Barnet Council Offers Support After Nursery Abuse Case | BBC News

Barnet Council Offers Support Following Nursery Abuse Sentencing

A former nursery worker in Barnet, North London, has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sexually abusing children in his care, prompting a response from local authorities and a review of safeguarding practices.

Vincent Chan, 45, pleaded guilty to 26 charges, including sexual assault by penetration, sexual assault by touching, and making indecent images of children, at Wood Green Crown Court. Judge David Aaronberg KC warned Chan to expect a “custodial sentence of many years,” a prediction that proved accurate. The offences took place at Bright Horizons nursery on Finchley Road, West Hampstead, which has since closed.

The investigation began following a tip-off from a whistleblower, and police uncovered “deeply disturbing material” on Chan’s devices and iPads seized from the nursery. Detectives found video evidence of sexual abuse, some of which was filmed on nursery-owned iPads. Chan had previously been vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service, having worked as a karate club instructor and in a school.

Barry Rawlings, leader of Barnet Council, expressed his hope that the sentence would bring “a degree of comfort” to the victims and their families. “While no amount of jail time can undo the harm suffered by the victims and their families, I hope today’s sentence brings a degree of comfort,” he said in a statement released on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at 15:29 GMT.

The council is responding to the case by conducting safeguarding audits on all early years providers in Barnet. These audits will specifically focus on the use and monitoring of CCTV within these settings. Barnet Council is also actively participating in Operation Lanark, a safeguarding review commissioned by the Camden Safeguarding Children Partnership, to identify further lessons learned from this case.

“Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of the Barnet children, young people and families affected and we continue to offer them our support,” Rawlings added. The council is collaborating with partners, including the NSPCC, to provide practical, emotional, and safeguarding support to affected families. Authorities are urging anyone impacted by the case to seek assistance, emphasizing that “support is here for you.”

Chan worked at the nursery in a variety of roles, including art specialist, room leader, and nursery nurse, entrusted with the care of children aged between two and four. Detective Superintendent Lewis Basford, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, described the offences as causing “deep shock and distress.”

This case echoes a similar recent incident in Bristol, where Nathan Bennett, 30, is currently on trial accused of sexually abusing toddlers at Partou King Street Day Nursery and Pre-school. Bennett has already pleaded guilty to 13 other sexual offences involving five two or three-year-old boys. The Bristol nursery was closed by Ofsted in December 2025.