Bright Horizons, the nation's largest child care provider, agreed to pause its New York City expansion following a scandal involving worker abuse of toddlers. The company will surrender permits for a Manhattan branch where staff were accused of taping children's mouths shut and other abuses, part of a settlement with city authorities after multiple safety violations over the past two years.

The Columbus Circle center became the focus of investigations after employees reported a staff member putting bleach in children's water bottles. The city had moved to permanently close the facility, potentially costing Bright Horizons its $100 million contract with the Department of Education. Three workers were fired, with one pleading guilty to child endangerment and receiving three years of probation.

Under the settlement terms, Bright Horizons cannot apply to open new centers until January 30, 2027. The company faces significant reputational damage at a time when it was positioning itself to benefit from the city's expansion of universal child care programs. The scandal has raised serious questions about oversight at a provider trusted by over 1,000 corporate clients and thousands of New York families.