Forty-six families are taking legal action against a north London nursery where their children were abused by a paedophile, alleging a “consistent culture of brushing concerns aside”. Vincent Chan, 45, is facing prison for molesting girls aged two to four while working at the now-closed Bright Horizons nursery in Finchley Road, West Hampstead.
The legal firm Leigh Day, representing the families, said the number of claimants had risen from 12 to 46. In a statement, the families said: “What has happened here is not just about one individual or one nursery. We believe Chan’s crimes raise serious questions about how childcare providers recruit, supervise and safeguard staff, and how warning signs can be overlooked over long periods of time.”
The families claim Bright Horizons repeatedly dismissed concerns about Chan’s behaviour, enabling his crimes. They are seeking “full accountability” through civil courts and urging Camden council to investigate the case for prosecuting Bright Horizons as a corporate entity. The claims include breach of contract for safeguarding failures and neglect.
Chan admitted 30 new offences at Highbury Corner magistrates court on Thursday relating to ten girls and six women outside the nursery. He will be sentenced on 12 February for 56 offences to which he has pleaded guilty. The families of 700 children who attended the nursery between 2017 and 2024 have been contacted for support.
Camden Safeguarding Partnership is conducting a local child safeguarding practice review. A Bright Horizons spokesperson said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with the children and families affected. What happened was an appalling breach of trust by one individual and not representative of our dedicated staff.”
