Six arrested over running of two nurseries in York

The suspects, aged between 18 and 29, have been questioned by police and bailed while the inquiry into Little Joes, in Fishergate, and Heworth House, in Melrosegate, continues.

The probe, which is being led by police, Ofsted and children’s services, was launched last month - with investigators maintaining there was no evidence of sexual abuse.

A joint statement from Ofsted, City of York Safeguarding Children Board, York Council and North Yorkshire Police said: “The arrest of individuals by the police is standard practice where they have reasonable suspicion that someone may have committed an offence and this action should not be taken as an indication that offences of a more serious nature have emerged.

“Inquiries are continuing. We appreciate that this will continue to raise anxieties for parents of children in the nurseries, but we would like to stress that the welfare and safety of children is the primary concern.

“The nurseries have remained open throughout the investigation and we are now working with the nurseries’ management to ensure that any issue or concerns that arise in the course of the inquiries are addressed.”

Following the launch of the investigation, parents were contacted by letter and telephone and families were contacted personally where there was a specific concern. An advice line was also set up by York Council’s Family Information Service for worried parents,

The statement continued: “We have been heartened by the support provided by parents of children attending the nurseries and we remain committed to providing support and information, where possible, to parents as the investigations progress.

Any parents who have concerns can contact the advice line on 01904 554444, by emailing [email protected] or by sending a text message with contact details to 07624 802244.