Melbourne families to sue G8 Education that hired alleged sex offender Joshua Brown

Three Melbourne families whose babies and toddlers were allegedly sexually abused by accused pedophile Joshua Brown are preparing to take legal action against the operator of the centre where he worked.

Three families whose children were allegedly assaulted by accused sex offender Joshua Brown at Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre are preparing to take legal action.

Three Melbourne families whose babies and toddlers were allegedly sexually abused by accused pedophile Joshua Brown are preparing to take legal action against childcare operator G8 Education.

The Herald Sun can reveal three families are preparing to fight the childcare giant, which owns Creative Garden Early Learning Centre in Point Cook.

Mr Brown has been accused of committing 70 child sex offences against eight children aged five months to two years old at the Point Cook centre where he worked between October 2021 and February 2024.

Law firm Arnold Thomas & Becker told the Herald Sun three separate suits against G8 Education would be filed to the Supreme Court as early as next week.

Childcare worker Joshua Brown is accused of abusing eight children in his care at Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre. Picture Supplied

Principal Lawyer Jodie Harris is leading the legal proceedings on behalf of the three families.

“Steps are being taken on behalf of some of the families of the eight,” Ms Harris said.

“There will be legal action pretty immediately. The level of trauma has been quite intense.”

It’s understood the families are seeking compensation for medical expenses and financial losses they’ve suffered due to not being able to return to work.

It comes after the Herald Sun revealed Mr Brown was the subject of two internal investigations unrelated to child abuse during his employment with G8 Education.

He allegedly “aggressively” manhandled children in his care before he resigned — but his next employer Affinity Education was not alerted to these investigations before they allowed him to work at its childcare centres.

The reports of upcoming legal action come days after Victoria Police named another four childcare centres where Mr Brown worked, bringing the total to 23.

Then, it was revealed Mr Brown had worked at another childcare centre, World of Learning in Point Cook, for just one day in August 2023, bringing the total to 24.

The full, up-to-date, list of centres can be found here.

Mr Brown worked at the Point Cook centre between October 2021 and February 2024. Picture: Supplied

It meant another 800 children were recommended to be tested for infectious diseases as part of a major public health response by the Department of Health and Victoria Police in addition to the 1200 originally identified when Mr Brown was first named as the alleged child sex offender in early July.

In addition to the three families who are filing separate suits against G8 Education, Arnold Thomas & Becker said it was also representing families from three of the four newly identified centres which are owned by Affinity Education.

However, no legal action has been taken against Affinity Education at this stage.

“We are acting for three families whose children attended Milestones Early Learning Greensborough, one from Milestones Early Learning in Tarneit and one family linked to Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham,” Ms Harris said.

“These families, like many others, are dealing with distress and uncertainty following the (allegations) – and we expect to hear from more over the coming weeks in light of this new information.”

The law firm told the Herald Sun more than 250 families whose children attended the centres where Mr Brown worked between 2017 and 2025 had approached the firm for legal advice, and the firm continued to receive at least half a dozen calls per day from worried parents.

Ms Harris said parents were “really struggling” to grapple with the news of the alleged offending.

“You could really see the scale of the impact,” she said.

“Some families are unable to return to work because they can no longer entrust their children to childcare. Others are grappling with ongoing uncertainty, fear and guilt.”

“We continue to work closely with affected families across Victoria to provide clear legal advice, support, and to explore all possible avenues for compensation and justice.”

G8 Education has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Melbourne families to sue G8 Education that hired alleged sex offender Joshua Brown