Key facts
- A former employee of a Partou nursery in Bristol raised concerns about Nathan Bennett's behavior.
- The former employee claims management ignored her concerns about Nathan Bennett.
- Nathan Bennett was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
- Nathan Bennett was convicted of sexually abusing five boys.
- Other Partou nurseries received official notices to improve safeguarding.
- Bright Horizons nurseries received official notices to improve safeguarding.
- The notices to improve safeguarding were issued after similar incidents.
A former employee at a Partou nursery in Bristol has come forward with allegations that management disregarded her concerns regarding the behavior of Nathan Bennett, a nursery worker who was later found to be abusing children. Bennett has since been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the sexual abuse of five young boys. The former colleague claims that her warnings about Bennett's conduct were ignored by the nursery's management. This situation has raised questions about the effectiveness of safeguarding procedures at the Partou nursery. Further investigations into the broader nursery chains have revealed that other Partou nurseries, as well as Bright Horizons nurseries, have received official notices to improve their safeguarding practices. These notices were issued after incidents similar to those involving Bennett, indicating potential systemic issues in child protection across multiple facilities within these organizations. The former employee's statement suggests that Bennett's abuse might have been preventable had the management taken her concerns seriously.