Childcare operator G8 Education to install CCTV cameras at more than 400 centres
Horrific allegations against Joshua Dale Brown, 26, were made public last week when police revealed he had been charged with more than 70 sex offences involving eight children at a centre in Melbourne's west.
Brown worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025, including several operated by G8 Education.
In an announcement released to the ASX on Tuesday, managing director and chief executive Pejman Okhovat said the allegations were 'deeply disturbing'.
'I am deeply sorry for the unimaginable pain caused to our families and what they are going through,' he said.
'Our primary focus right now is on supporting all families who are impacted, as well as our team members in Victoria. My team and I have met personally with families in Victoria and will continue to be available.
'We have also provided confidential counselling and support through G8 Education's dedicated provider.'
The childcare operator said it had already been trialling CCTV in several of its centres but will now accelerate the roll-out to all centres.
It will also conduct an independent review to 'inform further changes and improvements to our child safety procedures within the organisation'.
The ASX-listed company lost more than $170 million in value since the allegations were aired.
A parent of one child Brown allegedly abused is suing the childcare giant, while more than 100 families are seeking advice about their legal options.
More than 1200 children at the centres where Brown worked have been recommended to undergo testing for serious sexually transmitted infections (STIs) including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis.
Brown's victims were aged between five months and two-years-old and his charges include sexual penetration of a child under 12, attempted sexual penetration of a child under 12 and producing child abuse material.
He is also accused of using his bodily fluids to contaminate children's food.
According to a United Workers Union survey, most childcare educators work in understaffed facilities and fear the safety of infants is at risk over the frequent use of a staff-to-child ratio 'loophole'.
Of the 2000 childcare workers questioned, more than half were concerned that for-profit providers do not prioritise safety, care of children or quality education.
More than three quarters of educators say their centres operate below minimum staffing requirements at least weekly and 42 per cent say it happened every day.
Some 83 per cent said safety was compromised by a common staffing loophole that allows centres to move educators between rooms and count educators not on the floor towards mandated staffing level requirements.
'Educators tell us that what was supposed to be a commonsense stop-gap for changes that occur at centres through the day has become an over-used staffing loophole,' the union's early education director Carolyn Smith said.
'(It is) entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms'.
She claimed the system fails workers and children, ramping up calls for national regulation and funding for the sector.
'Widespread understaffing and a lack of inclusion support staff impacts the level of care children receive,' she said.
An anonymous worker from Victoria told the survey they 'can't even guarantee the safety of the children and myself'.
'I feel sad, unsafe and stressful every day,' they said.
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Some 83 per cent said safety was compromised by a common staffing loophole that allows centres to move educators between rooms and count educators not on the floor towards mandated staffing level requirements. "It is entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms," the union's early education director Carolyn Smith said. Ms Smith claimed understaffing and lack of inclusion support was failing workers and children, ramping up calls for national regulation and better funding for the sector. A parent of one child Brown allegedly abused is suing the childcare centre operator, while more than 100 families are seeking advice about their legal options. Some 2600 families and carers who had children at the centres where Brown worked have been notified and more than 1200 children recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases. 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Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll attributed the delay to detailed checks with childcare centres on when and where the accused had worked. "We're wanting to put a real premium on making sure the information that is given out is accurate and factual," he said. The accusations have sharpened the national focus on childcare centre safety and sparked calls for reform, with a state government review under way in addition to the criminal investigation. But more than half of childcare educators are concerned for-profit providers do not prioritise safety, care of children or quality education, according to a United Workers Union survey of 2000 workers. About three-in-four educators say their centres operate below minimum staffing requirements at least weekly and 42 per cent say it happened every day, according to a survey conducted before the allegations against Brown became public. 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A second major childcare operator is rolling out CCTV cameras in hundreds of facilities after two of its staff were charged with sexually abusing children. Childcare provider Affinity Education Group on Wednesday announced it would fast-track installing CCTV in over 250 of its facilities following disturbing accusations against former employee Joshua Dale Brown. Allegations of child sex abuse against Brown sent shock waves through the industry after the 26-year-old was charged with more than 70 sex offences. The alleged abuse involved eight children at Creative Garden Early Learning centre in Melbourne's west, which is operated by rival provider G8 Education. He was arrested in May and it was revealed he worked at 20 childcare facilities across Melbourne from 2017 to 2025. Affinity, which is owned by a private equity firm, also confirmed it had reported a NSW employee to police after sexual abuse allegations against the worker were raised. "Affinity Education took these allegations extremely seriously when they were raised and reported them to the appropriate authorities," a spokesperson said. The company was committed to supporting every family impacted by the allegations against Brown and would continue to cooperate with authorities' investigations, chief executive Tim Hickey said in a separate statement. "I am deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families - no family should have to go through this," he said. Affinity's announcement came a day after G8 Education announced it will put CCTV cameras into more than 400 centres and pledged an independent review once criminal proceedings were finalised. The ASX-listed company has lost more than $170 million in value since the allegations were aired. Meanwhile, parents are still waiting for information about Brown's full work history more than a week after the revelations were first aired publicly. Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll attributed the delay to detailed checks with childcare centres on when and where the accused had worked. "We're wanting to put a real premium on making sure the information that is given out is accurate and factual," he said. The accusations have sharpened the national focus on childcare centre safety and sparked calls for reform, with a state government review under way in addition to the criminal investigation. But more than half of childcare educators are concerned for-profit providers do not prioritise safety, care of children or quality education, according to a United Workers Union survey of 2000 workers. About three-in-four educators say their centres operate below minimum staffing requirements at least weekly and 42 per cent say it happened every day, according to a survey conducted before the allegations against Brown became public. Some 83 per cent said safety was compromised by a common staffing loophole that allows centres to move educators between rooms and count educators not on the floor towards mandated staffing level requirements. "It is entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms," the union's early education director Carolyn Smith said. Ms Smith claimed understaffing and lack of inclusion support was failing workers and children, ramping up calls for national regulation and better funding for the sector. A parent of one child Brown allegedly abused is suing the childcare centre operator, while more than 100 families are seeking advice about their legal options. Some 2600 families and carers who had children at the centres where Brown worked have been notified and more than 1200 children recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases. A second major childcare operator is rolling out CCTV cameras in hundreds of facilities after two of its staff were charged with sexually abusing children. Childcare provider Affinity Education Group on Wednesday announced it would fast-track installing CCTV in over 250 of its facilities following disturbing accusations against former employee Joshua Dale Brown. Allegations of child sex abuse against Brown sent shock waves through the industry after the 26-year-old was charged with more than 70 sex offences. The alleged abuse involved eight children at Creative Garden Early Learning centre in Melbourne's west, which is operated by rival provider G8 Education. He was arrested in May and it was revealed he worked at 20 childcare facilities across Melbourne from 2017 to 2025. Affinity, which is owned by a private equity firm, also confirmed it had reported a NSW employee to police after sexual abuse allegations against the worker were raised. "Affinity Education took these allegations extremely seriously when they were raised and reported them to the appropriate authorities," a spokesperson said. The company was committed to supporting every family impacted by the allegations against Brown and would continue to cooperate with authorities' investigations, chief executive Tim Hickey said in a separate statement. "I am deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families - no family should have to go through this," he said. Affinity's announcement came a day after G8 Education announced it will put CCTV cameras into more than 400 centres and pledged an independent review once criminal proceedings were finalised. The ASX-listed company has lost more than $170 million in value since the allegations were aired. Meanwhile, parents are still waiting for information about Brown's full work history more than a week after the revelations were first aired publicly. Victorian Education Minister Ben Carroll attributed the delay to detailed checks with childcare centres on when and where the accused had worked. "We're wanting to put a real premium on making sure the information that is given out is accurate and factual," he said. The accusations have sharpened the national focus on childcare centre safety and sparked calls for reform, with a state government review under way in addition to the criminal investigation. But more than half of childcare educators are concerned for-profit providers do not prioritise safety, care of children or quality education, according to a United Workers Union survey of 2000 workers. About three-in-four educators say their centres operate below minimum staffing requirements at least weekly and 42 per cent say it happened every day, according to a survey conducted before the allegations against Brown became public. Some 83 per cent said safety was compromised by a common staffing loophole that allows centres to move educators between rooms and count educators not on the floor towards mandated staffing level requirements. "It is entrenching educators regularly working below minimum staffing requirements in their rooms," the union's early education director Carolyn Smith said. Ms Smith claimed understaffing and lack of inclusion support was failing workers and children, ramping up calls for national regulation and better funding for the sector. A parent of one child Brown allegedly abused is suing the childcare centre operator, while more than 100 families are seeking advice about their legal options. Some 2600 families and carers who had children at the centres where Brown worked have been notified and more than 1200 children recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases.
