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Victoria’s urgent childcare review recommendations unveiled: major reforms but no ‘silver bullet’ to stop ‘dangerous individuals’ Victoria’s urgent childcare review recommendations unveiled: major reforms but no ‘silver bullet’ to stop ‘dangerous individuals’
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Allan government commits to accepting all 22 recommendations, with several also directed at federal governmentAllan government commits to accepting all 22 recommendations, with several also directed at federal government
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Major reforms to working with children checks, a new database and regulator, more unannounced visits to childcare centres and an urgent rethink of how the entire early childhood education system is funded have been recommended as part of Victoria’s urgent review into the childcare sector.Major reforms to working with children checks, a new database and regulator, more unannounced visits to childcare centres and an urgent rethink of how the entire early childhood education system is funded have been recommended as part of Victoria’s urgent review into the childcare sector.
The review, written by former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pam White, was released in full by the state government on Wednesday. The review, written by the former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior Victorian bureaucrat Pam White, was released in full by the state government on Wednesday.
It was ordered up by the Victorian government after it was revealed in July that childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown had been charged with sexually abusing eight children, aged between five months and two years old. The Victorian government ordered the review after it was revealed in July that childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown had been charged with sexually abusing eight children, aged between five months and two years.
While the review, which was general in nature, warned there was “no silver bullet” to “prevent dangerous individuals” from working in the sector, the current system required a “fundamental reset” to improve child safety. While the review, which was general in nature, warned there was “no silver bullet” to “prevent dangerous individuals” from working in the sector, it found the system required a “fundamental reset” to improve child safety.
It said responsibilities for the early childhood education system (ECEC) were currently split between federal and state territory governments, while in Victoria, several government departments and agencies were involved in its regulation, leading to “gaps”. Sign up: AU Breaking News email
The review said responsibilities for the early childhood education and care (ECEC) system were currently split between federal and state and territory governments. It found that in Victoria, several government departments and agencies were involved in its regulation, leading to “gaps”.
“The review heard repeatedly about the ‘breadcrumbs’ that can be missed by the failure to piece information together,” it read.“The review heard repeatedly about the ‘breadcrumbs’ that can be missed by the failure to piece information together,” it read.
It made 22 recommendations, with the Victorian government having committed to accepting them all. Several of the recommendations are also directed at the federal government. It made 22 recommendations, with the Victorian government committing to accepting all of them. Several of the recommendations were directed at the federal government.
For-profit has grown, but the rules have not kept upFor-profit has grown, but the rules have not kept up
The report finds the ECEC sector has undergone “rapid growth” over the past decade. In Victoria, the number of long day care services has grown by 60% since 2015, from 1,280 to 2,049. Of the 726 new services 94% are operated by for-profit providers. The review found the ECEC sector had undergone “rapid growth” over the past decade. In Victoria, the number of long day care services had grown by 60% since 2015, from 1,280 to 2,049. Of the 726 new services, 94% were operated by for-profit providers.
But it says there hasn’t been a “coherent plan” to manage this growth. But it said there had not been a “coherent plan” to manage this growth.
“Rather, the market has been left to respond to financial incentives that encourage providers to open services and charge high fees, but does not drive investment in quality, safety or in a stable, capable and well-supported workforce,” it reads. “Rather, the market has been left to respond to financial incentives that encourage providers to open services and charge high fees, but does not drive investment in quality, safety or in a stable, capable and well-supported workforce,” it read.
This has led to “significant workforce challenges including shortages, casualisation and the use of labour hire, and high turnover rates”. This had led to “significant workforce challenges including shortages, casualisation and the use of labour hire, and high turnover rates”.
The review recommends the commonwealth lead an “urgent rethink” of ECEC – including its current funding model – to address these issues, as well as establish a “time-limited” early childhood reform commission. The review recommended the commonwealth lead an “urgent rethink” of ECEC – including its current funding model – to address these issues, as well as establish a “time-limited” early childhood reform commission.
The commonwealth is also urged to set up a national early childhood worker register, covering all early childhood education and care staff across Australia, and change the law to give state regulators the power to deregister individuals. The commonwealth was also urged to set up a national early childhood worker register, covering all ECEC staff across Australia, and change the law to give state regulators the power to deregister individuals.
The Albanese government has already committed to a national register, though Victoria has set up its own in the interim, due to the “frustratingly slow” pace of federal reform.The Albanese government has already committed to a national register, though Victoria has set up its own in the interim, due to the “frustratingly slow” pace of federal reform.
Working with children’s checksWorking with children’s checks
In Victoria, the review recommends an “overhaul” of the working with children check (WWCC) scheme to allow an individual’s clearance be suspended or refused when there are “credible allegations or patterns of concerning behaviour with children”, such as unsubstantiated information or intelligence from police. In Victoria, the review recommended an “overhaul” of the working with children check (WWCC) scheme to allow an individual’s clearance to be suspended or refused when there were “credible allegations or patterns of concerning behaviour with children”, such as unsubstantiated information or intelligence from police.
