The UK government is considering mandating CCTV in nurseries following the conviction of Vincent Chan, 45, for multiple counts of sexual assault against children in his care at the Bright Horizons nursery in West Hampstead, London. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced the potential policy shift in a written statement to Parliament today, describing Chan’s crimes as “absolutely sickening.”
Chan pleaded guilty to 26 charges, including five counts of sexual assault on a child by penetration and four counts of sexual assault of a child by touching, in December 2025. The case prompted a local child safeguarding practice review, commissioned by Phillipson, to identify ways to prevent similar incidents.
While initially expressing concerns that CCTV footage could itself be misused to facilitate other forms of child abuse, Phillipson indicated a shift in position. She stated that a new expert panel will soon begin work on developing guidance for the sector regarding the safe and effective use of CCTV and digital devices. The panel will specifically consider whether CCTV should be a mandatory requirement in early years settings.
“Keeping children safe is one of the most important duties of any society,” Phillipson wrote in her statement. “This government will work with [early years staff and wider children’s services], and with the victims and families affected, to continue to strengthen child protection. We will root out abuse wherever it hides, and we will never stop working to rid our society of this evil.”
Education Minister Olivia Bailey told the House of Commons on Monday that the government is “considering the mandatory use of CCTV in early years settings” as part of the ongoing review. This followed calls from Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, who represents the Hampstead and Highgate constituency where the abuse occurred, for mandatory CCTV implementation.
Bright Horizons, the nursery chain involved, has stated it was “shocked and appalled” by Chan’s actions and has launched an independent review of its own procedures.
Phillipson also announced plans to work with Ofsted, the regulatory body for education and childcare, to introduce reporting requirements for larger nursery chains. This aims to address issues that may span multiple provider locations more effectively.
