In short:
A Point Cook man has been charged with over 70 child sex offences linked to Melbourne childcare centres. Families across Victoria are being contacted as investigations widen. 1,200 children urged to get tested.
Point Cook man remains in custody
More than a thousand children are being urged to undergo health screening following revelations of serious child abuse allegations at a Point Cook childcare centre.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer and senior police joined Premier Jacinta Allan on 1 July to address the public as the fallout from the case continues to widen. The accused, Joshua Brown, 26, was charged in May with over 70 child sex offences linked to his employment at multiple centres across Melbourne’s west.
Deputy Commissioner Wendy Steendam described the case as one of the most confronting in recent memory.
“I will say from the outset that this is an incredibly distressing investigation and the information we are going to provide today is particularly confronting as it involved offences [allegedly] committed against some of our vulnerable people in our community,” she said.
The Victorian Department of Health has now launched a public health response. Around 1,200 children are being recommended for medical screening due to the nature of the alleged offences, which include sexual penetration of a child, producing child abuse material, and recklessly contaminating goods to cause alarm or anxiety.
Chief Health Officer Dr Christian McGrath would not confirm whether Brown had tested positive for any sexually transmitted infections but stated, “The manner of the alleged offending means some children may be recommended for screening for infectious diseases.”
The Department of Health has contacted 2,600 families so far, advising them of potential exposure and outlining next steps. Authorities say tests may take days or even weeks to process.
Childcare Worker Remains in Custody as Investigations Widen
Joshua Brown, a Point Cook man, was arrested on 12 May and remains in custody. He faces more than 70 charges, including Sexual Penetration of a Child Under 12, Sexual Assault of a Child Under 16, and Use of a Carriage Service to Transmit Child Abuse Material.
The current charges relate to eight children at a Point Cook childcare centre, where Brown worked between April 2022 and January 2023. He is due to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 15 September 2025.
Victoria Police confirm Brown worked at 20 childcare centres across Melbourne from January 2017 to May 2025. While the charged offences stem from one location, detectives are also investigating new allegations involving a second centre in Essendon.
Acting Commander Janet 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.”
A full list of affected centres is available at www.vic.gov.au/childcare-centres-investigation, including the dates Brown was employed at each location.
Wyndham-Based Centres and Dates of Employment
The following childcare centres in the Wyndham region have been listed:
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
Greenwood – Point Cook: 14 Feb 2023 – 10 Mar 2023
Little Blossoms Child Care Centre – Werribee: 14 Aug 2023 – 17 Aug 2023
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
Nino Early Learning Adventures – Point Cook: 15 Jan 2017 – 9 Jun 2019
Explorers Early Learning – Point Cook: 18 Aug 2019 – 27 Oct 2019
– Casual shifts also on 10 Nov 2019 and 22 Dec 2019
Adventurers Education – Wyndham Vale: 25 Nov 2019 – 24 Jul 2020
Families with children placed at these centres during the man’s employment are being contacted directly. Stevenson said, “Parents who had a child at a centre at the time of the man’s employment are being notified today and a website has been set up by the Victorian Government with further information for impacted families.”
Authorities stress that there is no evidence to suggest other staff were involved or that any alleged offences occurred outside Victoria.
“We know there are potentially people out there who have information about this investigation,” Stevenson added. “This may be people who had children at a centre where the man worked or staff who may have worked with him and noticed particular behaviours. If you do have information then we urge you to contact Crime Stoppers.”
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au or call 1800 333 000.
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