A 26-year-old man who worked at 20 childcare centres has been charged with over 80 alleged offences as the families of eight alleged victims are contacted by cops and over 1,000 children are encouraged to get tested for infectious diseases.
Joshua Brown was arrested on May 12 and charged with offences relating to eight alleged victims who attended a daycare centre in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s southwest, between April 2022 and January 2023.
Detectives are also investigating alleged offending at a second childcare centre in Essendon, in the city’s inner-northwest, ‘as a priority’.
The slew of alleged offences include the sexual penetration of a child, production of child abuse material, and reckless contamination of goods to cause alarm or anxiety.
Brown worked at 20 childcare centres over an eight-year period between January 2017 and May 2025.
Police believe his alleged offences are limited to one childcare centre, however children who attended any of the childcare centres while he was employed there are in the process of being contacted.
Up to 1,200 children have been recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases due to a potential exposure risk.
Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath said up to 2,600 families have been contacted who have attended the impacted childcare centres.
He said the affected children could be tested with antibiotics.
A 26-year-old man has been charged with over 70 alleged child abuse offences following an investigation by sex crimes detectives (stock)
‘If you have not been contacted then it is highly unlikely you child has been affected,’ acting Commander Janet Stevenson said during a press conference on Tuesday.
However, police have invited concerned parents and anyone else with information to contact authorities.
Brown has remained in custody since his arrest in mid-May.
He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 15.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allen said she was ‘sickened by these allegations of abuse’.
‘They are shocking and distressing, it is every parent’s worse nightmare,’ she said.
‘Every health and mental health support will be provided to these families.
‘Families across Victoria will be horrified, angry and, frightened.’
I want to make it clear to our early childcare workforce that i know that the actions of a single individual
The families of the alleged victims have been notified by police and offered support.
‘This is an incredibly distressing and confronting investigation for all involved and I know many members of the community will hear this news and feel enormously concerned,’ acting Commander Stevenson said.
‘The most important thing for our investigators was that we needed to identify the victims involved. These are some of the most vulnerable members of our community and the conversations police have had to have with their families were no doubt life changing in the worst possible way.
‘Detectives have been working alongside a range of agencies during this investigation to ensure as much information has been provided to impacted parties as soon as possible.’
The full list of the 20 childcare centres Mr Brown worked out between January 2018 and May 2025 has been released ‘out of an abundance of caution’ and so that ‘families and carers can cross check for themselves’.
These are:
Nino Early Learning Adventures, Point Cook: 15 Jan 2017 – 9 Jun 2019
Explorers Early Learning, Point Cook: 18 Aug 2019 – 27 Oct 2019 Casual work: 10 Nov 2019 & 22 Dec 2019
Adventurers Education, Wyndham Vale: 25 Nov 2019 – 24 Jul 2020
Only About Children, Williamstown: 28 Oct 2020 – 30 Mar 2021
Wallaby Childcare Centre, Sanctuary Lakes: 13 Apr 2021 – 25 May 2021
Nido Early Learning School, Werribee: 21 Jun 2021 – 16 Jul 2021
Creative Gardens, Point Cook: 28 Oct 2021 – 2 Feb 2024
Leopold World of Learning, Leopold: 9 Feb 2023 – 13 Feb 2023
Greenwood, Point Cook: 14 Feb 2023 – 10 Mar 2023
Little Blossoms Child Care Centre, Werribee: 14 Aug 2023 – 17 Aug 2023
D.O.T.S Occupational Therapy for Children, Footscray: 1 Mar 2024 – 30 Apr 2024
Aussie Kindies Early Learning, Sunbury: 13 Aug 2024 – 21 Aug 2024
Milestones Early Learning, Werribee: 14 Aug 2024 – 16 Aug 2024
Milestones Early Learning, Hoppers Crossing: 19 Aug 2024 – 19 Aug 2024
Papilio Early Learning, Hoppers Crossing: 22 Aug 2024 – 12 Mar 2025
Kids Academy, Melton: 12 Sep 2024 – 12 Sep 2024
Kids Academy, Kensington: 7 Oct 2024 – 9 Oct 2024
Aussie Kindies Early Learning, Keilor: 11 Feb 2025 – 11 Feb 2025
Papilio Early Learning, Essendon: 17 Feb 2025 – 9 May 2025
Milestones Early Learning, Bundoora: 8 May 2025 – 8 May 2025
More to come.
