Oliver Steeper: Inquest jury finds death was result of ‘misadventure’

Ms Hepburn said: “I am concerned that even staff with valid training, without having regular refresher training they may not recall the finer particulars of first aid.”

She also raised concerns about current early years guidelines, where only one staff member has to have a valid paediatric first aid certificate.

The coroner ended the hearing by giving her condolences to the Steeper family.

A pathologist’s report had concluded that choking led to Oliver suffering a cardiac arrest and “unrecoverable neurological damage”.

He had no underlying disease that predisposed him to a choking episode.

At the beginning of the inquest, Oliver’s mother Zoe Steeper said he had been eating pureed meals at home, and she’d been assured by nursery workers that solids could be blended before being fed to him.

The jury also heard from Oliver’s key worker at the nursery, Loetta Collins, who said she had not received training about the size the food should be served.

Ms Collins said she was “content” that the pieces of penne pasta bolognese she chopped were small enough.

Another member of nursery staff, Nazia Begum, told the inquest she had been feeding Oliver and three other children at the same time.

She said feeding this many children was “not usual”.

The inquest heard how her first aid qualification was more than a year out of date.