This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/16/accused-melbourne-paedophile-joshua-dale-brown-childcare-workers-australia-ntwnfb
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Accused childcare paedophile’s workplace list grows as education minister backs national database | Accused childcare paedophile’s workplace list grows as education minister backs national database |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Jason Clare says allegations against Joshua Dale Brown, who worked across more than 20 childcare centres, shows new system is needed | Jason Clare says allegations against Joshua Dale Brown, who worked across more than 20 childcare centres, shows new system is needed |
| Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates | Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates |
| Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast | Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast |
| The federal education minister, Jason Clare, is calling for a national database of childcare workers and their employment histories – accessible at the press of a button – after revelations that the alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked at more centres than initially thought. | The federal education minister, Jason Clare, is calling for a national database of childcare workers and their employment histories – accessible at the press of a button – after revelations that the alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked at more centres than initially thought. |
| It came as another childcare centre was identified on Wednesday as being among Brown’s work history, a day after detectives from Victoria’s sexual crimes squad confirmed the addition of four more childcare centres, along with additional employment dates at 10 other centres. | |
| The latest centre takes the total of Brown’s known childcare workplaces to 23, in addition to work at a children’s occupational therapy service, though police warned “further updates are likely in the coming weeks”. | The latest centre takes the total of Brown’s known childcare workplaces to 23, in addition to work at a children’s occupational therapy service, though police warned “further updates are likely in the coming weeks”. |
| As a result, health authorities have recommended about 800 additional children get tested for sexually transmitted infections. | As a result, health authorities have recommended about 800 additional children get tested for sexually transmitted infections. |
| Speaking on Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Clare described the situation as a “nightmare” for families. | Speaking on Sunrise on Wednesday morning, Clare described the situation as a “nightmare” for families. |
| “More parents are being put through the wringer – all the fear and anxiety that their kids might be sick – and all the trauma that kids have to go through,” he said. | “More parents are being put through the wringer – all the fear and anxiety that their kids might be sick – and all the trauma that kids have to go through,” he said. |
| “The Victorian government and authorities are doing everything they can to track the details of where he worked. | “The Victorian government and authorities are doing everything they can to track the details of where he worked. |
| Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email |
| Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email | Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email |
| “But this highlights an example of why you need a database or a register, so you know where all childcare workers are and where they’re moving from centre to centre. That’s just one of the things that we need to do.” | “But this highlights an example of why you need a database or a register, so you know where all childcare workers are and where they’re moving from centre to centre. That’s just one of the things that we need to do.” |
| Clare said authorities “should be able to press a button” and know Brown’s work history. | Clare said authorities “should be able to press a button” and know Brown’s work history. |
| “This is a live investigation, so let’s park this individual case,” he said. “We should have a system that tells us where all workers are, which centres they’re working at, whether they’re crossing individual borders.” | “This is a live investigation, so let’s park this individual case,” he said. “We should have a system that tells us where all workers are, which centres they’re working at, whether they’re crossing individual borders.” |
| This month the Victorian government it would develop its own childcare worker registration system as it waited for a national scheme to be established. It would also require all childcare centres to adopt the federal ban on personal devices by 26 September or face fines up to $50,000. | This month the Victorian government it would develop its own childcare worker registration system as it waited for a national scheme to be established. It would also require all childcare centres to adopt the federal ban on personal devices by 26 September or face fines up to $50,000. |
| At the time the reforms were announced, the state’s minister for children, Lizzie Blandthorn, said national reforms were moving at a “frustratingly slow” pace. | At the time the reforms were announced, the state’s minister for children, Lizzie Blandthorn, said national reforms were moving at a “frustratingly slow” pace. |
| Victoria police revealed at the start of July that Brown had been charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims in his care, aged between five months and two years old. | Victoria police revealed at the start of July that Brown had been charged in May with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims in his care, aged between five months and two years old. |
| Alongside the health department, officers worked to contact about 2,600 families with children who attended the centres, with the 1,200 children likely to have had direct contact with Brown advised to undergo screening for STIs. | Alongside the health department, officers worked to contact about 2,600 families with children who attended the centres, with the 1,200 children likely to have had direct contact with Brown advised to undergo screening for STIs. |
| After Tuesday’s update, this has now risen to almost 3,500 families contacted and 2,000 children being recommended for testing. | After Tuesday’s update, this has now risen to almost 3,500 families contacted and 2,000 children being recommended for testing. |
| Sign up to Breaking News Australia | Sign up to Breaking News Australia |
| Get the most important news as it breaks | Get the most important news as it breaks |
| after newsletter promotion | after newsletter promotion |
| Police said establishing Brown’s complete work history had been “extremely complex” as childcare providers do not have centralised records. It meant detectives had to “execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information”. | Police said establishing Brown’s complete work history had been “extremely complex” as childcare providers do not have centralised records. It meant detectives had to “execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information”. |
| It comes as education provider G8 wrote to parents on Tuesday to tell them that Brown had also worked at World of Learning in Point Cook on 24 August 2023. | It comes as education provider G8 wrote to parents on Tuesday to tell them that Brown had also worked at World of Learning in Point Cook on 24 August 2023. |
| This centre was not listed by police, nor is it on the government website listing Brown’s employment. | This centre was not listed by police, nor is it on the government website listing Brown’s employment. |
| G8 said there were no records of Brown working at World of Learning Point Cook “on any other day” and apologised for not providing the information sooner. The company said the information had been passed on to police. | G8 said there were no records of Brown working at World of Learning Point Cook “on any other day” and apologised for not providing the information sooner. The company said the information had been passed on to police. |
| Victoria has also announced a review into childcare safety in the state, which is being led by the former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and a senior bureaucrat, Pamela White. It is considering whether CCTV should be mandated across centres. | Victoria has also announced a review into childcare safety in the state, which is being led by the former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and a senior bureaucrat, Pamela White. It is considering whether CCTV should be mandated across centres. |
| G8 and Affinity Education Group, which employed Brown, have said they would either implement or speed up the rollout of CCTV to all of their centres regardless of the inquiry’s findings. | G8 and Affinity Education Group, which employed Brown, have said they would either implement or speed up the rollout of CCTV to all of their centres regardless of the inquiry’s findings. |
| Clare, who will introduce legislation to parliament when it next sits to cut funding to childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards, backed more CCTV. | Clare, who will introduce legislation to parliament when it next sits to cut funding to childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards, backed more CCTV. |
| He said it would “deter bad people from acting badly in our centres, but also help police with their investigations when the worst happens”. | He said it would “deter bad people from acting badly in our centres, but also help police with their investigations when the worst happens”. |
| But Clare dismissed calls to bar men from working in the childcare industry altogether. | But Clare dismissed calls to bar men from working in the childcare industry altogether. |
| “Targeting blokes is not the solution,” he said. “If we go back and have a look at examples of abuse and neglect in our centres, it’s not just men, it’s women as well.” | “Targeting blokes is not the solution,” he said. “If we go back and have a look at examples of abuse and neglect in our centres, it’s not just men, it’s women as well.” |