We are a group of parents whose babies were cared for, at nursery, by a man who was on bail and was later convicted of offences involving Category A indecent images of children. During that time, he had direct, hands-on care of children under 18 months old, including intimate tasks such as changing nappies. He was employed at a nursery whilst on bail and passed an enhanced DBS check. His bail conditions included having no contact with children.

This case has been already reported by the BBC and the Yorkshire Post. Link

As the parents directly affected, we have to live with not knowing whether this man abused his position while working in our children's nursery. Nobody should have to carry that uncertainty, or worse. This petition is our attempt to make sure they don't, but this issue goes far beyond our case. Think about the children and vulnerable adults in your life who are cared for in nurseries, schools, hospitals, care homes and other professional settings.

The DBS system is trusted by nurseries, schools, the NHS, and care homes to safeguard children and vulnerable people, but this case has exposed serious gaps in how it works. Critical information can take up to 60 days or more to appear on DBS records, even when police and safeguarding agencies have already shared it. Employers receive no proactive alert when serious risks emerge, meaning individuals can continue in roles involving children while investigations are ongoing. As this case demonstrates, someone on bail for serious offences can still pass an enhanced DBS check and obtain a position of trust , creating a false sense of safety for employers and families alike.

Young children, especially babies, cannot report concerns or speak up for themselves. They rely entirely on the adults and systems around them. A safeguarding system that cannot warn employers about serious risks in real time is not fit for purpose.

Despite multiple safeguarding concerns being raised in cases such as ours, we are not aware of any meaningful review or reform currently taking place.

We are calling for an urgent review of the DBS process, including:

• Significantly reducing delays in updating records, with a target of near real-time updates or within 24 hours where serious safeguarding risks are identified
• Improved information sharing between police, safeguarding bodies, regulators, and employers
• A system that proactively alerts employers when serious safeguarding concerns arise
• Clearer guidance to employers about the limitations of DBS checks, so they are not relied upon in isolation
• A review into whether the current DBS Update Service is fit for purpose in childcare and vulnerable settings if these issues cannot be resolved

By signing this petition, you're helping to support the parents of our nursery, but also taking a step to help us make sure this doesn't happen to any other families.