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This article contains references to child abuse.
Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan has unveiled urgent actions to enhance childcare safety in response to allegations against a former childcare worker who reportedly abused multiple children.
Joshua Dale Brown, a 26-year-old childcare worker from Melbourne, faces allegations of abusing eight children, aged between five months and two years.
Brown is charged with over 70 offences, which include sexual assault and generating child abuse material.
Authorities have identified 1,200 potential victims, and these children are being advised to undergo precautionary infectious disease screenings.
Approximately 2,600 families are connected to centres where Brown was employed. The government has reached out to affected families through email.
Brown was employed at 20 other childcare facilities. Police have indicated there is no evidence suggesting involvement from other childcare workers in Brown’s alleged activities. He is scheduled for a court appearance in September.
Mobile phone ban and urgent safety review
In response, Allan said “more needs to happen now” and that “families cannot wait”, announcing new measures that will be rolled out over the coming months.
From 26 September, all Victorian childcare centres will be required to ban personal mobile devices — a policy that was previously left to individual facilities.
“To avoid delay, we’ll be putting all Victorian childcare centres on notice,” Allan announced at a press conference on Wednesday morning, adding centres failing to comply will face potential fines of up to $50,000 and conditions placed on their licences.
An “urgent review into childcare safety” has been initiated by Allan, who described it as a “short, sharp piece of work” to identify immediate steps for Victoria. The report is expected by 15 August.
The review will consider options such as installing CCTV in childcare centres and explore whether Victoria can “go even further and act faster” than the national framework allows.
The state also plans to expand its registration system to track early childhood educators working before the kindergarten years.
Victoria’s Children Minister Lizzie Blandthorn said: “We can do that immediately. We can do that within two months.”
Additionally, Allan introduced a $5,000 “immediate-needs payment” aimed at supporting affected families, including those whose children undergo precautionary tests. This financial assistance is to help cover time off work, alternative care arrangements, and medical or mental health expenses.
Federal response and Working with Children Check reforms
The federal government is also working with states to strengthen Working with Children Checks, with legislation expected by the end of the year to expand safeguards in early education settings.
Education Minister Jason Clare said he was informed about the incident “over a week ago” and that it was one of the reasons child safety was discussed at last week’s ministerial meeting — although the case itself was not directly addressed.
“For every parent that is directly affected by this in Victoria, they would be frightened, and they’d be angry,” Clare said during a Wednesday morning press conference.
“I know that they’re angry because one of those parents is a friend of mine, and her two little girls are directly affected by this.”
“My friend is mad because of all of the stress and the trauma and the crap that she and her girls are going to have to go through in the weeks ahead. This is serious, and it requires serious action,” Clare said.
He said upcoming legislation would include cutting off funding for centres that “aren’t up to scratch”. But he cautioned that Working with Children Checks are “not a silver bullet”, noting that many perpetrators pass background checks because they have no prior convictions.
Brown had a valid Working with Children Check.
“It’s taken too long to do the work necessary to make sure that our Working With Children Check system is up to scratch,” he said.
Child sexual abuse organisations call for a national review
Alison Geale, CEO of Bravehearts, an organisation dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse, said the allegations were “deeply distressing” and underscored the “urgent need for systemic reform in how we protect our most vulnerable”.
“It is unacceptable that someone accused of such prolific and heinous crimes was able to move between multiple childcare centres undetected,” she said.
“We urgently call for a national review of child protection protocols in early learning settings, including more rigorous screening, monitoring, and reporting systems.”
The organisation welcomed the Victorian government’s immediate changes while calling for further action.
“These are strong and necessary steps. But they must be just the beginning,” Geale said.
“Bravehearts has long advocated for a nationally consistent approach to child protection, one that includes robust background checks, mandatory child safety training for all early childhood workers, and independent oversight of all institutions where children are present.”
At least 79 per cent of child sexual abuse survivors reported they were abused by someone they knew, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
A 2023 study found more than one in four Australians (28.5 per cent) had experienced child sexual abuse. In more than half of the cases, the onset of abuse happened before they were eight years old.
One in four Australians is not confident in identifying indicators of sexual abuse, and only one in five feels confident talking to a child or parent about sexual abuse, according to the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse.
The Greens have renewed their calls for a royal commission into safety and quality in Australia’s early childhood education system.
Greens senator Steph Hodgins-May said: “How many more horror stories from across the country need to emerge for the government to recognise the ongoing and systemic nature of abuse allegations within our childcare centres?”
“We can’t keep looking away. The government must establish a royal commission to uncover the scale of the crisis and chart a way forward to keep our kids safe.”
Victorian Greens early childhood education spokesperson Anasina Gray-Barberio said the childcare sector in Victoria was “deeply flawed”.
“We have heard the childcare sector in Victoria is deeply flawed, lacking transparency and oversight, and leaving the door open for abuse and neglect.
“Everyone rightfully concerned for their children’s safety today needs answers.
“It’s been distressing to hear that some of these affected centres were in my electorate of Northern Metro. My office is here to support everyone, and I encourage people to reach out so we can help you access support services.”
Readers seeking support can ring Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25). More information is available at beyondblue.org.au and lifeline.org.au.
Anyone seeking information or support relating to sexual abuse can contact Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 or Blue Knot on 1300 657 380.
