Camden Council commissions review into nursery worker's abuse

Camden Council is to commission an independent local child safeguarding practice review into the case of Vincent Chan, a nursery worker jailed for 56 offences. Chan had previously been cleared of significant concerns following an inquiry overseen by the council years before his arrest.

Earlier concerns raised

In February, Vincent Chan was sentenced to 18 years in prison after pleading guilty to offences including assault by penetration on three-year-old girls. He committed these crimes while working at a Bright Horizons nursery on Finchley Road in north-west London. Prosecutors described him as a "prolific sexual predator" following his conviction.

The Guardian has revealed that Chan was the subject of an earlier safeguarding investigation in 2021. This followed "significant concerns" raised by the parent of a young girl about Chan's conduct and behaviour. Bright Horizons referred the matter to Camden Council, which advised the nursery to investigate. During this investigation, Chan was assigned duties that did not involve contact with children. After the inquiry concluded, Chan was permitted to return to his role caring for young children.

In 2022, a year after being cleared, Chan filmed himself sexually abusing three-year-old girls at the Finchley Road nursery. He was first arrested in June 2024 after nursery staff discovered videos of distressed children in his care. A police search of his devices revealed tens of thousands of child abuse images and indicated he had committed sexual offences in a previous role as a teaching assistant at St Mary's Church of England primary school in north London.

Safeguarding review commissioned

The fact that Camden Council and Bright Horizons were aware of concerns about Chan three years before his arrest, and that an investigation took place, raises questions about potential earlier opportunities to prevent his offending. The independent local child safeguarding practice review, led by an independent reviewer, is examining how Chan was able to abuse children at the Finchley Road nursery and in his previous role. The review is expected to be published in early 2027.

Camden Council stated that the review's purpose is "not conducted to hold individuals, organisations, or agencies to account." It is understood that the Metropolitan Police did not receive a referral in 2021 regarding Chan, and were only notified of the concerns later. The Bright Horizons nursery on Finchley Road closed in June 2025, following Chan's arrest.

A spokesperson for Camden Council said: "Children deserve the best care in a safe environment and the ongoing independent local child safeguarding review into this case presents a pivotal opportunity to prevent abuse like this from happening again. Our participation in the review is thorough, and we have disclosed all relevant documents and information. We are determined to make a real and tangible impact on safeguarding arrangements for the future."

A spokesperson for Bright Horizons stated: "Our thoughts remain with the victims of Chan’s shocking crimes and their families. As the Camden local authority’s child safeguarding practice review is ongoing, we will not be able to comment without the express written authorisation of that committee as we do not wish to prejudice that process. We will respond as soon as we are able, once we have received the committee’s response."

What happens next

The independent local child safeguarding practice review is expected to be published in early 2027. Camden Council has stated it is ready to receive the review's recommendations and take action.