How to choose a childcare centre that keeps your kids safe

A leading consultant says the privatisation of childcare has left children vulnerable to abuse, telling parents they need to be vigilant when selecting a centre.

An early education consultant has shared tips on picking a safe childcare centre.

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A leading consultant says the privatisation of childcare has left children vulnerable to abuse, telling parents they need to be vigilant when selecting a centre to keep their kids safe.

Following the sexual abuse charges laid against childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown in Melbourne, early education and care consultant Lisa Bryant said parents needed to be aware that the sector was “ripe for people who want to abuse children to come into it.”

All 20 of the Melbourne childcare centres that Mr Brown, 26, worked at were for-profit providers.

Ms Bryant said it horrified her knowing “(abuse) has happened repeatedly in the last five years”.

“The government keeps saying caring for children is their highest priority … yet they’re not prepared to draw the connection and say there’s a problem when people are only in the education care sector to make money out of children,” she said.

Ms Bryant said the sector, which used to be full of dedicated educators and not-for-profit providers, had now become desperate for staff, meaning “if you’re standing and have the right qualifications, they accept you,” she said.

Early education and care consultant Lisa Bryant.

Although Mr Brown had a working with children check, Ms Bryant said there were other factors for parents to be vigilant about when choosing a centre.

Those with higher staff-to-child ratios tended to be better as there was less possibility of one educator being left by themselves with a child.

A centre with stable, non-casual staff could also boost reliability and trust, allowing parents to work on building relationships with those who cared for their children.

“You want people that know your children and that you know,” Ms Bryant said.

“The higher, more qualified staff the better … trainees are younger, they’re less likely to stand up if they’re seeing something wrong – that’s the sort of environment that someone that’s looking to harm children will go into.”

It is also important for parents to teach their children the correct name for body parts so they are equipped to express what has happened.

“If something has gone wrong, you need them to have the words to tell you all about it,” Ms Bryant said.

“(And) if they tell you something has happened, it probably has.”

The charges against Mr Brown echoes the horrific case of serial pedophile Ashley Paul Griffith, sentenced to life in prison for 307 sexual offences.

Griffith was employed at Queensland childcare centres between 2003 and 2022, which was where most of the offending against his 73 victims occurred.

His crimes were used as a case study to spur a childcare system review in Queensland, conducted by the Child Death Review Board.

The review will recommend improvements to the laws, policies, procedures and practices across systems, including early childhood education and care.

So far they have engaged support staff, research institutes, relevant organisations, commissioners, and advocates and guardians to children and families; and have identified legislation.

Parents from Sydney’s north shore and the CBD were alerted recently to a man who worked with children who has been charged with criminal offences.

The Australian Federal Police issued a letter saying they charged the man in October 2024 over allegations of inappropriate behaviour.