Latest news with #WithChildrenCheck
7NEWS
3 days ago
- 7NEWS
Man jailed for 15 years after repeatedly raping seven-year-old girl at wife's daycare centre in Point Cook, Victoria
WARNING: Confronting content The husband of a daycare owner has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for repeatedly raping a seven-year-old girl at his wife's centre. The now 50-year-old offender was found guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting the child between February 2021 and August 2022 at their home-turned centre in Point Cook, southwest of Melbourne. The girl had been attending the centre since she was two years old. The offences took place in the lounge room during the day, while she was in after-school care and on weekends. The abuse came to light in November 2022, when the girl complained to her older sister she was experiencing pain in her genital area. She was taken to a doctor the following day and disclosed what had happened. Following the consultation, she was then referred to the Royal Children's Hospital, and Victoria Police were contacted. In her police interview, the girl said she felt 'scared' and 'tricked' by the man, who would 'ask if she liked it and had a weird smile'. Police obtained CCTV footage from the lounge room, but no recordings from the period when the offences occurred had been retained. Since the offending, the young girl suffers from nightmares, is afraid of the dark, and insists on having a camera in her room for a sense of safety, the Herald Sun reported. She also continues to experience difficulties at school. Her mother told the court she now lives in a constant state of guilt and emotional pain. 'I blame myself for what happened … The anxiety, the helplessness, the fear that I failed her is like running a marathon I never signed up for. And it never ends,' said the mother, according to the Herald Sun. 'These are not things a child should ever have to worry about or fear.' The masthead reported the offender emigrated from the Philippines in 2002. It remains unclear whether he held a Working With Children Check, how many other children were enrolled at the centre, and if their families have been informed. Judge Harper described the man's actions as 'abhorrent'. 'Your victim was only seven years of age. Your actions were abhorrent and as conceded by your counsel, the offending was humiliating, demeaning and objectifying,' she said. 'You breached the trust of your victim and her family and led her to believe your wife knew of the offending so it was alright. 'Your offending was opportunistic, committed on occasions where your wife was not in the vicinity.' He was sentenced to a total of 15 years and six months in prison, with a non-parole period of nine years and nine months. He must complete a sex offenders treatment program and will remain on the sex offenders register for life. A Department of Education spokesperson said the family daycare has been banned to eliminate further risk to children's safety.
Sky News AU
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Attorney-General prioritising national Working With Children Check system after horrific alleged childcare crimes
Attorney-General Michelle Rowland has promised action to unify child safety checks across Australia, following a series of shocking abuse cases in childcare centres. Ms Rowland told Sky News Sunday Agenda that establishing a national Working With Children Check system will be the top priority at the upcoming Standing Council of Attorneys-General meeting. 'We've got a pilot that's being established now… what is essential here is twofold,' Ms Rowland said. 'We've got different states and territories with their own schemes for Working With Children Checks and reportable conduct. They do not talk to other states… 'This was actually a recommendation coming out of a 2015 series of responses on the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse. 'We're now in 2025. What is important here is that we have action,' she said. The national reform aims to create near real-time reporting, ensure consistent access to data, and bring uniformity across jurisdictions to improve child safety. Ms Rowland acknowledged the reforms will not solve all the challenges in the system but said they will be a significant step forward. The push comes amid growing public concern after disturbing allegations of child sexual abuse in childcare centres. Calls to ban men from working in childcare have also emerged but Education Minister Jason Clare has dismissed such measures. Mr Clare told reporters, 'Just cutting blokes out altogether is not going to be the solution. In none of the reports do they recommend (banning men)'. He has instructed his department to draft legislation allowing the government to withhold public funding from childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards. Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has fast-tracked reforms including a ban on personal devices in childcare centres from September 26. She has also flagged the possible installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras to boost child safety. Ms Rowland welcomed the momentum for change. ' We need to be honest. This is not going to resolve everything… but it will be a significant step forward,' she said.
7NEWS
17-07-2025
- 7NEWS
Childcare worker charged over alleged indecent act involving four-year-old in Brisbane
A childcare worker has been charged over an alleged indecent treatment of a four-year-old child. Police allege the incident occurred on July 10 at an Affinity Education Group centre in Tingalpa, Brisbane, Queensland. The 21-year-old Cleveland man handed himself in to Wynnum Police Station and was charged with one count of indecent treatment of a child, police said. The childcare provider Affinity Education Group said the man was immediately stood down after complaints were raised. 'Upon becoming aware of complaints regarding the individual, we immediately reported the matter to the relevant authorities, including police, and stood down the individual,' a spokesperson said. 'This matter is being taken extremely seriously and we are providing our full co-operation to the Queensland Police. 'The safety and wellbeing of all children and staff at our centres is our highest priority and we will continue to support families and our team during this time.' The group confirmed the man held a valid Working With Children Check (Blue Card) and stated the charge only related to one centre. Affinity has since announced it is fast-tracking several safety initiatives across its national network, including CCTV upgrades, updated child safety training, and secure storage for staff devices. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said the childcare safety crisis must be tackled but it will take time. 'The issue in childcare centres won't be solved overnight,' he said. 'It's confronting what is occurring but we're going to confront it head on. 'We are not going to have a situation where monsters can lurk in centres where our most vulnerable and most precious asset — our children — go every day.' The childcare worker has been granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Cour t on August 4. Policelink or Crime Stoppers. charges against former Victorian worker Joshua Dale Brown, who faces more than 70 child sex abuse offences.
