Parents given access to nursery's webcam
"A FROME nursery has become one of the first in the country to install a new webcam facility which allows parents to monitor their children while they are at play group."
Published on 26/8/2004, Frome & Somerset Standard By Wayne Cornish

The Butterfly Pre-school, which is based on the Marston Trading Estate, has decided to install the NurseryCam facility.

The new initiative comes a week after a BBC1 documentary, Nurseries Undercover, exposed three nurseries which had been mistreating and neglecting their children.

Nicki Hockey, the owner of Butterfly Pre-school, said: "Unfortunately, as the BBC documentary illustrated, there are some bad nurseries out there, and we are proud of the fact we are not one of them."

"Our new system benefits the parents and children, and good nurseries have nothing to hide."

"We have always had an open house policy at the nursery and parents are welcome to visit and join in whenever they want, but some parents don not have the opportunity because of work commitments."

"This system is great because a parent can keep a constant eye on their child and how they are being treated while still at work."

"The members of staff are more than happy to be watched as they have nothing to hide."

Dr Melissa Kao, director of NurseryCam, said: "The BBC documentary caused a lot of anxiety among received 65 enquiries from nurseries and more than 800 from parents."

"NurseryCam can be watched from anywhere with internet connection and soon parent could also watch it through their colour screen mobile phones."

"Logging in for a few minutes a day not brings peace of mind but also the ability to see your child pottering around and playing."