**Urgent Testing Called for 1,200 After Childcare Worker in South-West Melbourne Faces Sexual Assault Charges**

More than a thousand children will be asked to undergo health screening after police charged a childcare worker with more than 70 offences allegedly linked to a childcare centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne's south-west.

Warning: This story contains details of alleged child sex abuse that may distress some audience members.

Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad have arrested 26-year-old Point Cook man Joshua Dale Brown in relation to alleged sexual and other offending against eight children at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre between April 2022 and January 2023.

They said the alleged victims were between five months and two years of age.

Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam joined senior police, the premier and Victoria's chief health officer in addressing the media about the investigation on Tuesday.

"I will say from the outset that this is an incredibly distressing investigation and the information we are going to provide today is particularly confronting as it involved offences [allegedly] committed against some of our vulnerable people in our community," she said.

The charges include sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety.

Health authorities say they have taken a "cautious" approach in recommending 1,200 children linked to the case be tested for potential infectious diseases.

Tests could take days or even weeks to come back.

G8 Education, which operates the Point Cook centre, said the allegations were extremely distressing and it was focused on supporting affected families.

The company said it carried out all required employment and background checks for Mr Brown, who no longer works at the centre.

'Deeply distressing' for families

Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said Mr Brown was not known to police before the investigation began in May and he had a valid Working with Children Check.

Police say the significant investigation commenced after detectives allegedly discovered child abuse material and later executed a search warrant at Mr Brown's Point Cook home.

Acting Commander Stevenson said the families of the eight alleged victims were informed last week.

"As you can imagine, this was deeply distressing for the families to hear," she said.

She said Victoria Police and the Victorian Department of Health today sent a letter to all families who had children enrolled in the centres where Mr Brown worked, but she said it was not alleged that offences occurred at all the centres.

"I understand this information will be deeply concerning and come as a great shock to many of the community," she said.

Mr Brown has been remanded in custody to appear at Melbourne Magistrates Court in September.

Police said the man had worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, and they were continuing to investigate an allegation of offending at a centre in Essendon.

By mid-afternoon on Tuesday, callers contacting the dedicated advice line established by the state government were being warned of wait times due to a high volume of calls.

One parent told the ABC he tried to contact the line, only to wait on hold for an hour before having to hang up.

"It is easy to get through to the general advisers on the health department advice line," he said.

"But when they put you through to the nurses on the health info line who have specific information about the [alleged] child abuse issue, the wait is hours."

Health screening established as allegations investigated

The Victorian Department of Health has initiated a public health response following the allegations.

Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath would not reveal whether Mr Brown had tested positive to sexually transmitted infections but said the manner of the alleged offending meant some children may be recommended for screening for infectious diseases.

"This is a very complex and distressing matter, and our highest priority is the health and wellbeing of the children and families," Dr McGrath said.

Dr McGrath says 2,600 families who had attended the relevant childcare centres had been contacted about the recommended health screening.

"We do understand that this is another distressing element to the situation and we're taking this approach as a precaution," he said.

"We do believe it is a low risk but we want to offer this to provide assurance to the parents about the health and wellbeing of their children."

He said the infections children have been potentially exposed to can be treated with antibiotics.

The state government has also unlocked $5,000 support payments for the parents whose children were referred for precautionary testing or attended the Point Cook or Essendon centres within certain dates.

The payments were intended to help parents cover alternative care arrangements, potential lost earnings and medical or counselling appointments.

Other childcare centres listed

Authorities have also listed the names and dates of the other childcare centres where the alleged offender worked over about eight years.

The Victorian government said it had already contacted families with children identified as a potential exposure risk, so it was likely those who had not been contacted had not been identified as needing further public health information.

Acting Commander Stevenson said there was no suggestion the accused had offended against children in these centres, but people were encouraged to come forward with more information.

The ABC has compiled this list of centres and dates released by police.

In an email sent to families at one of the centres listed, D.O.T.S Occupational Therapy for Children confirmed Mr Brown worked for "a total of 26 days before having his role terminated".

"[His role] did not involve him working directly with children," the email said.

"During this time, he was under supervision and had very few days working on the front desk without another team member."

It said his contract was terminated because he was "not a good fit for our practice" and stressed that the centre had "not been contacted by Victoria Police" at the time of sending the email.

"We take the safety and wellbeing of every child and family in our care extremely seriously, and we are devastated by the nature of these allegations," it said.

One parent with a child who attends Creative Garden said she only heard the news from media outside the centre this morning.

"It's scary, actually," she said.

"I feel a bit sick."

She said she would like the operators to provide some more information but described it as a great centre and had no issues with continuing to use it.

A parent with a child in another childcare centre said she was at work this morning when she received an email from Victoria Police saying that centre was involved in the investigation.

She said she immediately rushed to the centre to collect their child.

"Obviously, I am in panic," she said.

"I'm concerned about all the kids, not just mine."

Working with Children Checks to be reviewed, premier says

The allegations have brought scrutiny to regulation of the childcare sector.

Premier Jacinta Allan said the early childhood regulator would launch an immediate investigation into the conduct of the early education providers that Mr Brown worked for.

She said the Working with Children Check permit system would also be reviewed.

"[The allegations] are shocking and distressing, and my heart just breaks for the families who are living every parent's worst nightmare," she said.

"Families across Victoria will be horrified, will be angry and frightened."

The Victorian Liberals and Nationals issued a joint statement expressing their deepest sympathies and support for the alleged victims and their families.

They called for a comprehensive review of Victoria's safeguards for children in care, including the Working with Children Check regime and broader regulatory systems.

Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell said the allegations showed something is "deeply broken" within the profit-driven private childcare sector.

Her federal Senate colleague Steph Hodgins-May reiterated a call for a royal commission into the early childhood education system.

Victorian Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn said changes to the national framework around improving safety in childcare and education settings were being looked at by the states and territories.

The government said affected families are being offered mental health support.

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