What does everyone think about web cams in nurseries?

[Parent454]

I am spending some time looking at nurseries for my son and I have noticed a few offer a web cam service where I can watch whats going on in the day... Will this be a good thing or not, I am wondering. If I see him and I am at work will I miss him or feel guilty about leaving him what if I see him hurt himself? What does everyone think about this? I saw this debate whilst I was searching which makes me wonder if nurseries will soon not be able to use web cams at all... www.daynurseries.co.uk/news/article.cfm/id/42/should-nurseries-allow-parents-watch-chld-using-webcams

I would be interested to hear feedback

[modernmum44]

If you are not an overly worried parent, which I’m not, I think it is a great idea. It would make me happy to see what she was doing during the day and her little friends who I don’t get to see.

It would make being at work better I think knowing that she is happy or content. If something does go wrong I would be happy to witness it being resolved properly by her carers.

And if not I can go down then and say what are you doing to them? ;-)

[ShineSmile]

I would like them. It'd be reassuring to see that she is enjoying herself and well cared for.

[mixandmatch123]

I think webcams are a terrible idea. My child was in a nursery which has webcams and I was watching him one day and he was all by himself not playing with anyone and he started crying. I was at work and I couldn't concentrate all day torturing myself with images of my son crying. I went to the nursery and they showed me footage of him just seconds later laughing and playing with two other little boys. Webcams only show you a snapshot and sometimes it is the wrong snapshot! People say they are good for weeding out abusive nursery staff but I would only put my son in a nursery in which I had 100 per cent trust anyway!

[ShineSmile]

Mix, surely you should have watched it for longer than a minute?!

I think they are great. Only a good nursery would allow them anyway. Tbh I haven't seen many nurseries that have them.

[Naz786]

I think that is a greAt idea don't know any in Birmingham that offer that service

[Sirzy]

My son went to a nursery which had webcams in the rooms BUT they could only be viewed in the nursery office which I thik was fie.

I don't like the ideas of having them so parents can watch from home/work. I think that shows a distinct lack of trust in the staff and would lead to "but Johnny was left for 2.3 minutes when he wasn't happy" type complaints

[TiggyD]

Who would like to have a customer looking over your should the whole day? That's not the way to put the staff at ease.

What about the pervy parents? Lots of 30 year old men with a video camera where lots of 18-25 year old staff are bending over a lot.

Security. A lot of people could hack into the system.

Things being misunderstood because you only see a snapshot of what happens.

A horrible idea.

[callamia]

I'm putting my son into nursery do I can get on with work, not spend the day watching him anyway - I could do that at home.

Really, I think it's anxiety provoking enough without this added way of making you feel like you should be watching just in case, and I think you'll know if your child is unhappy there.
I wouldn't not use a nursery that offered this, but it wouldn't be a plus point for me either.

[ChunkyPickle]

I find it weird - my DS's playgroup doesn't have them.

I wouldn't like being continually watched at work (I've always been very aware when I was working in a shop etc).

On the other hand, I can see it would be nice to look in on them.

I think I'm on the fence. I know and trust the people at DS's group, and I've hovered the other side of the bushes when walking by their garden listening to all the happy yells and conversations, so I know it's a happy place and I don't feel the need to spy on them.

[tryingtocatchthewind]

No thanks it would just distract me at work and make me paranoid. I'm perfectly happy with my son's nursery but I'm sure there are times when he cries which I don't want to see unless I can comfort him.

That said I love seeing the photographs they have taken of him doing activities

[Tanith]

They don't stop abuse. Pop onto Youtube and see the filmed abuses from around the world in nurseries with webcams, and that's without abuses off-camera.
They play on parents' anxieties and they take money from often tight budgets to do it.

Abuse in nurseries is very rare, but an abuser will take pains to work around the camera (Vanessa George carried our her abuse in the changing area) and a snap loss of temper will completely forget about the cameras.

I object to them because of confidentiality and privacy for the child. We're supposed to respect the right of a child who doesn't want to be photographed - but we can secretly film him having a tantrum, struggling to complete a task, taking off their clothes, pushing another child, masturbating, being disciplined... and we can invite lots of strangers to watch. Doesn't sit right with me.

[ReallyTired]

Dd's nursery had web cams that only head office and the manager's office could see. The parents did not have access at all. I know the that girls who looked after the children were unhappy about the installation of web cams. The children were filmed every minute of the day, even during nappy changes.

I would like more CCTV in schools. I think its a good idea as it protects staff and children.