A WORKER at a York nursery has been arrested following an allegation of assault on a child.

North Yorkshire Police said a 23-year-old woman, an employee at Kaleidoscope Nursery in Garden Street, The Groves, had been released on police bail as inquiries continued.

“The allegation is against a member of staff and the alleged victim is a child at the nursery,” said a force spokesman.

City of York Council said it was aware of the arrest but it would be inappropriate for it to comment further at this stage.

Kaleidoscope said in a statement that as a result of its rigorous safeguarding procedures, a member of staff at its nursery in The Groves had been suspended.

“The incident in question is currently the subject of a police investigation and we are unable to comment further,” it said.

“We are working closely with all relevant agencies including the police and the local authority. We take our safeguarding responsibilities extremely seriously and the well-being of the children in our care is of paramount concern.”

Parents have been sent a letter from Kaleidoscope, saying it is working very closely with the local authority and other agencies regarding the incident and will keep parents updated when it is able.

• Meanwhile, two members of staff at a York nursery who were arrested by detectives investigating the death of a three-year-old girl were given renewed bail yesterday.

The workers at York College Day Nursery were arrested earlier this autumn as part of inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death in September of Lydia Bishop.

The little girl died after being found on a slide in the nursery’s outdoor play area, with a rope around her neck.

The college has decided to close the nursery permanently.