Child safety will be strengthened by the Government following the "sickening case" of paedophile nursery worker Vincent Chan, the Education Secretary has vowed.
Bridget Phillipson promised a full child practice safeguarding review into how the 45-year-old was able to prey on youngsters in his care at Bright Horizons nursery in Finchley Road, West Hampstead, sexually assaulting them while they slept on the floor.
She told the House of Commons on Thursday that a rapid review was conducted "to establish the facts", adding: "A full local child safeguarding practice review is warranted, which is being set up immediately.
"I am clear that this wider review must shine the strongest possible light on these horrifying incidents and that we learn every lesson we can to make sure that crimes like this are guarded against at every step and every stage."
Ms Phillipson said her thoughts are with the child victims of the "vile and abhorrent crimes" and their families.
"My promise to them through these darkest of days, my promise to members (of Parliament) here today, my promise to families across the country, is not only that justice will be served, but that we will strengthen the ways in which we keep children safe," she said.
"We will root out abuse from wherever it hides, and we will never stop working to rid our society of this evil."
Chan on Wednesday admitted sexually abusing young children in his care. He had passed vetting and worked for nearly seven years at Bright Horizons nursery before he was unmasked as a paedophile.
He took photos and videos as he carried out the assaults and police investigations also uncovered he had downloaded at least 25,000 indecent images of children online.
The “chilling” abuse only came to light after a whistleblower reported him over strange non-sexual videos he had been making of the children in his care, apparently to try to make colleagues laugh.
Children's minister Josh MacAlister said the Government will look at the "full details" of the case and a local practice review would "forensically" examine what had happened.
Chan pleaded guilty to five counts of sexual assault of a child by penetration and four counts of sexual assault of a child by touching.
He also admitted 11 counts of taking indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child and six counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child.
He will be sentenced on January 23 at Wood Green Crown Court.
The families of the victims have been contacted directly and are receiving specialist support, while the NSPCC is running a helpline for all 700 families of children who attended the nursery during the time the paedophile worked there between 2017 and 2024.
The families of the victims have questioned how Chan was able to carry out his horrific offending and are set to take legal action against the nursery.
A spokesperson for the nursery previously said: "We are shocked and appalled by this individual's horrific crimes.
"Our thoughts are first and foremost with the children and families affected, and we are committed to offering support to them during this incredibly difficult time."
