Police charge Brisbane daycare worker with child abuse

As families reel from allegations of child sexual abuse across dozens of daycare centres, police have charged another childcare worker with alleged crimes – but parents were only notified late on Thursday.

A 21-year-old childcare worker from Brisbane has been charged with the alleged indecent treatment of a four-year-old boy.

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The arrest of a fourth alleged daycare pedophile has rocked the childcare sector after a male educator was charged on Thursday with indecent treatment of a four-year-old in Brisbane.

Shocked parents were left in the dark about the latest allegations, described by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli as “horrific and sickening’’.

The 21-year-old educator, who has since been sacked from the Milestones Tingalpa Early Learning Centre, held a “blue card’’ clearing him to work with children.

The centre is owned by Affinity Education Group, which operates 255 centres nationally under the brands Milestones, Bright Beginnings, Kids Academy and Papilio.

Affinity previously employed alleged pedophile Joshua Dale Brown, 26, who has been charged with 70 sexual abuse offences against eight babies and toddlers at a centre in Melbourne.

Queensland Police revealed on Thursday morning that a 21-year-old man from Cleveland, in Brisbane’s southern bayside suburbs, had been charged over the alleged “indecent treatment’’ of a four-year-old child in daycare.

The Brisbane man was not named. His arrest comes just weeks after another Affinity childcare worker in regional NSW, who also has not been named, pleaded not guilty to nine counts of sexual abuse against a child, including one count of rape.

Australia’s worst serial pedophile, Brisbane early childhood teacher Ashley Paul Griffith, was sentenced last year to life in prison for sexually abusing 69 girls in daycare centres in Brisbane and Italy between 2007 and 2022.

Horrified parents were oblivious to the Tingalpa abuse allegation for most of Thursday, despite Queensland Police issuing a media statement on Thursday morning that a 21-year-old man from Cleveland, in Brisbane’s southern bayside suburbs, had been charged over the alleged “indecent treatment’’ of a child in daycare.

Affinity did not inform families of the police action until late on Thursday afternoon, after most parents had picked up their children from care.

In a letter sent to parents of the Tingalpa centre, Affinity said “we are aware that serious allegations have been made involving an educator at our centre”.

“We know this news will be distressing, and we want to acknowledge the deep concern it may cause for you and your family,” it said.

“The wellbeing of children in our care is our absolute priority, and we are committed to being transparent within the boundaries set by police.

“We reported the allegations directly to Queensland Police and the relevant regulatory authorities as soon as they were made.

“That individual was arrested and has been charged by police.

“We understand that the charges relate only to one centre and a specific incident that occurred in recent days.”

Affinity said police “have advised they will be in direct contact with any families who may have been impacted”.

“If you are not contacted by police, this means you are not currently considered to be an impacted family,” it said.

“I wanted to reassure you that as soon as we were aware of the allegations, the individual was immediately stood down and did not return to the centre. Their employment has since been terminated. All checks were in place with regards this individual and they held a valid and current Working with Children Check.”

Milestones Early Learning Centre at Tingalpa.

Parents collecting their children from the Brisbane bayside daycare centre after work on Thursday appeared shocked when told of the police charge by journalists.

“I’m quite frustrated,’’ one mother said. “I don’t know anything more than you do.’’

Another mother said “it’s been a pretty stressful day’’ trying to find out what had happened.

“It’s been pretty appalling,’’ she said. “They should at least have confirmed it was our centre and it’s an ongoing investigation.

“We’ve called the head office and written to the CEO, and the first time we’ve been able to get any information is from the guys here (at the centre).’’

The woman said she had been happy with the care of her children at the centre.

“The centre is actually amazing,’’ she said.

“They (the staff) are really lovely so I am happy to try and keep our kids here.’’

One father said he had “nothing but good experiences here’’ but felt worried about the abuse allegation, “especially after what’s happened down in Melbourne”.

Queensland Police alleged that “the offence involving a four-year-old child occurred at a Tingalpa childcare facility on 10 July’’.

“The 21-year-old man has been charged with one count of indecent treatment of a child,’’ police said in a statement.

“The man has been given conditional bail and is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 4.

“Investigations by the Bayside Child Protection Unit remain ongoing.’’

Mr Crisafulli pledged to fix his state’s “broken’’ system of working with children checks.

“We are not going to have a situation where monsters can lurk in centres where our most valuable and precious assets, our children, go to every day,’’ he told a press conference in Cairns.

“Clearly the blue card system in this state is not working, and it must work if parents are to have any confidence in the interactions their children have with people – that system needs to be strengthened.’’

Mr Crisafulli said he would legislate this year to introduce a public register of pedophiles.