The Victorian Government has announced a sweeping review of the state’s childcare sector in response to shocking allegations that have rocked Melbourne’s early childhood education community and left hundreds of families seeking answers.
The review comes after 26-year-old childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with over 70 offences including sexual assault, rape, and producing child abuse material, involving eight children aged between 5 months and 2 years. The allegations have sent shockwaves through the sector, with health authorities recommending that 1,200 children linked to facilities where Brown worked be tested for infectious diseases as a precautionary measure.
Premier Jacinta Allan, who described herself as “sickened” by the allegations, has moved quickly to restore public confidence in the childcare system. The government has announced urgent reforms including the establishment of a state register of childcare workers and a ban on personal devices at childcare centres from September.
The comprehensive review will examine current safety protocols, background check procedures, and oversight mechanisms across Victoria’s early childhood education sector. Brown worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, raising serious questions about how such extensive movement between facilities occurred without detection.
Central to the review will be an examination of the Working with Children Check system. Brown had a valid “Working with Children Check,” a compulsory screening for people engaging in child-related work in Australia, highlighting potential gaps in the current screening process. Critics have long argued that Victoria’s system lacks the comprehensive checks used in other states, as it doesn’t factor in child protection reports or police intelligence.
The government’s immediate response includes several key initiatives designed to strengthen child protection. From September, all Victorian childcare centres will be required to implement strict personal device bans for staff, addressing concerns about how abuse material might be created or distributed. The proposed state register will provide better tracking of workers moving between facilities, closing a significant oversight gap.
At the federal level, Education Minister Jason Clare has indicated plans to strip funding from childcare facilities that don’t meet adequate safety standards and examine strengthening background checks for those working with minors, suggesting coordinated action across government levels.
The review will also examine the “two-person rule” protocols, ensuring no worker is ever alone with children. Child safety experts have emphasised that no worker should be alone with a child, ever, and this should be made very clear when centres explain their safety policies.
Child advocacy groups have welcomed the government’s swift action while calling for broader reforms. The Greens have renewed calls for a royal commission into safety and quality in Australia’s early childhood education system, arguing that systemic issues require comprehensive investigation.
For affected families, the government has established support services and a dedicated health advice line. The review’s findings are expected to reshape Victoria’s approach to childcare safety, with recommendations likely to influence national standards.
The scandal has highlighted the vulnerability of very young children in institutional care settings and the critical importance of robust safeguarding measures. As the review progresses, it will determine whether current protections are sufficient or if fundamental changes are needed to prevent such incidents from occurring again.
