Should CCTV Be Mandatory In Nurseries?
A national debate has erupted across the UK’s childcare sector this January, with Government ministers, campaigners and nursery leaders confronting a stark truth: child safety in early years’ settings needs strengthening, urgently.
The catalyst? A series of harrowing incidents that have prompted calls for compulsory CCTV in nurseries and early years settings as a core safeguard.
At Almas Industries, where we’ve been supporting nurseries across the UK with expert security solutions for decades, we welcome this debate.
Although the vehicle itself is CCTV, we’ve always spoken about this solution as Safety Monitoring, for children, families and providers alike. We’ve seen a huge shift in perception around safety monitoring from staff and nursery leaders in the last five years.
We also see Safety Monitoring as a key component of a much wider security strategy.
Whereas staff used to be quite resistant, feeling that they were under scrutiny, they are increasingly
welcoming having a continuous pair of eyes on site, and undeniable evidence to support them in the case of accidents and incidents.
Why Now?
Government Signals Support for Mandatory CCTV After Shocking Abuse Case
In recent Commons proceedings, Education Minister Olivia Bailey confirmed the government is “considering the mandatory use of CCTV in early years settings” as part of a rapid review of safeguarding following the conviction of a paedophile nursery worker in north London.
The case involved a nursery employee who passed vetting checks and worked for nearly seven years at a Bright Horizons setting in West Hampstead before admitting a string of sexual offences against children in his care.
Government ministers have also convened an expert advisory panel to develop sector guidance on the safe and effective use of CCTV and digital devices in nurseries, signalling that CCTV could play a significant role in future statutory requirements.
Campaign for Gigi: Real Families Driving Reform
The conversation isn’t just happening in Westminster. The “Campaign for Gigi”, led by parents of Genevieve Meehan, a nine-month-old who tragically died in nursery care, has added powerful momentum to the push for compulsory CCTV.
Genevieve’s death in Stockport was captured on CCTV, and her family have repeatedly said that without that footage, her case may never have reached court.
Their campaign calls for:
- Mandatory CCTV in every nursery and early years’ setting.
- Ofsted inspections that routinely review CCTV footage.
- Unannounced inspections and clearer statutory safe-sleep guidance.
This parent-led advocacy is gaining cross-party political support and has influenced local leaders, including the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, who is developing a regional “safety in setting” action plan until national reform arrives.
Why CCTV Matters for Early Years Safeguarding
Here’s why CCTV is emerging as a practical safeguard, not a luxury, in nursery environments:
- Increased Transparency
CCTV provides an objective record of interactions, routines and practices that might otherwise go unseen or unreported. - Evidence for Investigation & Justice
In cases where harm is suspected, surveillance footage can be decisive in uncovering what happened and protecting accountability. Likewise, it protects staff and businesses from reputational damage in cases of unfounded allegations, or unavoidable accidents. - Confidence for Parents & Staff
Knowing that there is clear, impartial documentation of activity can reassure families and empower staff to speak up about concerns. - Enhanced Regulatory Oversight
If Ofsted and other inspectors can review footage routinely, serious issues may be identified long before tragedy strikes.
Current Ofsted guidance does not make CCTV use in early years settings mandatory which is a driver of the ongoing policy conversation.
Addressing Data Privacy Concerns.
With potential regulatory change on the horizon and parents increasingly prioritising transparency, now is the time for early years providers to review and strengthen their security strategies.
Key Actions Nurseries Should Consider Now
- Review existing CCTV systems and ensure they meet best-practice standards for coverage, storage and access.
- Update safeguarding policies to include digital surveillance and regular review procedures.
- Engage parents proactively about how CCTV supports safety and wellbeing.
- Work with trusted providers to ensure technology is fit for purpose and compliant with UK data protection law.
What the Sector Is Telling Us: Insights from the Almas Industries & Nursery World Security Survey
This growing national debate around mandatory CCTV is not happening in isolation. It reflects concerns that nursery leaders themselves have been raising for some time.
To better understand real-world safeguarding challenges, Almas Industries partnered with Nursery World to run a dedicated Nursery Security Survey and live webinar two years ago, bringing together early years leaders, safeguarding professionals and sector experts.
The findings were clear, and highly relevant to the current policy discussion.
Key Insights from the Nursery World & Almas Survey
The survey and webinar revealed that many nurseries are already reassessing their approach to safeguarding, particularly around visibility, accountability and incident response:
-
A significant proportion of nursery leaders reported gaps in oversight, especially in rooms or transitional spaces not consistently monitored
-
CCTV was widely viewed as a safeguarding and reassurance tool, not a staff surveillance measure
-
Parents increasingly expect transparency, particularly following high-profile safeguarding failures reported in the media
-
Inspection readiness was a recurring concern, with providers seeking clearer evidence trails to demonstrate safeguarding in practice
These insights directly mirror the issues now being examined by Government and expert advisory groups, reinforcing that the sector has been calling for clearer guidance and stronger safeguards well before January’s headlines.
👉 You can explore the full findings and webinar discussion here:
https://almas-industries.com/blog/nursery-world-and-almas-survey-webinar-and-beyond/
Interestingly after the webinar, 77% of the participants reported that they then felt more positively towards CCTV – this shows the importance of including staff and management in this discussion, not just imposing legislation. We’ve certainly observed a large increase in demand in the last two years from nursery leaders wanting to strengthen their safety monitoring.
Almas Industries: Supporting Safer Nursery Environments
As the childcare sector navigates this pivotal moment, we are here and ready to help nurseries enhance safety monitoring and compliance. We understand your challenges, with our Security Consultants delivering expert, friendly advice to nursery leaders across the UK on a daily basis.
A Responsible Path Forward
Nurseries are caring, nurturing spaces, but recent events have exposed gaps in visibility that no setting should have.
As statutory guidance evolves, the adoption of robust, privacy led CCTV systems will be central not just to compliance, but to building trust, protecting children and supporting staff.
Now is the moment for the sector to lead with confidence and clarity and Almas Industries is here to partner with you on that journey.
How Can We Help? We’ll conduct a Free Nursery Security Audit Visit our nursery solutions page to learn more and schedule your audit:
Get a Free, no obligation quote for Safety Monitoring:
Don’t forget to follow us on Social Media for all the latest news from the Childcare and Education sector.
