Fortress nursery, screamed the headlines when Asquith Nurseries launched its 'supersafe' initiative earlier this year.
CEO Andy Morris was bemused at the media reaction to his plans to install fingerprint scanning on nursery entrances, upgrade nursery locks and fences, extend CCTV and ban mobile phones across the company's nurseries.
'Why question that we are putting in tougher security? What is wrong with society? Children are the most valuable thing that we have got,' he says.
'I wanted to show that we are serious about security, not just paying lip service. Parents appreciate that we take every step possible to enhance security. I would never personally be able to accept it if something happened to a child in our care; I'd be devastated. It's my biggest fear and would make me leave the industry.'
High-tech
It will take two years to roll out the security initiative across the Asquith chain: £150,00 has already been spent on improving gates and fences around the nurseries, and £3,500 is being spent on each fingerprint scanner, a move that Mr Morris believes parents welcome.
'They want high-tech systems because they operate in a high-tech world,' he says. 'When we did our market research, a paediatrician in Bolton said he liked it because it made him feel comfortable, it was a good deterrent. Our ethos on security is why some parents choose Asquith.'
But Mike Marks, operations director of First Steps, says his chain will never install fingerprint entry systems. 'I have previously worked in IT and telecoms and understand biometric fingerprint systems and tags. They are all well and good but add a large cost to the nursery, and ultimately it is the parents who are paying for it. I do not think it is something they particularly care for. We much prefer to focus costs on to childcare.'
Each of First Steps' four nurseries, three of which are based in private-member health clubs, have locked entry doors with a buzzer and viewing porthole. 'Nothing beats a proper professional handover, with parents greeted with a smile and hello at the door,' says Mr Marks. 'I think it is nice to keep the nursery and childcare simplified and professional.'
First Steps' nurseries have CCTV for general building security and remotely monitoring the rooms. 'The CCTV is useful in a childcare perspective for reassuring staff that if anything untoward happens it is likely to be captured on camera to prove that they were using good conduct,' says Mr Marks.
But he is not tempted to install webcams for parents. 'Parents want to detach themselves from their children and go to work leaving them in our capable hands. Also, staff want to feel trusted and do not want to have parents constantly looking over their shoulder - it undermines their childcare professionalism.'
Becoming blase
Karen Walker, head of children's services for London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), says security for each of its 20 settings is different, depending on where the nursery is sited. 'Within a nursery group, one size does not fit all,' she says. 'For example, our settings in children's centres may have the reception as parents' first port of call. Overall, our settings tend to have entry buzzer systems. In some cases, there are also security cameras on the outside of the buildings, but this is more for deterring vandalism.'
She is cautious about high-tech security systems - 'Sometimes, there is a risk of getting carried away over how brilliant a system is and becoming blase about security' - but stresses the need for robust policies, with parents signing in, ensuring that children are safely handed over, and understanding the need for such procedures.
In a bid to protect their buildings from vandalism, LEYF is launching a 'Teens and Toddlers' scheme to inform local teenagers what happens in the nurseries. Ms Walker explains, 'Raising local awareness is really important, so that people see the nurseries as part of the community and therefore want to protect them. Local people then become your eyes and ears.'