NASHUA, N.H. (AP) – Police, prosecutors and counselors met with concerned parents of children who attended a day care center where an aide was charged with molesting two 4-year-old girls.

City police and the Hillsborough County attorney explained at Saturday’s meeting how the criminal investigation of Shane Vadney will proceed. The meeting was closed to the media and the public, but authorities released a statement outlining what was discussed.

The director of the Hillsborough County-South Child Advocacy Center also counseled parents on how to speak with their children about sexual abuse, while staff from the Bridges Domestic and Sexual Violence Support gave the parents contact and referral information.

Vadney, 22, was arrested last week on 21 felonious sexual assault charges and four simple assault charges after a father reported his daughter had told him Vadney kissed her chest under her clothes and rubbed her during nap time.

Police said Vadney has admitted to molesting the two girls multiple times during their nap time, when he was left unsupervised with a class of 4-year-olds. He is being held on $1 million bail.

The day care center is also under investigation. It has been investigated several times in the past for potential license violations, including failing to submit staff criminal record checks to the state for about 20 months, exceeding staff-child ratios and inappropriate yelling by staff members.

Vadney had worked at the day care center since August 2004 as a teacher’s aide. He has no previous criminal record.

Nashua police are asking that anyone with information about allegations of sexual abuse at the Circle of Learning Day Care Center contact them immediately.

Parents who want to learn more about the day care centers where they leave their children can inspect public records at the Bureau of Child Care Licensing.

If the bureau investigates a complaint and substantiates it, it becomes part of the public record, as do reports of inspections and licensing violations. However, if investigators determine a public complaint is unfounded, the record of the complaint is sealed.

Family-run day cares with three or fewer children are exempt from licensing requirements.

Deirdre O’Hare, of Child Care Resource & Referral Network, a private agency that helps parents choose day care providers, says many parents are leary of unlicensed family day cares and prefer licensed centers, so the arrest of Vadney at a large center comes as “a big jolt.”

“Parents are really scared,” she said. “That’s their biggest concern: Is my child going to be safe?”

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On the Net:

Child Advocacy Center: www.cac-nh.com

Child Care Resource & Referral Network: www.nhccrr.org

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Information from: The Telegraph, http://www.nashuatelegraph.com

AP-ES-02-19-06 1508EST