Brisbane child care worker charged with rape, sexual abuse of children at centre days after complaint

A Brisbane childcare centre worker charged with sexually abusing children at the centre he worked at was arrested just days after a complaint was made to police, centre management claims.

Police arrested a man just days after a complaint was made to a Brisbane childcare centre. Picture: File image

A Brisbane childcare centre worker charged with sexually abusing children at the centre he worked at was arrested just days after a complaint to police, according to the centre’s management.

The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Saturday charged with one count each of rape, indecent treatment of children under 12, involving child in making child exploitation material and two counts of possessing child exploitation material.

His barrister David Cormack made an application for bail which was opposed by police however Magistrate Michael Quinn declined to proceed until further information about ongoing investigations was provided. The man was remanded in custody.

After his arrest parents received a letter from a major childcare chain.

“The arrest is in part related to a formal complaint received earlier this week relating to an incident involving the employee and a child at our centre,” a letter to parents said.

“We immediately notified the police who commenced an investigation.

“The employee was stood down on the day of the complaint and their employment was terminated on Thursday.”

The letter said a “small number of families” were contacted as part of the police investigation.

“We are all shocked and distressed by this news and understand that families will have concerns,” the letter said.

The man was introduced to parents earlier this year.

In an online profile the man said he had a “passion for helping children”.

A parent at the centre told The Courier-Mail that they believed parents and caregivers should have been told earlier, at the moment the man was stood down. They said parents and the community “need to know” about the allegations.

The parent said daycare centres “put their faith in the hands of the Blue Card system”.

“I think it is the Bluecard system that is failing parents,” they said.

“It’s so easy to get a Blue Card. I think the industry needs to change. If someone comes in (to a centre) with their Blue Card and their certificates, they can’t deny that person of their qualification.”