educational space, where we want children to be able to use their bodies, be creative, have fun and be stimulated. Therefore, it is also particularly sad that this is happening, says Elisabeth Zachrisson.
During Monday, the Waldorf school has been reinforced with extra staff, so that everyone can cope. A memorial room has been set up and psychological help is to be brought in to process what happened.
Staying open despite the accident
Elisabeth Zachrisson believes that it is important that the work team feels close to each other and that the children should be able to ask questions. Therefore, they have chosen not to close down the business, despite today’s tragic news.
– It is good to normalize and to take care of the difficult and the difficult conversations. And meet the children. From the reports I have received during the day, the children very quickly ask something and then the next second they are playing. And then the adults are around and I think that’s very nice. It’s not always good to withdraw with your thoughts, she says.
The police have started a preliminary investigation into causing the death of another. There are currently no suspects and the case is being handled by prosecutors. In addition to the police investigation, the Waldorf school must appoint an external investigation.
– It is to see how we can prevent this from ever happening again in our business. This is a question that affects all pre-schools and all schools in Sweden. It is important to pay attention to the outdoor environment, because it is an important educational resource, says Elisabeth Zachrisson.