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Paedophile nursery worker could have been stopped sooner, says former colleague
The nursery chain says it encourages staff to report concerns as Ofsted increased inspections after the case and families raised safeguarding questions.
- Former Partou King Street employee Bessie Martin filed a whistleblowing report after repeatedly warning managers about colleague Nathan Bennett, claiming she was told she was "imagining it."
- Bennett was allowed to return to work shortly after initial complaints, but a CCTV review two weeks later prompted his second suspension and arrest; in February, he was sentenced to 30 years for sexually abusing five boys.
- Partou nurseries were twice as likely as average to receive Welfare Requirements Notices through March 2025, rising to seven times more likely in the following 12 months after Bennett's arrest.
- Legal firm Leigh Day says 46 families are pursuing legal action against Partou, claiming it dismissed concerns about conduct; Alison Millar from the firm notes parents should expect their children to be kept safe.
- Partou told the BBC it "actively encourages" reporting and has implemented recommendations to "strengthen safeguarding governance further and enhance oversight across the organisation," while Ofsted increased inspection work into both Partou and Bright Horizons.
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