Man charged over indecent treatment of child at childcare centre

Police have charged a 21-year-old Cleveland man over an offence allegedly involving a child at a Tingalpa childcare facility on July 10.

The 21-year-old man, who worked at Milestones Early Learning Tingalpa, has been charged with one offence of indecent treatment of a child.

He was given conditional bail and was expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 4.

Milestones Early Learning Centre in Tingalpa, in Brisbane’s south-east.Credit: William Davis

In a statement to media, Affinity Education Group, which runs the centre, said the man had been stood down, and the matter immediately referred to police.

“As this is an active investigation, communication with parents regarding this matter is being managed by Queensland police,” they said.

“We are supporting all families in any way we can, including offering counselling support services.”

One woman who was picking her children up said she had not seen any communications from the centre about the alleged incident, but had read about it in the media.

“I was shocked – it’s too close to home,” she said.

“You want to trust your gut instinct, and I never had anything to tell me that they were unsafe here.

“We just kind of have to wait and see what the allegations are,” she added. “I know that the centre will do what’s right by the kids.”

Speaking to media in Cairns, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli described the allegations as “horrific and sickening”.

The centre is one of a handful of for-profit childcare centres in Tingalpa.Credit: William Davis

Crisafulli said he had asked Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek to contact the centre’s operators to ensure parents of other children were aware.

“It is absolutely essential that that occurs following these charges,” he said.

“What parents are comprehending at the moment right across the state is not what any parent should have to go through when they are dropping their kids off to a place where they need to know that their kids are safe.”

He said the government was working on including early childhood education in the first stage of the state’s new reportable conduct scheme, and said Queensland’s blue card system of working with children checks needed strengthening.

Investigations by the Bayside Child Protection Investigation Unit remain ongoing.

Police would not provide further information, saying the matter was before the courts.

The allegations are the latest in what is being described as a “crisis” in early education centres across the country, after 26-year-old Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with abusing children this month.

Brown worked at more than 24 childcare centres over his eight-year career as an early educator, including centres owned by the for-profit childcare giants Affinity Education and G8, both based in Queensland.

The allegations against Brown follow the case of Brisbane man Ashley Paul Griffith, who was jailed last year after committing hundreds of sex offences against children over the course of his childcare career in Queensland and New South Wales.

Childcare centres across the country – including those owned by Affinity Education – have promised to improve child safety and restore faith in the sector.

Affinity said it would fast-track installation of CCTV cameras across its more than 250 centres “to enhance supervision and safety” and allow “parental preference regarding who assists their child with toileting or nappy changes”.

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