Melbourne childcare crisis: The new centres Brown worked at, and what else we know

Melbourne’s childcare system remains in crisis after the Department of Health updated the list of childcare centres where a man charged with abusing eight children worked.

The additions take the total to 23 centres he worked at over eight years.

Joshua Brown is alleged to have abused eight children who attended the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook between April 2022 and January 2023.Credit: Marija Ercegovac

The accused man is Joshua Dale Brown, a 26-year-old from Point Cook in Melbourne’s south-west. Brown is facing 70 charges.

Following his arrest on June 30, the Health Department recommended more than 1200 children at centres he worked at be tested for sexually transmitted infections. On Tuesday, the department said it was recommending 800 more children be tested.

Here is everything we now know about the situation.

What centres have been added to the list?

The department has identified a further four centres where Brown worked: Milestones Early Learning centres in Braybrook, Greensborough and Tarneit, and Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham.

It is now contacting a further 830 families, and recommending a further 800 children be tested for infectious diseases. This takes the total to 2000 children the department is advising get tested as a precaution.

It has also removed one centre – Papilio Early Learning in Hoppers Crossing – having determined Brown did not work there between August 22, 2024 and March 12, 2025 as previously suspected. Police are contacting the affected families.

Ten of the previously reported services where Brown worked have had their dates changed, but the department says families won’t be notified about this as they were already contacted after the first set of data was provided.

What childcare centres did Brown work at?

The Victorian government has published a list of childcare centres where Brown worked.

As of July 15, it has been confirmed that Brown worked at 23 centres across Melbourne and Geelong.

What was Brown charged with?

Brown was arrested on May 12 after police allegedly linked him to a cache of child abuse material.

Police allege this material led them to identifying eight victims, who were between the ages of five months and two years, from the Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook, where Brown was working at the time of his arrest.

Joshua Brown pictured at a childcare centre where he worked in Essendon from February until days before his arrest in May.

Among the offences Brown is facing are sexually penetrating a child under 12, attempting to sexually penetrate a child under 12, sexually assaulting a child under 16 and producing child abuse material.

He had a valid working with children check, which has since been cancelled, and no criminal history.

Before Creative Garden, Brown had worked at large childcare chains G8 Education and Affinity Education and done short-term relief work at other centres.

Very little is known about Brown – Age journalists could not find any social media accounts linked to him, and family and friends have so far refused to comment – but he has distinctive arm tattoos and ginger hair, which he often dyed different colours.

He lived in a rented townhouse in Point Cook with a male roommate and a cat. The home is now vacant.

Who is Michael Simon Wilson, the second man arrested?

Michael Simon Wilson is the second man arrested as part of the same investigation that uncovered Brown’s alleged abuse.

Wilson’s charges are not related to any childcare facilities and involve different alleged victims to those identified in the case against Brown. However, Wilson and Brown are known to each other.

Police visit the Papilio Early Learning Centre in Essendon on Tuesday morning.Credit: Justin McManus

You can read more about Wilson here.

What can parents do if their child attended one of these centres?

By the time they have finished acting on this new information, the department will have contacted a total of 3430 families, parents and carers by text, email and letters about the Brown case.

Authorities have recommended that about 2000 children linked with Brown – so not all the children who attended centres where he worked – undergo testing for sexually transmitted infections.

Medical experts have reassured families potentially affected that most sexually transmitted infections are treatable with a course of antibiotics.

The department says there remains no wider public health risk.

Why are children being tested for STIs?

Officials said the STI tests had been recommended “out of an abundance of caution” and based on the risk profile of each child.

Police at Papilio Early Learning Essendon on Keilor Road in Essendon on Tuesday.Credit: Carla Jaeger

Children who have not been asked to test for sexually infected diseases do not meet the risk profile designated by officials.

A police source told this masthead that Brown had tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease.

The testing involves a full STI screening, such as swabs and urine and blood tests. As of Tuesday morning, there have been no publicly reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis in Victorian children aged four or under this year.

Some STIs are diagnosed via the presence of bacteria in fluids such as saliva, while others are detected via antibodies in the blood.

A Health Department spokeswoman said it would not comment on the specifics of suspected exposure to protect children’s sensitive health information.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).

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