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This article contains references to child abuse.
A former childcare worker whose alleged sexual abuse crimes ignited a sector-wide reckoning has been hit with 83 more charges.
Police on Thursday issued more charges against Joshua Dale Brown as their continuing investigation into alleged sexual assaults at Melbourne childcare centres.
The new allegations against the individual encompass a range of serious offenses: six charges of penetrating a child under 12, eight charges related to creating child abuse material for distribution via a communication service, seven charges of disseminating child abuse material, eight charges of sexually assaulting a child under 16, and twelve charges of engaging in bestiality.
Brown is accused of abusing children between April 2022 and January 2023 at G8-owned Creative Garden centre, located in the southwest Melbourne suburb of Point Cook.
Earlier, officials had reported no previous complaints against the accused. However, Nido Early Learning, a prominent childcare provider, has revealed that the individual was dismissed while still in the probationary period after working 18 shifts at one of their centers located in Werribee, a suburb in Melbourne’s western region.
The shocking allegations paved the way for widespread distrust in the early education system.
In response, the federal government fast-tracked a slew of regulations, including a website that named and shamed early learning centres that breached child safety laws and reforms to strip childcare providers of their funding if they fail to meet quality, safety and compliance standards.
Readers seeking support can ring Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25). More information is available at beyondblue.org.au and lifeline.org.au.
Anyone seeking information or support relating to sexual abuse can contact Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 or Blue Knot on 1300 657 380.
