Families contacted about infection disease tests after Joshua Brown’s employment at Leopold childcare

Geelong families have been contacted by the department of health regarding alleged sex abuser Joshua Brown’s employment at a childcare centre in Leopold.

Geelong families have been contacted by the Department of Health regarding alleged sex abuser Joshua Brown’s employment at a childcare centre in Leopold.

It was revealed on Tuesday that Mr Brown was arrested and charged over a string of alleged sexual assaults including rape against children as young as five months old.

The 26-year-old had worked at 19 childcare centres since 2017, including at Leopold World of Learning from February 9-13 in 2023.

Parents of 1200 children were contacted on Tuesday and urged to have their children tested for infectious disease.

While the department wouldn’t say how many families they had tried to contact from Leopold World of Learning, it was confirmed some parents at the centre had been contacted.

G8 Education, the ASX-listed company which runs Leopold World of Learning, refused to say why Mr Brown spent five days at the Bellarine centre, but stressed all required checks were completed before he was hired.

Alleged sex abuser Joshua Brown. Picture Supplied.,

Mr Brown worked at Leopold World of Learning for five days in February 2023.

“We are aware that a former G8 Education team member has been charged with offences involving children.,” A spokeswoman said.

“The current charges against the former team member are in relation to offences involving children at Creative Garden Point Cook only.

“These allegations are serious in nature and are extremely distressing.

“We are focused on supporting all those impacted not just at our centres, but across the community.”

Creative Garden also falls under the G8 Education umbrella.

“The individual involved in this matter is no longer employed by G8 Education and is in police custody,” the spokeswoman said.

“As this is now a legal matter, we are unable to comment further on the specifics of the case.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said attempts had been made to contact potentially impacted parents by text, email and mail.

“If you haven’t been contacted by Victoria Police or received a direct notification from the Department of Health, it is likely that you or your child have not been identified as someone needing further public health information in relation to this matter,” a Department of Health spokeswoman said.

She urged all concerned families to check the list of centres and to contact the dedicated advice line on 1800 791 241 if they believed their child was at the centre at this time.

“We acknowledge this matter may still be distressing for you and your families and encourage anyone with further health concerns to contact their GP,” she said.

Geelong lawyer Jodie Harris, from Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers, said on Wednesday the firm had already been “contacted by a number of families who have been impacted by these shocking events”.

“Our thoughts are with the families affected, who are no doubt reeling from the shock and heartbreak of this news,” Ms Harris said.

The Sexual Assault and Family Violence Centre chief executive Kerriann Campbell-Jones urged any parents, family or friends concerned by the news to reach out.

“Parents, caregivers or important adults in a child’s life, are best placed to know whether their child has any concerning behaviour or emotional responses to the trauma of sexual abuse.

“With time and support, children can and do recover, heal and thrive from sexual abuse.”

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Originally published as Families contacted about infection disease tests after Joshua Brown’s employment at Leopold childcare