UPDATE: New reforms to enhance working-with-children checks have been unveiled, aiming to protect children in childcare settings across Australia. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland announced these fast-tracked changes on Friday, stating that by the end of the year, individuals denied a working-with-children check in one state will face automatic bans nationwide. This move comes in the wake of alarming incidents, including the recent charges against childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown, accused of sexually abusing eight children.
Parents and child safety advocates are applauding this step but demand more comprehensive measures to ensure the safety of children in care. “This is an important first step to closing the loopholes that currently exist,” said Paul Mondo, president of the Australian Childcare Alliance. He emphasized the need for a national register for early childhood educators and teachers to further strengthen safeguards.
Rowland described the reforms as “long overdue” but confirmed that a unified national working-with-children check system is not planned. “We’re seeking to close those gaps,” she told ABC News, acknowledging the potential for “nefarious individuals” to exploit existing loopholes.
The reforms are particularly timely following the shocking case of Brown, who worked at 24 facilities between 2017 and his arrest. In July, over 1,200 children who attended a childcare center where he worked were tested for sexually transmitted infections, raising serious questions about current safety measures. Parent Melody Glaister expressed disbelief that mutual recognition of working-with-children checks was not already standard practice. “The childcare sector is a mess and it does need reform and massive changes,” she stated.
On Friday, Education Minister Jason Clare announced compliance actions against 30 early childhood centres that failed to meet safety standards, with funding at risk for non-compliance. This action follows laws passed by federal parliament aimed at increasing oversight in childcare facilities. Clare emphasized the urgency of these reforms, stating that the nation’s education ministers will convene next week to further discuss child safety laws.
National Children’s Commissioner Anne Hollonds hailed the reforms as a significant improvement for child safety, underscoring that they represent just the beginning of a broader initiative. “This is just the first step of a whole range of actions that need to be taken,” she remarked.
Advocacy group For Parents, co-founded by Jen Fleming, insists that parents must be involved in the reform process. “Parents walk into childcare centres every day… we as parents are quite rightly questioning what is going wrong in the system,” she stated, calling for greater parental consultation.
With parents, advocates, and officials demanding action, the push for more robust child safety measures is intensifying. The reforms are a critical development in safeguarding children in Australia, but many believe more comprehensive actions are necessary to ensure their safety in childcare environments.
For immediate support or advice regarding child safety, contact the National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service at 1800 211 028 or 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
