Abuse in childcare shows the system needs fixing

The news that a Melbourne man who worked at more than a dozen childcare centres – including one in Kensington* – been charged with 70 child sex abuse offences has deeply shaken us all.

As a parent with kids in childcare, I was sickened and heartbroken when I heard the news.

This should never have happened.

People are now rightly asking what we can do to ensure this doesn’t happen again.

We are lucky to have many wonderful, dedicated educators and childcare centres in Victoria, who deeply care for our little ones (and are often under-valued for it).

But far too often, the only option families have is to put their kids in centres run by large, for-profit providers where the drive to create profit for their shareholders sits above all else, and can lead to cutting corners, which can open the door to abuse and neglect.

Earlier this year, my Greens colleague in NSW Parliament, Abigail Boyd, uncovered a pattern of regulation failure in early childhood education across Australia, and disturbingly high rates of harm, abuse and neglect, particularly in the for-profit sector.

Right now, oversight in early childhood education is split between state and federal governments, and critical gaps in regulation are leaving children vulnerable. Often breaches in the rules and standards at childcare centres are simply not enforced, and no action is taken against those that repeatedly flout the rules and regulations.

That’s why my Greens colleagues and I have called for a strong, independent, national regulator for early childhood safety. An independent, national regulator would ensure children’s safety is put first by enforcing quality standards, holding the sector accountable to these standards, and acting swiftly on safety breaches.

My Greens colleagues and I in Victoria have also called on the state government to release data from the Department of Education showing every reported incident of harm, neglect and abuse at childcare centres in Victoria over the past few years.

Parents have a right to know whether the issue is as widespread as was uncovered in NSW – particularly because those same big for-profit companies are operating here in Victoria.

We will keep on the State Labor Government’s back until they release this data – like we did in NSW.

Every child deserves to be safe, and every parent deserves peace of mind. We need a childcare system built on what’s best for children and families – not corporate profits – and that means we need strong, effective regulation.

*The alleged offender worked very briefly at Kids Academy on Stubbs St, Kensington between October 7 and 9, 2024. If you have any concerns about your child, please call the dedicated hotline on 1800 791 241. You can also get in touch with my office for further support: [email protected]

Caption: Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell, and Senator for Victoria, Steph Hodgins-May, speaking to media.