The beast upsets tots around the day centre (5)
I believe the answer is:
stoat
'the beast' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both animals as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'upsets tots around the day centre' is the wordplay.
'upsets' says the letters should be written in reverse.
'around' is an insertion indicator.
'centre' says to take the centre.
The centre of 'day' is 'a'.
'tots' going around 'a' is 'taots'.
'taots' reversed gives 'STOAT'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for stoat that I've seen before include "Member of the weasel family" , "Weasel, ermine" , "Source of ermine" , "Small carnivore" , "Provider of ermine" .)