Reforms begin to close working-with-children loopholes
An urgent plan to close loopholes in working with children checks will not "reinvent the wheel" but the government is confident it will help protect children.
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‘Standard practice’: summiteers play down Treasury leak
Experts believe there's still hope for reform at an upcoming productivity roundtable after Treasury recommendations arising from the summit were leaked.
Tougher national working with kids scheme by year’s end
Australia will fast-track the rollout of reforms for working with children checks after the existing system was slammed by the prime minister as "hopeless".
‘Tragic’ childcare abuse shouldn’t drive kneejerk shift
Parents are questioning whether to send their children to preschool in the wake of horror abuse reports and trust in the sector is at a new low, advocates say.
‘Not acceptable’: child ‘groomer’ retains work permit
Authorities are racing to cancel a blacklisted educator's working with children permit after his ex-employer substantiated claims of inappropriate behaviour.
Parents urged to go to police with childcare concerns
Childcare educators are working for years after being banned and police want parents to report suspicions immediately to protect kids, an inquiry has been told.
School principal’s historical sexual abuse appeal fails
An ex-school principal's appeal has been dismissed after his defence argued a child abuse conviction was based on a victim's "dreams and nightmares".
‘This is the moment’: teachers strike over wage deal
Thousands of educators have walked off the job, shutting down a city CBD as they marched on parliament, as union officials flag more action.
Ex-cop charged with ‘sickening’ abuse of childcare kids
An after-school-care worker was a serving police officer at the time he allegedly produced child abuse material of 10 pre-school-aged victims.
‘Gaping hole’ in social media ban as YouTube plugged in
YouTube will be included in a social media ban for children under 16, but uncertainty surrounds how the world-first laws will be enforced.
Indigenous kids in focus for ‘broken’ care system probe
The number of Indigenous youths in out-of-home care and the youth justice system will form a key part of an inquiry into a troubled child-safety system.
Worried parents demand national childcare watchdog
Plans to strip funding from childcare operators that fail to meet safety standards could place a greater burden on parents, advocacy groups warn.
Gaza baby starves to death weighing less than when born
The latest child to starve to death in Gaza weighed less than when she was born.
Police given more time to investigate accused pedophile
A childcare worker accused of abusing eight children is expected to face further charges as prosecutors successfully applied for more time to gather evidence.
Calls for childcare register to include work histories
There are calls for the employment history of childcare workers to be included in a national register after an accused abuser was sacked but continued to work.
Parents shocked at charge against childcare worker
Children have been collected by worried parents from a childcare facility where a worker was charged with indecent treatment of a four-year-old.
‘We failed’: families seek options after abuse charges
Concerned parents are investigating all options to ensure the safety of their children after a childcare educator was charged with abuse.
Parents’ nightmare as alleged abuser work links grow
The spotlight is on childcare centre record-keeping as parents have been left distressed to learn an accused abuser worked at more sites than first thought.
Hundreds more kids to be tested as abuse scandal widens
Authorities are contacting the families of 800 children to undergo screening after finding an alleged sex offender worked in another four childcare centres.
Mum charged with stabbing murder of seven-month-old boy
A mother has been charged with murder after first responders were called to a home where they found a baby boy with serious stab wounds.
Second childcare’s CCTV promise after alleged sex abuse
A major childcare provider is following a rival in installing CCTV cameras at its centres after another former worker was charged with sexually abusing kids.
Families’ fearful wait to learn alleged abuser’s moves
Parents are facing an anxious wait to find out if their kids have been exposed to a childcare worker accused of serial sexual abuse.
Man tried offering a PlayStation to lure child for sex
A man has been jailed after he tried to lure a child through social media for sex - at one point offering the boy a PlayStation - before being caught by police.
Childcare abuse allegations prompt wider risk warning
There is typically one report of sexual abuse in Australian childcare centres each day, but the scale of the problem goes well beyond the under-pressure sector.
Calls grow to back safety over access in childcare
After shocking allegations of abuse, parents have grown hesitant to send their kids to childcare, prompting calls to prioritise child safety rather than access.
Childcare changes just a ‘bandaid’ after abuse case
Expedited childcare reforms will only be a stop-gap response and won't address the root causes of abuse in the sector, an early childhood advocate says.
Childhood centres wary of raising sex abuse concerns
A review of system responses to child sexual abuse is underway in Queensland following the jailing of one of Australia's worst pedophiles.
Parents demand answers after childcare abuse scandal
Families of more than 1000 children have been told to test for diseases after a childcare worker linked to 20 centres was charged with "sickening" crimes.
‘Good medicine’: playgroup brings generational joy
Children, Elders and the parents and caregivers in between are finding joy in an intergenerational playgroup, where stories are shared and language passed down.
CCTV cameras in childcare amid surge in safety breaches
Allegations about careless childcare centres have triggered extensive new powers including hefty fines and CCTV cameras to monitor how children are treated.
YouTube in frame for youth ban after safety spin claims
The online watchdog has launched its case for YouTube to be included in a "world-leading" social media ban for kids as the platform fights for its exemption.