Cranbrook Primary School: OSHC’s ‘provider approval’ transferred to new operator

A state regulatory authority has cancelled the operating licence of a Townsville primary school’s after-hours care provider that had previously employed an alleged pedophile.

Cranbrook State School.

A parent is demanding answers after a state regulatory authority cancelled the operating licence of a Townsville primary school’s outside school hours care provider that had previously employed an alleged pedophile who killed himself in jail.

Townsville teacher aide Joshua Smith-Monaghan, 35, died late last year after he was denied bail for 14 alleged sex crimes involving five victims aged 10 to 15 over four years.

Smith-Monaghan, who was yet to enter pleas to the charges that were subsequently withdrawn by the Crown following his untimely death, worked at a number of primary and high schools.

It is not known what and when the Outside School Hours Care knew about Smith-Monaghan’s alleged crimes.

The parent confirmed on Wednesday that he was a teacher aid at Cranbrook Outside School Hours Care (OSHC).

She said she received a letter on a Department of Education masthead from the Cranbrook State Primary School P&C Association dated Tuesday that it had cancelled the OSHC’s “provider approval” and transferred it to a new provider as of March 17.

One of Joshua Robert Smith-Monaghan’s alleged five victims. Picture: Evan Morgan

The letter, a copy of which was obtained by News Corp, states that the Queensland Early Childhood Regulatory Authority is responsible for investigating potential “noncompliance” with the law, including “possible risk of harm to children in education and care services”.

It says that the authority started an investigation in November 2023 – a year before Smith-Monaghan’s death – into “the alleged conduct of an educator” employed at the Cranbrook OSHC.

The letter does not mention Smith-Monaghan by name, nor does it name the service provider contracted by the school P&C.

The letter states that following due process, the regulatory authority found that the approved provider breached the law and should not be involved in the provision of an education and care service.

Cranbrook State School.

The parent confirmed that neither Cranbrook Primary school nor the OSHC ever informed parents about the recently concluded investigation.

“That letter is the first correspondence I have had from anybody, the school, the department, anybody, regarding an investigation and it’s 15 months ago that he was actually charged.”

The parent said she understood that police raised the issue with Cranbrook OSHC.

She said the delay in informing the parents of children at the school was unacceptable, including after Smith-Monaghan’s suicide in Townsville Correction Centre.

“We still have had no correspondence that it happened on their premises and that they are aware and that if anybody has any concerns to please come forward.”

The Education Department said it took “the safety and wellbeing of all Queensland children extremely seriously”.

“Failings on the part of the approved provider to meet its legislative obligations in relation to the reported incidents have resulted in the RA taking action to cancel the provider approval and to approve transfer of responsibility for the service to a new approved provider.”

It said it was “unable to comment on specifics of matters relating to investigations and individuals”.

The care provider was unable to be contacted for comment.

Originally published as Cranbrook Primary School: OSHC’s ‘provider approval’ transferred to new operator