Creche to let parents view CCTV after firm sees footage

One of the creches under the microscope for alleged physical abuse of children has told parents they will only be able to view footage from newly installed CCTV cameras once their management has examined it.

Giraffe in Belarmine, Stepaside in Dublin, was one of three childcare centres in which children were found to be mistreated in an RTÉ TV probe last May.

After meeting with parents shortly after the undercover TV investigation, Girafffe management vowed to introduce measures to raise standards, including the installation of cameras across its 21 centres.

And in a letter circulated to parents last week, director of childcare Dolores O’Donnell also confirmed a full-time staff member would be taken on specifically to monitor CCTV footage across all its outlets.

However, she said parents of youngsters at the centres would only be allowed to watch video recordings in “appropriate circumstances” and following an initial review by the creche’s management or the HSE. She cited data protection concerns and the right to privacy of the people in the footage.

“We may also, depending on the circumstances, block out the appearance of others on the footage. We understand that taking the approach we have in the policy is the best practice and that permitting parents to view footage on demand, without any consideration of the circumstances, is unlikely to be permissible under data protection law.”

Ms O’Donnell also confirmed cameras would be placed in “all care rooms, sleep rooms, kitchen, activity, street, reception, front door, outdoor play area, and external service area”.