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Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Alleged paedophile worked in 23 childcare centres, and police warn the list may grow
About 800 more children will be tested for sexually transmitted infections after authorities revealed alleged Melbourne paedophile Joshua Dale Brown worked at four more childcare centres than was previously known. Detectives warned on Tuesday that even more children might have to undergo testing in the coming weeks, revealing that incorrect employment records had drastically complicated the investigation into the accused paedophile's alleged offending. Authorities on Tuesday updated Brown's employment history to include the four additional centres; Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham, and three Milestones Early Learning locations: Tarneit, Braybrook and Greensborough. Brown is now known to have worked at 23 childcare centres over the past eight years between January 2017 and May 2025. It was also revealed that Brown's employment dates for 10 childcare centres previously listed were incorrect, and have since been updated. Police initially told the public that Brown had worked at Papilio Early Learning Hoppers Crossing for more than six months – but have since determined he did not work there at all. Victorian Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath said families whose children attended the newly identified centres during Brown's employment were in the process of being contacted. 'Our recommendation for testing is a precaution and the test results we've received to date as part of this investigation reaffirms that the risk is low,' McGrath said. About 1300 young children were already expected to be tested, after 70 child sex abuse charges were laid against Brown in May, including allegations he used bodily fluid to contaminate children's food. The unprecedented testing regime – at screening centres and GP clinics across the metropolitan area – was established after authorities learnt Brown had been diagnosed with several sexually transmitted infections, according to two police sources speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly. Police noted the information released on Tuesday was the 'most accurate and up-to-date record available', but warned further updates to the alleged paedophile's employment history were likely.
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- The Guardian
Additional 800 children to be tested for STIs as police investigate accused Melbourne childcare paedophile Joshua Dale Brown
More than 800 additional children in the Australian state of Victoria are being recommended for testing for sexually transmitted infections after four more childcare centres were added to a list of known workplaces of alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown. More dates have also been added for 10 other childcare centres, with police citing incomplete records from the providers for the discrepancies. Earlier this month Victorian police revealed the 26-year-old childcare worker had been charged with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims, aged between five months and two years old. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Along with the health department, they released a list of 20 childcare centres where Brown worked between January 2017 and May 2025 and his known employment dates. Approximately 2,600 families with children who attended the centres were contacted, with 1,200 advised to undergo screening for sexually transmitted infections. Detectives from the sexual crimes squad on Tuesday confirmed four more centres had been added to Brown's work history. They are: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham on 29 August 2024 Milestones Early Learning Tarneit on 10 September 2024 and 13 September 2024 Milestones Early Learning Braybrook on 4 December 2024 and 6 December 2024 Milestones Early Learning Greensborough on 5 December 2024, 31 January 2025 and 27 February 2025 Ten of the 20 centres already identified have also been updated based on new information provided to police, while Papilio Early Learning in Hoppers Crossing has been removed from the list after further investigation determined the information was incorrect. Police now believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025. It is understood discrepancies in Brown's work history were identified by both members of the public and detectives involved in the investigation. Affinity Education Group, which operates many of the listed centres, said it had provided police with updated employment records for Brown on 3 July. On Tuesday, the company apologised to affected families 'for the distress this is causing.' 'No family should have to go through this. We are committed to supporting every family impacted whilst continuing to cooperate fully with the authorities as the investigation continues,' a spokesperson said. In their statement, police said establishing Brown's complete work history had been 'extremely complex' as childcare providers do not have centralised records. It meant detectives had to 'execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information.' Police also had to interview witnesses and assess more than 270 Crimestoppers reports to verify details and provide an accurate account of Brown's employment history. They have also sought to establish not just where Brown worked, but the specific shifts and duties he undertook. Victoria police acting commander, Janet Stevenson, acknowledged some families would be frustrated by the delay in updating to Brown's work history. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'We are working through a large amount of information that has been provided to us,' said. 'Each piece of information has to be individually assessed and verified before it can be used as part of the investigation or released to the public. 'I want to reinforce that this is a continually evolving and changing situation. What hasn't changed is that this investigation remains the highest priority for Victoria Police.' The police statement said investigators were 'assessing new information daily' and 'further updates are likely in the coming weeks'. The health department said it was contacting 830 additional families as a result of the new information, with 800 children likely to have direct contact with Brown recommended for testing. 'This is obviously a highly distressing situation, and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low,' the Victorian chief health officer, Dr Christian McGrath, said. 'Our recommendation for testing is a precaution and the test results we've received to date as part of this investigation reaffirms that the risk is low.' Families will be contacted initially via SMS and then with a phone call. The department urged families to check the updated list of childcare centres and employment dates before calling its advice line. Children who have already been tested will not need any additional screenings, the department said. The health department has not publicly stated the infections the children will be screened for. However, in information provided to affected parents and seen by Guardian Australia, they have recommended testing for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis for some children or chlamydia and gonorrhoea for others. The infections can all be treated with antibiotics.
