Campaign to control camera phones

Cheryl Higgs said she believed parents would feel safer with a camera ban

A Devon mother whose children attended a nursery involved in an abuse inquiry is calling for tighter controls on the use of camera phones in nurseries.

Cheryl Higgs from Plymouth said her aim was not a ban but to control and manage their use within child care settings.

Ms Higgs said many parents would feel safer knowing the opportunity to take pictures did not exist.

Nursery worker Vanessa George, 39, faces seven charges in relation to sexual assault and images of children.

Ms Higgs said she had received messages of support from more than 20 nurseries in Plymouth and Cornwall.

'Refined guidance'

She is hoping to set up a website to promote her campaign.

"There's a lot of legislation protecting children from photos being taken on cameras in schools, nurseries and swimming pools, but none to say staff can't take camera phones to work," she said.

"As a mum, I would feel a lot safer sending my children to a nursery where I knew the opportunity wouldn't be there to take pictures."

Ms Higgs said that since the investigation surrounding Little Ted's Nursery, several privately-run nurseries have already begun asking staff to leave their camera phones in a locked office which they can access during breaks.

Plymouth City Council said all nurseries had been given advice about best practice following the alleged incident at Little Ted's.

This included included "a clear recommendation that mobile phones be kept in individual lockers or trays where staff might secure other personal belongings or valuables".

Guidance for nurseries was being refined, the council added, with a written policy issued shortly which would fit in with council policy on taking photographic and video images of children in schools.

Ms George is charged with four counts of sexual assault and one count each of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children.