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Additional charges laid against former childcare worker
A former Melbourne childcare employee, already facing over 70 child abuse allegations, has been charged with an additional 83 offences, including six counts of child rape, police announced on Thursday.
Background and initial arrest
Joshua Dale Brown, 27, was arrested in May following accusations that he abused eight children-one as young as five months old-between April 2022 and January 2023. The case led health authorities in July to advise approximately 2,000 children across more than 20 childcare centres where Brown had worked to undergo infectious disease testing.
New allegations and charges
Police revealed the latest charges involve four new victims, with alleged offences occurring between 2019 and February this year at three childcare centres. Authorities also added further allegations against the original eight victims. The families of the newly identified victims have been informed.
No additional childcare centres are implicated in the new charges, and health officials have not recommended further infectious disease testing.
Nature of the charges
The updated charges include allegations of child rape, attempted child rape, production and distribution of child abuse material, and child sexual assault. Brown also faces 12 counts of bestiality, which police stated are unrelated to his employment at childcare centres and stem from a separate investigation.
Legal proceedings and custody status
Brown remains in custody and is scheduled to appear before Melbourne Magistrates' Court in February 2026.
Broader impact on childcare safety standards
The case has intensified concerns among parents, caregivers, and experts about safety standards within Australia's childcare industry. It follows several high-profile incidents of abuse in childcare settings, prompting widespread public alarm.
In response, the federal government expanded its authority to withdraw funding from childcare providers found in breach of quality and safety regulations. Lawmakers also fast-tracked a package of stricter child safety measures, including enhanced background checks for individuals working with children.
"While these steps are a start, more comprehensive reforms-such as a national worker register-are necessary to ensure child safety," experts said.
Industry responses
G8 Education, one of Australia's largest private childcare operators and the owner of the centre where Brown was employed, accelerated the installation of CCTV cameras across its network of over 400 centres. The company also introduced "intimate care waivers," allowing parents and caregivers to specify who performs sensitive care tasks for their children.
