Melbourne childcare crisis
More than 170 people facing allegations still have work-with-children clearance
But authorities will have the power to immediately suspend those clearances once a bill being rushed through Victorian parliament passes.
- Rachel Eddie
Latest
- Updated
- Childcare
CCTV cameras in childcare centres must not become paedophile ‘honeypot’: Clare
Workers’ mobile phones will be banned as part of a raft of new measures aimed at protecting infants and toddlers.
- Brittany Busch and Kayla Olaya
Surge workforce could take over failing childcare centres
The Victorian government committed to going it alone to trial CCTV if necessary. But education ministers around the country are expected to support a national trial at a meeting on Friday.
- Rachel Eddie
- Analysis
- Early childhood
Those who profit from childcare must put safety first, or get out of the industry
The most ambitious reform in the childcare review would see owners, funders and board members of for-profit centres forced to make the interests of children their “paramount consideration”.
- Chip Le Grand
Unproven abuse allegations against childcare workers should be shared, says report
A rapid review into Victoria’s childcare sector has also recommended that every centre be randomly inspected once a year and the state should establish an independent regulator.
- Rachel Eddie, Chip Le Grand and Carla Jaeger
- Updated
- Childcare
Rowland backtracks on year-long wait for reform after putting 30 centres on notice
The centres have been hit with notices from the federal government alleging they have failed to meet national standards for seven years or more.
- Brittany Busch and Jessica McSweeney
- Exclusive
- Investigation
Victoria’s largest childcare chain repeatedly failed to protect children
G8 Education is the state’s most sanctioned childcare provider – but the repeated government intervention is not stopping children suffering harm at the company’s centres.
- Carla Jaeger
- Exclusive
- Childcare
Childcare centre suspended over safety concerns stayed open with authorities’ knowledge
Authorities were unable to stop a suburban centre from operating for more than a month despite finding risks including a toddler unsupervised near a hot barbecue.
- Carla Jaeger
- Investigation
- Childcare
Staff accuse childcare chains of ‘culture of cover-ups’
A trove of internal documents uncovered by this masthead reveal childcare giant Affinity instructs its staff to consider reputation damage before notifying police about child safety allegations.
- Sherryn Groch and Carla Jaeger
- Investigation
- Investigations
The secret complaint and leaked files from childcare chains where alleged paedophile worked
A complaint about educators left alone with children at the centre where Joshua Brown is accused of child abuse is among a trove of documents leaked to this masthead.
- Sherryn Groch and Carla Jaeger