When we talk about cyberattacks, the spotlight is usually on large enterprises or government bodies. But recent incidents show a growing and more concerning trend: nurseries, charities and other social-sector organisations are being targeted at increasing rates, and the consequences can be far more damaging.

These organisations hold extremely sensitive information but often operate with tight budgets, minimal cybersecurity resource and limited internal IT expertise. In environments built on trust, care and community, a breach does more than disrupt operations; it affects families, donors and the people who rely on these organisations every day.

As attacks increase, it is clear that cybersecurity for the social sector is not simply a compliance requirement. It is a matter of safeguarding, trust, and long-term organisational sustainability.

WHY NURSERIES AND CHARITIES ARE INCREASINGLY AT RISK

Nurseries, charities, and care-focused organisations may not seem like obvious targets, but the data they hold is high- value and high-impact. Typical information includes:

Children’s personal information
Family and emergency contact details
Safeguarding notes and reports
Medical or behavioural information
Donor and supporter payment records

This data is uniquely sensitive, meaning the impact of a breach extends far beyond financial loss. It affects real people in deeply personal ways.

WHY THESE BREACHES ARE HARMFUL

The sensitivity of the data

Corporate breaches often involve transactional information, but social-sector breaches involve personal, emotional and sometimes safeguarding-related data. This significantly elevates the risk and impact.

Trust is foundational

A nursery or charity relies on trust from parents, carers, donors and the wider community. A cyber incident can permanently damage reputations and relationships that have taken years to build.

Limited security resource

These organisations frequently operate with small teams and tight budgets. Without dedicated cybersecurity capacity, vulnerabilities can go unnoticed and unaddressed.

High regulatory and safeguarding expectations

Despite lacking enterprise-level resources, these organisations hold data that is tightly protected under regulation. Breaches can trigger investigations, reporting requirements and legal pressures.

COMMON VULNERABILITIES IN THE SOCIAL SECTOR

Recent incidents highlight recurring patterns that expose nurseries and charities to risk:

Phishing attacks targeting staff with limited cybersecurity training

Ransomware incidents taking advantage of weak backup processes
Third-party system vulnerabilities in tools used for communication or booking
Broad or unmonitored access permissions
Outdated devices, software or unmanaged endpoints

Together, these issues create an ‘easy target’ profile for cybercriminals.

BUILDING RESILIENCE: WHAT SOCIAL-SECTOR ORGANISATIONS CAN DO NOW

Improving resilience does not require enterprise-level budgets. Instead, creating strong governance, visibility and controls can dramatically reduce risk.

Understand your data and risks.

Start by mapping what information you hold, where it is stored and who can access it. In the social sector, even small data leaks can be high impact.

Assess your third-party tools

Many nurseries and charities rely on apps for communication, reporting, bookings or donations. Reviewing their security configurations is a crucial step.

Implement clear access controls

Ensure staff aren’t over-permissioned. Role-based access helps reduce accidental or malicious exposure.

Build a simple incident response plan

Knowing who to contact, how to respond and what to communicate can greatly reduce the fallout of an attack.

Build a culture of awareness

Regular, accessible cybersecurity training helps staff spot phishing attempts and understand their role in protecting sensitive data.

HOW WE SUPPORT SOCIAL SECTOR ORGANISATIONS

Hicomply helps organisations build the governance, processes and controls needed to stay secure, without requiring specialist internal expertise. Our platform makes it easier to manage compliance, map data flows, assess third-party risk and strengthen day-to-day security practices.

For nurseries, charities, and mission-driven organisations, this means you can focus on delivering care and support, with confidence that your sensitive data is protected.

RESILIENCE AS A SAFEGUARDING OBLIGATION

Cybersecurity is often seen as a problem for large organisations, but the reality is that smaller, community-based organisations are facing increasingly sophisticated threats. For nurseries and charities, improving resilience is not only a compliance requirement, but also a matter of trust and safeguarding.

Organisations that invest in governance, visibility and security will be better equipped to protect the people who rely on them.