London: Thousands of London parents are monitoring their children at nursery by webcam.
More than 100 nurseries have installed the cameras so parents can watch their offspring while they are at work.
The equipment lets parents log on to the nursery's website so they can view their son or daughter at play.
The boom comes in the wake of a report warning that nurseries and daycare groups are creating "anti-social" children. Oxford University researchers found toddlers become more disruptive the longer they attend, particularly if it is for more than 35 hours a week.
The study, funded by the Department for Education and Skills, reignited the debate over whether young children are better off being looked after at home.
The nursery webcams are largely aimed at new mothers who want to resume their career but feel anxious about leaving their child at a young age.
A typical system covering four rooms and a garden will cost around £10,000 (Dh72,595) to put in. So far they have only been installed in private nurseries.
Nurseries with the system can charge a premium of up to £25 (Dh181) a week, with a typical parent paying £175 (Dh1,270) for a week of full-time care for their four-year-old, compared with £150 (Dh1,089) at an ordinary establishment.
