Fingerprint scanning to be introduced at nurseries around the UK

The fingerprints of parents will soon be scanned at 36 branches of the UK's largest nursery chain.

Busy Bees will implement the high-tech entry systems around the country to give parents 'peace of mind' following a year-long trial, reports Children & Young People Now (CYP Now).

Operations director at the company Margaret Randalls told the news source: 'While secure entry numbers, key pads and passes are useful, they can be passed on to other people.'

While all parents will be invited to submit their fingerprints, those who choose not to will be able to access the nurseries through other means, she noted.

According to CYPNow, Busy Bees has signed a £500,000 deal with UK Biometrics Limited for the new security devices.

Last month the BBC reported that this practice was also being employed at two Kent nursery schools, but charity Kidscape said that the surveillance was 'paranoid and overkill'.