PARENTS often suffer from the dilemma of juggling their career with looking after their children.But one Suffolk nursery has come up with an innovative way to ensure doting parents never miss a trick.

Craig Robinson

PARENTS often suffer from the dilemma of juggling their career with looking after their children.

But one Suffolk nursery has come up with an innovative way to ensure doting parents never miss a trick.

Angels Day Care in Needham Market has installed a “NurseryCam” in each of its three rooms so that mothers and fathers can watch their youngsters even when they are at work.

Each parent is given their own unique password which they can use when they log on to the nursery's website and which gives them access to the camera in their child's play room.

Sue Button, who runs the nursery, said the response from parents had been extremely positive.

“I have three children of my own and I know that however much you trust the people who look after them there is no guarantee of knowing what goes on when you leave.

“However we have nothing to hide and we wanted to give parents the assurance that they can watch their children whenever they like.

“For example, say we are having a baking activity at 10am, mums and dads can log in at that time - even though they are at work - and see how their child gets on. That way they don't feel as if they are missing out.

“Another nice feature is that we can record what happens and then give it to parents at the end of the day. If their baby takes its first steps we can put it on a CD so they can see how it happened.”

Ms Button, who has been in charge of the nursery since December, said security was of paramount importance.

“Parents can only access the webcam if they log onto our website and have their own password,” she said.

“They can only view the camera which is in their child's room during the time their child is here and we have a register of who is looking at each camera so it is extremely safe.”

She said the nursery, which provides full-time care for aged from four months to five years and out of school care for those aged five to 13 years, had also installed fingerprint scanning at its entrance to increase the safety of its youngsters.

The biometric security system only allows authorised parents and staff to access the building and when registered people swipe their finger their details also flash up on a computer in the office.

Ms Button said: “Running a nursery you always have a lot of people coming to the front door. It was always kept locked and the fingerprints have made it easier.

“Parents or guardians register their fingerprint with us and we restrict the access to certain times of the day - when they are supposed to be picking up and dropping off their children, that's the only time it will work.

“It's expensive but there's no price for peace of mind. As a parent when you leave your baby for the first time you want to know that they are safe.”