It said the current system was “rigid” and relied only on criminal history or substantiated findings to revoke a WWCC, meaning “red flags” such as “pattern of behaviour or repetition of incidents” were “missed.” It said the current system was “rigid” and relied solely on criminal history or substantiated findings to revoke a WWCC, meaning “red flags” such as “pattern of behaviour or repetition of incidents” were “missed”. It said individuals should be reassessed if new allegations were made.
Individuals should also be reassessed if new allegations are made. Anyone applying for a WWCC should be required to complete online child safety training and testing, the review said, in what it described as an Australian first.
Anyone applying for a WWCC should also be required to complete online child safety training and testing, in what the review described as an Australian-first. The review also recommended urgent legislative changes to the reportable conduct scheme – to give it the power to share unsubstantiated allegations with other relevant regulators and agencies, remove its discretion not to share substantiated findings and to recognise findings or investigations in other states and territories.
The review also recommended urgent legislative changes to the reportable conduct scheme – to give it the power it to share unsubstantiated allegations with other relevant regulators and agencies, remove its discretion not to share substantiated findings and to recognise findings or investigations in other states and territories. Sign up to Breaking News Australia
It said the reportable conduct scheme, managed by the Commission for Children and Young People, and the WWCC screening authority, which sits within the department of government services, must be bought into a single entity. Get the most important news as it breaks
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It said the reportable conduct scheme, managed by the Commission for Children and Young People, and the WWCC screening authority, which sits within the Department of Government Services, must be merged into a single entity.
This entity should also mange a new database to “bring child safety risk information together in one place”.This entity should also mange a new database to “bring child safety risk information together in one place”.
“The safe use of artificial intelligence should be looked at to allow new information to be quickly scanned and patterns of concerning behaviour identified,” it said.“The safe use of artificial intelligence should be looked at to allow new information to be quickly scanned and patterns of concerning behaviour identified,” it said.
It described this as “one of the most critical changes that must happen” to ensure the “breadcrumbs” are “able to be seen and acted upon”. It described this as “one of the most critical changes that must happen” to ensure the “breadcrumbs” were “able to be seen and acted upon”.
An independent regulatorAn independent regulator
The review also recommends setting up an independent ECEC regulator, taking it out of the department of education where it currently sits, to “avoid conflicts of interest”. The review also recommended setting up an independent ECEC regulator, removing it from the Department of Education, where it currently sits, to “avoid conflicts of interest”.
It said this regulator should apply the “most rigorous inspection regime in the country”, conducting unannounced visits “at least once per service every 12 months”. The review found currently these checks were happening every two years. It said this regulator should apply the “most rigorous inspection regime in the country”, conducting unannounced visits “at least once per service every 12 months”. The review found that these checks were currently conducted every two years.
It also urged this regulator be appropriately funded, with the commonwealth to “play its part”, given it stopped contributing funding in 2018. It also urged that this regulator be appropriately funded, with the commonwealth to “play its part”, given it stopped contributing financially in 2018.
Improve centre environmentImprove centre environment
The review also made several recommendations to improve safety at a centre level.The review also made several recommendations to improve safety at a centre level.
It called for a federal review into staffing arrangements, including “consideration of a ‘four eyes’ rule of two adults visible to each other while with children”, as well funding to help centres undertake renovations to create “clear lines of sight”. It called for a federal review into staffing arrangements, including “consideration of a ‘four eyes’ rule of two adults visible to each other while with children”, as well as funding to help centres undertake renovations to create “clear lines of sight”.
It said centres should ensure all new staff, casuals and labour hire staff undergo background checks and contact their two previous employers, even when not listed at referees. It said centres should ensure all new staff, casuals and labour hire staff undergo background checks and contact their two previous employers, even when not listed as referees.
It also urged mandatory child safety training and for the federal government to fund time for staff to undergo further training and stamp out “poor quality registered training organisations”.It also urged mandatory child safety training and for the federal government to fund time for staff to undergo further training and stamp out “poor quality registered training organisations”.
But the review said it was difficult to reach a consensus on the use of CCTV in centres, citing concerns around data security and access, privacy of children and efficacy. Its authors said “investment in staffing and workforce capabilities should be prioritised”, though it recommended a 12-month trial, focusing on its use as a “regulatory and investigative tool”.But the review said it was difficult to reach a consensus on the use of CCTV in centres, citing concerns around data security and access, privacy of children and efficacy. Its authors said “investment in staffing and workforce capabilities should be prioritised”, though it recommended a 12-month trial, focusing on its use as a “regulatory and investigative tool”.