A number of parents have come forward, claiming they alerted childcare officials about a nursery worker's suspicious behavior months before his arrest, only to be disregarded and made to feel overly anxious.

Vincent Chan, a former employee of Bright Horizons in north-west London, has received an 18-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to 56 sex offenses, including the abuse of children in his care at the nursery.

Staff members first became aware of Chan's questionable actions in May 2024, when he was caught filming children at the nursery, located on Finchley Road in West Hampstead.

However, some parents allege that they had expressed concerns about Chan's behavior to the nursery management several months prior to this incident.

Upon investigating, law enforcement officials discovered disturbing content on Chan's devices, which ultimately led to the uncovering of video evidence showing children at the nursery being sexually abused by him.

Further investigation revealed that Chan had used nursery iPads to film some of the abuse, which was later found by the authorities.

Bright Horizons, a UK-wide nursery chain, has stated that it prioritizes parents' concerns and takes the safety of children very seriously, acknowledging that Chan's actions constituted a serious breach of trust.

The nursery where Chan worked has since closed its doors.

The BBC has spoken to a couple, referred to as Rachel and John, whose children attended the nursery and were taught by Chan; their real names have been withheld to protect their children's identities.

The couple claims that they initially raised concerns when their son returned home from nursery with unexplained bruises and bite marks, but their worries were allegedly dismissed.

As part of the investigation, the couple was forced to examine images of Chan's abuse to determine whether their daughter was a victim, a traumatic experience for them.

To this day, they remain uncertain as to whether their daughter was abused by Chan.

Months before Chan's arrest, Rachel notified the nursery manager about her son's sudden and unexplained behavioral changes, which included fits of rage.

The child would often shout and scream at home, refusing to attend nursery, and would say "Vincent is angry," which raised concerns for the parents.

When Rachel's son came home with bruises and bite marks, another child at the nursery allegedly told him, "You're a bad boy," further alarming the parents.

However, when Rachel reported these incidents to the nursery manager and deputy manager in early 2024, she claims they downplayed her concerns and made her feel like an overreacting parent.

According to Rachel, the nursery staff assured her that Chan was a competent teacher and dismissed her concerns without further investigation.

Chan had been employed at the Bright Horizons nursery from 2017 to 2024, working as an early years practitioner and nursery nurse with children aged two to four.

He was suspended in May 2024 after a staff member raised concerns, and subsequent investigations uncovered disturbing videos filmed by Chan, including footage of Rachel's son crying.

The videos showed Chan filming the child's distress, rather than providing comfort or support, which Rachel found deeply disturbing.

It was later discovered that Chan had edited the videos to mock the child and had encouraged other children to hit him.

In September 2025, when police found images of Chan abusing girls, the couple had to endure the ordeal of examining the images to see if their daughter was a victim, although they were ultimately unable to determine this with certainty.

John described the experience as extremely challenging, saying it was difficult to ascertain whether the victim was their daughter or not.

Rachel expressed her confusion and frustration, wondering how Chan was able to work with young children for so long without his predatory behavior being detected.

The couple had chosen Bright Horizons due to its reputation as one of the most expensive and supposedly trustworthy nurseries in the area.

They remain upset that Chan was not charged with cruelty in relation to the video of their son, and the Crown Prosecution Service is currently reviewing the decision not to pursue cruelty charges.

Following initial concerns about Chan, Ofsted conducted safeguarding checks at the nursery.

The couple expressed shock that Ofsted inspectors had rated the nursery as "Good" just a year after Chan's suspension, despite the allegations against him.

Camden Council has initiated a Local Safeguarding Practice Review to examine the case and identify areas for improvement.

Rachel and John are part of a civil lawsuit against Bright Horizons, filed by Leigh Day solicitors, which alleges that the nursery failed to address concerns about Chan's behavior.

The law firm stated that Bright Horizons consistently disregarded parents' concerns, creating a culture that enabled Chan's abusive behavior to go undetected.

Bright Horizons has released a statement emphasizing its commitment to taking parents' concerns seriously and encouraging feedback, with a dedicated complaints team in place to address any issues.

The nursery chain outlined its procedures for escalating concerns, ensuring that parents' worries are thoroughly investigated and resolved whenever possible.

While Bright Horizons cannot comment on individual cases, it acknowledged the concerns raised by parents and their lawyers, expressing a commitment to learn from these experiences and improve its safeguarding practices.

The nursery chain encouraged parents to share their concerns and experiences as part of the Child Safeguarding Practice Review, to help identify areas for improvement.

An Ofsted spokesperson confirmed that the regulatory body was informed of Chan's suspension in May 2024 and conducted a visit to the nursery in August 2024.

Ofsted returned to the nursery for a full inspection in May 2025, after the management team had changed, and found the nursery to be satisfactory.

The spokesperson noted that the full extent of the allegations against Chan did not emerge until September 2025, after the nursery had closed, and Ofsted is currently reviewing its handling of the case.

A Camden Council spokesperson confirmed the council's participation in the independent Local Child Safeguarding Practice Review, emphasizing its commitment to supporting families and strengthening safeguarding measures in the community.

For those impacted by Chan's actions, the NSPCC has established a specialized helpline, which can be reached at 0800 028 0828.