We can have a good childcare system, or a cheap one. When protecting children, that choice should be easy

Once it became clear that a string of child abuse offences may have taken place across Melbourne for years undetected, and parents of 1200 children were contacted, it was obvious that there would be wider public consternation. Parents across the nation would have experienced a pang of doubt.

But childcare is not simply childcare. It is, as the federal government knows, a vital building block in the way modern Australian families live, and it underpins our economy. Put simply, parents cannot work productively unless they can outsource this care for part of the day.

The uproar surrounding the case of Joshua Dale Brown understandably has parents demanding immediate action.Credit: iStock

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made widened access to childcare a key part of his re-election pitch, and has introduced legislation to guarantee three days of subsidised early education and care universally, with talk of a flat-fee system as part of his second-term vision. His government has also pushed higher wages for those working in childcare.

But this week’s revelations of police investigations bring us back to fundamental questions about a sector that the Commonwealth and states are anxious to build out rapidly. In March, reporting by the ABC’s Four Corners showed that childcare centres were allowed to continue operating despite falling short of regulatory standards, and that regulation was infrequent and staff sometimes unqualified. At the time, Albanese insisted that a royal commission into these allegations was unnecessary because states would be able to investigate such clear wrongdoing.

At a hastily convened press conference on Wednesday, Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn implied that Victoria was moving quickly on reforming the sector, only to find itself frustrated by the pace of progress at the national level. They pledged to have a state register of workers in the sector by the end of August, which they hoped would then slot into a national register.

The uproar surrounding the case of Joshua Dale Brown understandably has parents demanding immediate action, while politicians are left explaining the constraints they work under. But it is nearly three years since Deborah Glass, in her role as Victorian ombudsman, issued a report pointing to holes in the state’s system of working with children checks. It was only this April that Allan launched a “rapid review” of the system. Why such a delay?

Robert Fitzgerald, a commissioner for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, told The Age federal and state governments have had the opportunity to act on the recommendation for a nationally coordinated working with children scheme since 2015. In the ten years since, they have failed to do so. He says it is time to “get the job done.”

Yesterday, the premier spoke about an “urgent review” into the incident. For parents waiting to discover whether their children have been abused, talk of urgency and pledges of reform will wear thin if not followed by palpable action.

Installing CCTV and banning digital devices – both of which were promoted at Wednesday’s press conference – may have some impact. But it is clear that in addition to registration, there needs to be improved training for staff to detect potential offenders – rather than waiting for police to trace them back to childcare centres – and a far stronger regulatory system, at least partially funded by the for-profit childcare centres. At present, the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority does not have powers to enforce action. That must surely change.

After its own scandals concerning childcare this year, New South Wales carried out a review and has now announced plans for an independent regulator. But since workers move from one state and territory to another, as Victoria discovered when the case of youth worker Alexander Jones triggered the ombudsman’s 2022 report, a national approach is required.

There is no question that commitments to stricter registration, enhanced training and nationwide regulation will add to the sector’s costs. But when it comes to our children, the choice between a service that is cheap and one that is safe and effective is surely no choice at all.

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