Bright Horizons Finchley Road families meet Education Secretary on early years safeguarding reforms after Vincent Chan conviction

The families welcomed the Secretary of State’s time and engagement, and set out recommendations aimed at ensuring early years settings are closed to predators, and that concerns raised by parents and whistleblowers are identified early, escalated appropriately and independently scrutinised.

The families’ proposals include a national reporting and escalation mechanism (FLARE), stronger digital device safeguards, two-adult working in defined contexts for large multi-site providers, and robust governance around CCTV in early years settings.

Over the coming weeks, the families expect to remain in contact with the Department for Education as this work develops, including:

• engagement with Ofsted on how safeguarding recommendations could be reflected in inspection and regulatory practice, including in the context of the Government’s ongoing work on Ofsted’s role and powers;
• input to policy development on mandatory reporting;
• input to the Department’s work on digital device guidance and CCTV governance; and
• engagement with large nursery groups to ensure reforms are practical, enforceable and implemented consistently.

The families reiterated their call for legal accountability from Bright Horizons for safeguarding failures at Finchley Road. The Department reiterated that decisions on investigation and enforcement action under relevant legislation sit with the appropriate local enforcing authorities.

The meeting follows the conviction and sentencing of Vincent Chan, whose offending exposed serious weaknesses in nursery safeguarding and oversight. Families described the lasting trauma caused, and made clear that what happened must lead to meaningful national change.

The meeting was also attended by Jess Phillips MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls), Home Office, and Tulip Siddiq MP, Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Highgate.

Family statement issued through their legal team at Leigh Day:

“What happened at Bright Horizons Finchley Road exposed systemic weaknesses in early years safeguarding.

"We came with practical, deliverable reforms. The urgency is understood and now it must translate into action to protect every child.”