The Algorithm Age

Shocked parents who unknowingly handed over their children to an alleged sex abuser are demanding answers as "gutted" workers back safety changes. Former childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was charged with more than 70 sex offences against eight alleged victims aged under two at a centre at Point Cook, in Melbourne's southwest. Father-of-three Satbir, who didn't want his surname used, recognised the alleged offender on the news. He said he went to Creative Garden Early Learning Centre for details about Brown's supervision of his children in 2023. "I dropped off my child into his hands a couple of times," Satbir told . "I'm a bit worried. I (need) to find out everything. I've seen him in the classroom where I dropped my children." He wanted advice on whether two of his children needed to be tested for infectious diseases after more than 1200 families were told to have their infants screened. Allegations again...

The role of men in the early childhood sector is being questioned after horrific allegations of child sexual abuse at multiple childcare centres across Melbourne. But a ban on male early childhood educators is not the right solution, experts say, as it would not address systemic issues facing the sector. Hundreds of Melbourne families have been told to have their children tested for infectious diseases after childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with more than 70 sex offences against children. While caution about men working closely with children was justified, banning men from the sector would have an adverse effect, University of South Australia early childhood education senior lecturer Martyn Mills-Bayne said. "Children need to have a diverse group of adults around them in childcare and in life," he told . "Young boys and girls need to see good men around them who are demonstrating how to be in the world ... if you take men out of that, kids ...

A string of sexual abuse allegations against a childcare worker in Melbourne have brought regulation of the early childhood sector back into the national conversation. Advocates for children's rights and prevention of abuse say oversight of the system is flawed, and that robust federal intervention is needed to ensure the safety of society's youngest while in care. The Victorian government has announced it will fast-track reforms into the childcare sector and has commissioned an urgent review to be turned around in about six weeks. Nationally, the system for regulating early childhood education and care falls to an independent statutory authority, but there is neither a ministry nor a regulator dedicated to it. Here's what we know about the regulatory framework as it currently stands. What are the rules for child safety in childcare centres? Victoria's early childhood sector is regulated under a combination of Commonwealth and s...

Child safety reforms fast-tracked after a childcare worker was charged with dozens of sex offences have been dismissed as "band-aid measures" that won't stop the alleged crimes being repeated. The Victorian government has ordered an urgent child safety review, the creation of a register of all early childhood educators and brought forward a ban on phones after two men were charged by sex crimes detectives. Childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown, 26, was accused of abusing eight children aged between five months and two years at one centre in Point Cook. Federal reforms have also been flagged after the allegations were revealed, including cutting funding for childcare centres that fail to meet minimum standards. But the rapid government response doesn't tackle the root causes of issues in a sector where half of all educators had been working for less than three years, early education advocate Lisa Bryant said. The industry had a highly casualised and under...

Horrific allegations of child sexual abuse in childcare centres across Melbourne have put the role of men in early childhood education back in the spotlight. Coming after other major media reports of child mistreatment in care, many parents are feeling very anxious about the safety of their children. Some may be deeply suspicious of men working so closely with children. That caution is totally justified. But there are many innocent, well-intentioned and caring men working in centres across the country. They’re playing a vital role in a sector already plagued by well-documented staff shortages . Driving them out of the workforce would be a mistake for the sector, for parents and for children. Read more: Parents of kids in daycare are terrified following Melbourne abuse allegations. What can they do? Hyper-viligant behaviour Men are still a rarity in childcare centres nationally. The latest workforce data show about 8% of early childhood e...

New South Wales' early childhood sector will be a subject to a number of "nation-leading" reforms, the state government has announced, following the findings of an independent review into the sector regarding a rise in safety breaches. As announced by the Minns government on Thursday, these reforms will be centred around transparency and improving child safety. These planned changes include childcare providers being required to notify families if they are being investigated for serious breaches, a mandate for service quality and safety performance information to be appropriately published, as well as legislative changes to increase penalties over breaches to national regulations. But the government's plan is to also establish a state-based early childhood regulator, independent from the federal Department of Education, that will report directly to the NSW minister of education and have "stronger powers and accountability". ...