Perth Now
15-07-2025
- Perth Now
Awful new update on alleged childcare abuse
More than 800 children have been urged to get tested after a further four childcare centres were flagged as places where accused childcare sex offender Joshua Brown worked. Police confirmed four more childcare centres as part of its 'ongoing priority investigation' into Joshua Dale Brown, who is accused of a raft of sexual assaults against children. In May, Mr Brown was charged with more than 70 offences against eight children between five months and two years old. Joshua Brown is accused of numerous sexual assaults against children. Picture Supplied. Credit: Supplied The new sites are:• Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham on August 29, 2024 • Milestones Early Learning Tarneit in Tarneit on September 10, 2024 and September 13, 2024 • Milestones Early Learning Braybrook in Braybrook on December 4, 2024 and December 6, 2024 • Milestones Early Learning Greensborough in Greensborough on December 5, 2024, January 31, 2025 and February 27, 2025. The Victorian government has issued an updated list of the known locations where Mr Brown worked. Mr Brown worked at the Milestones Early Learning and Kindergarten in Greensborough. NewsWire / Aaron Francis Credit: News Corp Australia A spokesman for Affinity Education Group, which operates some of the childcare centres, said they were 'deeply distressed by the nature of the charges laid against former employee, Joshua Brown'. 'Since being briefed on this matter on 1 July 2025, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of our employment and staffing records, as well as other relevant data,' they said, 'This included providing relevant information from our ongoing review to assist Victoria Police in updating families on the childcare centres where the alleged offender worked.' More to come
The Guardian
15-07-2025
- The Guardian
Additional 800 children to be tested for STIs as police investigate accused Melbourne childcare paedophile Joshua Dale Brown
More than 800 additional children are being recommended for testing for sexually transmitted infections after four more childcare centres were added to a list of known workplaces of alleged paedophile Joshua Dale Brown. Additional dates have been added for 10 other childcare centres, with police citing incomplete records from the providers for the discrepancies. Earlier this month police revealed the 26-year-old childcare worker had been charged with more than 70 offences relating to eight alleged victims, aged between five months and two years old. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Along with the health department, they released a list of 20 childcare centres where Brown worked between January 2017 and May 2025 and his known employment dates. Approximately 2,600 families with children who attended the centres were contacted, with 1,200 advised to undergo screening for sexually transmitted infections. Detectives from the sexual crimes squad on Tuesday confirmed four more centres had been added to Brown's work history. They are: Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham on 29 August 2024 Milestones Early Learning Tarneit on 10 September 2024 and 13 September 2024 Milestones Early Learning Braybrook on 4 December 2024 and 6 December 2024 Milestones Early Learning Greensborough on 5 December 2024, 31 January 2025 and 27 February 2025 Ten of the 20 centres already identified have also been updated based on new information provided to police, while Papilio Early Learning in Hoppers Crossing has been removed from the list after further investigation determined the information was incorrect. Police now believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025. In their statement, police said establishing Brown's complete work history had been 'extremely complex' as childcare providers do not have centralised records. It meant detectives had to 'execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information.' Police also had to interview witnesses to verify details and provide an accurate account of Brown's employment history, as well as asses more than 270 Crimestoppers reports. 'We are working through a large amount of information that has been provided to us,' Acting Cmdr Janet Stevenson said. 'Each piece of information has to be individually assessed and verified before it can be used as part of the investigation or released to the public. 'I understand there are people who will be frustrated and I want to reinforce that this is a continually evolving and changing situation. What hasn't changed is that this investigation remains the highest priority for Victoria police.' Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The health department said it was contacting 830 additional families as a result of the new information, with 800 children recommended for testing. 'This is obviously a highly distressing situation, and I want to reassure all families being contacted that the potential exposure risk to an infectious disease for their child remains low,' the Victorian chief health officer, Dr Christian McGrath, said. 'Our recommendation for testing is a precaution and the test results we've received to date as part of this investigation reaffirms that the risk is low.' Families will be contacted initially via SMS and then with a phone call. The department urged families to check the updated list of childcare centres and employment dates before calling its advice line. In a statement, Affinity Education Group, which operates many of the listed centres, apologised to affected families. 'We are deeply sorry for the distress this is causing our families – no family should have to go through this. We are committed to supporting every family impacted whilst continuing to cooperate fully with the authorities as the investigation continues,' a spokesperson said. 'We share the urgency in ensuring that affected families receive accurate and timely information. Affinity has a zero-tolerance approach to any form of abuse or misconduct involving children. The safety and wellbeing of every child in our care is – and always will be – our highest priority.' The group provided police with updated employment records for Brown on 3 July.
