“A dedicated advice and support hotline has been set up to provide families with health and screening information, as well as linking them to specialist supports, including mental health and wellbeing services.”
By midday on Tuesday, parents were reporting long delays on hold for the Health Department’s hotline. One parent of a child at the Point Cook centre said he waited more than 1.5 hours.
Not all children who attended the childcare centres where Brown worked would need to be tested, McGrath said.
The department was coordinating with laboratories around Melbourne to ensure the testing was done as quickly as possible, the chief health officer said.
Brown was not known to police before officers raided his home and later charged him, Victoria Police crime command Acting Commander Janet Stevenson told reporters on Tuesday.
He had a valid Working with Children Check, which has since been cancelled. He was co-operative with police, and working as a childcare worker at the time of his arrest, Stevenson said. “He may have held other roles throughout his employment, though,” she said.
The police investigation was “proactive” and happened after officers allegedly discovered that Brown had child abuse material. Police then had to track down the alleged victims.
“We didn’t have a victim for quite some time,” Stevenson said.
Premier Jacinta Allan became emotional as she said she was “sickened” by the allegations of abuse.
“They are shocking and distressing, and my heart just breaks for the families who are living every parent’s worst nightmare,” Allan said.
Premier Jacinta Allan at the press conference about the childcare allegations on Tuesday. Credit: Simon Schluter
The early childhood regulator would immediately start an investigation into the conduct of the early education providers where the alleged offender worked, Allan said.
A mother who came to collect her son from the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre at Point Cook on Tuesday morning said she was horrified to receive the letter.
“I was so mad, I was so angry,” she told reporters.
She saw the alleged abuser at the centre multiple times, always with a smile on his face and coloured hair, she said.
The mum was concerned about what could have gone on with her son at the centre, without her knowing.
“It’s just the thought as a parent that will haunt me forever,” she said.
Police were working with several government departments, along with the Royal Children’s Hospital, to support families whose children attended impacted centres. A letter was sent to all affected families on Tuesday, stressing that the testing was “highly precautionary”.
“Records indicate your child was enrolled at one of these centres during the time this person was working there,” it read.
“At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest that your child has been offended against.
“Out of an abundance of caution, and following consultation with public health experts, we are recommending that some children be tested for infectious diseases due to a possible exposure while in the childcare centre.”
Brown is alleged to have committed all his offending in Victoria, police said. There was no evidence to suggest any of his colleagues were involved.
His charges included sexually penetrating a child under 12 years of age, attempting to sexually penetrate a child under 12, sexually assaulting a child under 16, producing child abuse material and transmitting child abuse material, police said.
Brown was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 15.
Police at Papilio Early Learning Essendon
on Keilor Road, in Essendon on Tuesday.Credit: Carla Jaeger
The Victorian government has set up a dedicated website for families affected by the investigation. Police have urged anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers.
Affinity Education, which operates 12 of the 20 Melbourne childcare centres linked to Brown, faced allegations of neglect and abuse at some of its Sydney centres earlier this year.
In one 2023 incident, first reported by ABC’s 7.30, a worker repeatedly slapped a baby, laughing as the infant screamed.
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Another Affinity childcare worker, who smeared a toddler in their own vomit and wiped the child’s face with their own vomit-covered pants, was prohibited from working in care and education, but the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT) lifted the ban.
“Affinity treats all compliance and safety incidents at our centres extremely seriously and is committed to upholding the highest standards of care for children,” Affinity chief executive Tim Hickey said in response to those allegations.
“We have a zero tolerance policy for any form of child harm and will terminate the employment of any employee found to be in breach of this safeguard.”
Affinity responded to questions with this statement: “Affinity Education Group has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of abuse or misconduct involving children. The safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is – and always will be – our highest priority. We are deeply distressed by the nature of the charges laid against the individual named in media reports today.
“We are cooperating fully with authorities and stand ready to assist their investigation in any way required. Families can contact Victoria Police directly through their dedicated advice line on 1800 791 241 for further information, and we understand that relevant authorities are directly contacting families who may have been impacted.”
The childcare chain is one of Australia’s biggest, with 250 centres nationwide.
With Noel Towell
Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).
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