Government Scrutinizes DBS After Childcare Worker Incident
The British government is conducting an immediate review of its system designed to safeguard children and vulnerable individuals. This action comes after a BBC investigation brought to light how a nursery employee, who had been arrested for possessing indecent images of children, was subsequently able to obtain employment at another childcare facility.
Officials are specifically examining the case of Kristian Parry, who was later sentenced to two years in prison, with the aim of “addressing the issues” that have emerged. Parry's arrest was not reflected through the Disclosure and Barring Service's (DBS) Update system, which performs checks for pre-conviction information only every nine months, leaving prospective employers unaware of such developments.
Flaws in the 'Update' Service Highlighted
Parents at the affected nursery have voiced strong concerns, describing the system as “not fit for purpose,” while a prominent politician labeled it “fatally flawed.” Parry, 26, received a prison sentence in March after admitting to possessing indecent images and fabricating job references to secure a role at a Leeds nursery. He then managed to gain employment in the baby room of a different nursery in the same city two months after his arrest, while still out on bail.
“The DBS system needs a complete overhaul, it's not fit for purpose and it allowed this man to gain access to children,” one mother told the BBC. “Calling something an update service that only updates every nine months and doesn't actually inform employers of any status changes doesn't feel like much of an update service to me.”
The BBC understands that Parry's DBS check appeared clear because the online “Update” service, widely utilized by employers, only searches for non-conviction information, including arrests, on a nine-month cycle. The DBS states it conducts approximately 2.6 million Basic-level checks annually, with 36,000 revealing a conviction. The organization emphasized the importance of these checks in providing relevant criminal history information. Other levels of checks offer non-conviction or caution information, often required by settings such as childcare. Applicants or employers can subscribe to the “Update” service for rechecking records as needed.
Calls for System Overhaul
Alison Lowe, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime in West Yorkshire, echoed parents' concerns, declaring the DBS Update service to be “fatally flawed.” Families at the Leeds nursery where Parry worked after his arrest initiated an online petition upon understanding how the DBS Update service operates. “I think what's happened in our nursery has highlighted such a gigantic loophole to the system, that I think it would be incredibly difficult for anyone to ignore,” another mother remarked.
Lowe added, “We're writing to government to tell them that the DBS system is fatally flawed. We know that the Department for Education is telling nursery and early years providers to use the update service when they're recruiting as part of their safer recruitment processes but that's a fallacy, it's not safe.”
Parents discovered Parry's guilty plea to downloading indecent images after reading BBC online coverage of his sentencing and recognizing his photograph. “It was panic really, I ran upstairs to my husband's office and showed him the article,” a mother recounted. “Our daughter was at nursery at the time and we just went and picked her up instantly but we had so many questions; how on earth did this happen? I do feel the reason he was able to secure this job was because the DBS system failed us. It was designed to stop this scenario exactly and it was the factor that allowed it to happen.”
Further Investigations and Apologies
Families contacted BBC Look North and West Yorkshire Police to report that Parry had commenced work at the second nursery in July 2023 while on bail and under investigation. Neither nursery is being identified to protect the children's privacy. None of the offenses for which Parry was sentenced involved children in his direct care. A mother described the widespread shock, confusion, and anger among parents, noting, “Nurseries have these apps and I was able to look through and see that he'd changed my child's nappy, there were pictures with him in the background.”
West Yorkshire Police confirmed they are investigating a potential additional offense of fraud by false representation based on the new information about Parry. However, some parents have expressed concerns that a broader investigation into potential harm to children at the second nursery is not being conducted. “Children can't report these crimes, they can't report anything so why are the police not questioning someone's intentions who purposely sought access to children after being arrested?” a mother questioned. Another mother expressed disappointment with West Yorkshire Police, citing poor communication and the failure of bail conditions to prevent him from seeking nursery employment.
Tim McLachlan, Chief Executive of the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), called the case details “extremely concerning.” He stated, “A person on police bail with a condition to specifically not work with children should never have been cleared through the DBS system. This has wider concerns beyond nurseries as schools, sports clubs, social care organisations and many more rely on the DBS to provide accurate and up-to-date information to help them make safe recruitment a reality. We need to know how this individual was allowed through the net and what needs to change with the update service to make sure it cannot happen again.”
West Yorkshire Police issued a statement acknowledging that the investigation has been reviewed as part of the complaints process, and contact has been made with the Home Office regarding the DBS update service, highlighting this specific case. They apologized for potential communication shortcomings with parents and guardians during the initial investigation, identifying this as an area for internal learning. A government spokesperson commented, “These crimes are absolutely sickening, and our thoughts remain with the families affected. This predator should not have been allowed to work in a nursery setting. We are urgently looking into the circumstances of this case so we can address the issues it has raised.”