Nursery Chain May Have Broken Law by Not Reporting Child Abuser to Ofsted
Bright Horizons faces scrutiny for failing to inform regulator of concerns about Vincent Chan, who was later jailed for child abuse.
Bright Horizons, a major nursery chain in the UK, may have violated legal obligations by failing to report suspicions about a staff member accused of child abuse to the education regulator Ofsted. The nursery chain did not pass on "significant concerns" from at least one parent regarding Vincent Chan in 2021.
Instead of reporting the allegations to Ofsted, Bright Horizons conducted an internal investigation into Chan. He was subsequently cleared to return to work. In February, Chan received an 18-year prison sentence after admitting to sexually assaulting and filming young girls under his care, with abuse dating back to at least 2022.
Department for Education regulations stipulate that registered providers must notify Ofsted of any allegations of serious harm or abuse by a worker within 14 days. Failing to comply with this requirement is considered an offense. However, the Department for Education has declined to specify which law may have been broken or whether the offense would apply to the company or individuals.
Parents have expressed anger at Bright Horizons for not flagging their concerns to Ofsted. One mother, whose daughter was under Chan's direct care for over 2,000 hours after the 2021 allegation, stated that parents' trust in the nursery chain was "utterly misplaced." She added, "Bright Horizons investigated its own employee behind closed doors, failed to alert the independent regulator and then allowed him back to work with vulnerable children." She believes an Ofsted investigation could have uncovered wider safeguarding failures and protected children.
The nursery initially escalated the concerns to Camden Council, but the council referred the matter back to the business for internal handling. Bright Horizons, which operates over 300 nurseries across the UK, has not commented on the specific claims of failing to notify Ofsted. A spokesperson for the company stated that they are "fully committed to participating in the ongoing Children's Safeguarding Practice Review" and do not wish to prejudice its proceedings. The branch of the nursery where Chan worked has since closed.