West Australian
15-07-2025
- General
- West Australian
Childcare centres added to accused worker's history
NEW CHILDCARE LOCATIONS AND DATES WHERE ACCUSED SEXUAL ABUSER JOSHUA DALE BROWN WORKED: * August 29, 2024: Kids Academy Waratah Estate at Mickleham, in Melbourne's outer north * September 10, 2024 - September 13, 2024: Milestones Early Learning Tarneit, in the city's outer west * December 4, 2024 - December 6, 2024: Milestones Early Learning Braybrook, in the city's inner west * December 5, 2024, January 31, 2024 and February 27, 2025: Milestones Early Learning Greensborough, in the city's outer northeast UPDATED DATES FOR BROWN'S EMPLOYMENT AT CHILDCARE CENTRES: * August 6, 2019 - October 14, 2019, November 10, 2019 and December 17, 2019: Explorers Early Learning at Point Cook, in Melbourne's outer west. Several dates changed, including extended time in August and fewer days in October * November 25, 2019 - June 29, 2020: Adventurers Education at Wyndham Vale, in city's outer southwest. One month less * October 28, 2020 - March 29, 2021: Only About Children at Williamstown, in city's southwest. Additional day in March * June 21, 2021 - July 14, 2021: Nido Early Learning School at Werribee, in city's outerwest. Two fewer days * March 18, 2024 - April 24, 2024: DOTS Occupational Therapy for Children at Footscray, in city's inner west. Fewer weeks * August 21, 2024, September 24, 2024 and January 15, 2025: Aussie Kindies Early Learning at Sunbury, in city's outer northwest. Fewer days * August 19, 2024, September 2, 2024, September 4, 2024, September 6, 2024, September 9 and 10, 2024, September 30, 2024 and October 21, 2024: Milestones Early Learning at Hoppers Crossing, in city's outer southwest. Additional days * September 2, 2024 and September 16, 2024: Kids Academy at Melton, in city's outer west. Different days * September 25, 2024, November 20, 2024, February 3 and 4, 2025, February 7, 2025 and February 11, 2025: Aussie Kindies Early Learning at Keilor, in city's outer northwest. Additional days * August 20, 2024 - May 9, 2025: Papilio Early learning at Essendon, in city's northwest. Additional six months * August 22, 2024 - March, 12 2025: Papilio Early Learning at Hoppers Crossing, in city's outer southwest, removed from list after further investigation found the information was incorrect WHAT HAPPENS NOW? * About 830 extra families impacted in the expanded childcare locations and dates will be contacted by the Department of Health by text message and email from Tuesday * About 800 children will be recommended for testing * Children who have already been recommended for testing will not need any additional testing * Authorities aim to contact all newly affected families within the next three to four days * It is believed Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025 * Police have executed search warrants to get handwritten records, shift rosters, interview witnesses and assess more than 270 Crime Stoppers reports in their investigation * The investigation is ongoing and police are advising further updates are likely in coming weeks
