20/11/2025
As a supporter of LifeVac and the tragic case of little Oliver Steeper, you may be interested in hearing the latest update.
The strength & motivation of Olivers parents are both humbling & commendable 🥰
https://www.facebook.com/share/19tAmuX6jL/
Out-of-Court Settlement Reached in Case of Oliver’s 2021 Death at the Jellybeans Nursery.
After four years of unimaginable pain, perseverance, and emotional endurance, we, Lewis and Zoe Steeper, the parents of our beloved son, Oliver Keith Steeper, confirm that a final out-of-court settlement has now been reached in relation to Oliver’s death at Jellybeans Nursery, Ashford, Kent, in September 2021.
The settlement includes an undisclosed six-figure sum and brings to a close what has been a deeply distressing and protracted legal process for myself and Zoe. While no amount of financial compensation can ever equate to the loss of our child, this resolution allows us to draw a line under a painful legal chapter and focus our energies on ensuring that no other family endures the same devastation that we have suffered whilst ensuring Oliver’s brother Jake has the best of futures ahead.
From the very beginning, our motivation has never been financial gain but rather accountability, truth, and lasting change within the early years sector. Over these past four years, we have had to relive the trauma of Oliver’s final moments time and again, whilst navigating complex legal, regulatory, and emotional challenges. We have fought tirelessly to highlight the systemic failings that led to our son’s death and to drive forward positive reforms in food safety and first aid procedures in childcare settings across the United Kingdom.
“For four long years, we have lived through an emotional rollercoaster, fighting, grieving, questioning, and striving to make sense of the unimaginable loss of our little boy. The settlement does not mark victory or closure in the traditional sense; rather, it marks the end of a chapter that no parent should ever have to endure.
While the legal process may now be concluded, our mission continues. Through The Oliver Steeper Foundation, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting children’s lives and promoting stronger safety measures across all childcare environments. Oliver’s legacy lives on in every LifeVac device placed into nurseries, preschools, and childminding settings, each one representing a life that might one day be saved because of him. In this way, Oliver’s passing will never be in vain. If you are able to make a contribution to Oliver’s legacy, please visit www.tosf.org.uk .”
Leigh Day partner, Jill Paterson said:
“Oli’s death was a preventable tragedy. His parents have endured the heartbreak of hearing a coroner raising concerns about the lack of knowledge of weaning amongst nursery staff, and about the insufficiency of the existing rules for Paediatric First Aid certificates.
“Last year, Lewis and Zoe sat through two weeks of evidence about the day their son died. No parent should have to do this. However, they have turned the most unimaginable grief into something positive by raising awareness in the hope that this never happens again. They have successfully campaigned for improvements in the early years’ sector and fundraised through The Oliver Steeper Foundation for anti-choking devices in early years settings.
“Whilst this settlement draws a line under the legal chapter, it also represents justice for their little boy, and a chance for Oli’s legacy to live on in a positive way.”
The Foundation
The Oliver Steeper Foundation has distributed more than 1,500 LifeVac anti-choking devices to nurseries, preschools, and childminders throughout the UK. Although we are a small charity, we have a significant impact on children's safety in choking emergencies, as well as on the safety of the staff members present.
We have minimal outgoings and pride ourselves on the fact that no wages are paid, no expenses are paid which means more devices for childcare settings.
Our legal team:
We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our legal representatives, Leigh Day Solicitors, who have stood beside us since the earliest days following Oliver’s death. Their compassion, professionalism, and unwavering commitment have been a source of strength and reassurance throughout this incredibly difficult journey. They have not only represented us as legal advocates but have also supported us as human beings, always at the other end of the phone when we needed guidance or simply someone to listen. We look forward to continuing our partnership with them as we move forward in our ongoing work to ensure child safety reforms are fully realised.
As this legal chapter closes, we remain determined to transform grief into purpose to ensure that Oliver’s story leads to lasting change, greater awareness around food preparation, first aid in a choking emergency, and the protection and safety of children for generations to come.
Lewis and Zoe Steeper
