Parents have expressed anger and confusion over how an investigation into the alleged sexual assault of children as young as two at a Devon nursery has been handled.
Police have spoken to more than 100 families whose children attended Jack and Jill Childcare in Torquay and it is understood up to a dozen children may be potential victims.
Parents are questioning why the nursery remained open between July, when the allegations were made, and the end of October, when Ofsted suspended its licence, compelling it to close.
One father said he learned by text message that the nursery was closing and felt let down and angry.
He said: “It’s a difficult thing to talk about. When it first happened we didn’t know a lot about what had gone on. Then we heard through a text message last month that the nursery was going to be shut. We were drip-fed stuff from Ofsted.
“It’s only a small nursery. I believe the [person arrested] had contact with my child. As far as I’m aware there’s been no damage done.
“My son now goes to a different nursery. If they get their licence back he will never go back there. We weren’t told the nature of it all, how bad it was. We were left in the dark.
“My boy has been there since he was a baby. We had a long relationship with Jack and Jill. I feel very angry towards them. I feel they failed my boy. He’s lost friendships with other children and key workers. A lot of the staff are very good. It’s a shame.”
Devon and Cornwall police said that on 29 July they received information relating to allegations of sexual assault at the nursery and launched Operation Lofting.
A male worker in his teens was arrested that day on suspicion of sexual offences and is on police bail. He has moved out of the Devon and Cornwall police force area while the investigation takes place.
Another young mother, whose two young children attended the nursery, said the allegations had led to anger and distress in the neighbourhood.
“Some parents are obviously really, really angry,” she said. “I have seen one of the owners and they are devastated. She fell apart when I saw her, she was a mess and crying.”
A staff member at the nursery, who declined to give his name, said: “I have no idea what’s going on at the moment. We don’t know why now Ofsted have chosen to shut us down. They’ve been in, the police have been in, everyone has been in. This place has been like a flying circus of people. I’ve never known anything like it.”
Police said the investigation was taking time because it was highly sensitive. Officers have viewed more than 250 hours of CCTV footage. They do not believe the offences include the taking or distributing of images. They referred questions about why the nursery had remained open on to Ofsted.
A notice from Ofsted on the door of the nursery said its registration had been suspended “to allow time to investigate our belief that a child may be exposed to a risk of harm”, adding: “We will regularly review the situation and will stop the suspension within this period if we believe children are no longer at risk.”
After an inspection in 2016, Ofsted concluded: “Staff have a good understanding of safeguarding. The management team ensures they are clear about what they need to do if they have any concerns about a child’s welfare. It regularly checks staff suitability and reviews the quality of their practice. Safeguarding is effective.”
Ofsted declined to explain why the nursery had remained open over the summer. It is likely that its inquiry will look into how nursery managers monitored staff.
In a statement, Ofsted said: “Jack and Jill Childcare is suspended. All parents of children who attend the provider have been informed.”
