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.
children
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.
Jailing is failing: youth prison numbers under scrutiny
Tough on crime approaches are failing to make communities safer, instead undermining the rights of children and increasing incarceration rates, advocates say.
Push for early learning safety crackdown to go further
Further early learning safety measures are on the agenda amid a safety crackdown affecting mandatory reporting and phone use, as advocates push for more reform.
Man remains behind bars over torture, abuse of baby
A man is accused of the torture and physical abuse of a seven-week-old baby boy which appeared to be prolonged, in what police say is a deeply confronting case.
Woman charged over daughter’s murder taken to hospital
A woman who was charged with murdering her daughter has been taken to hospital from custody after a medical incident.
Community reels over toddler, mum’s deaths
A mother accused of fatally stabbing her three-year-old daughter has died in custody, sparking a review and bringing more grief for their local community.
Tyrrell foster mum spared intimidation conviction
A court has declined to clear William Tyrrell's foster mother of intimidating another child but has allowed her to walk without conviction.
‘Forgotten children’: state care failings scrutinised
Advocates have welcomed a state's child safety investigation but fear recommendations will fall on deaf ears, ensuring some kids will remain "forgotten".
Failures of ‘broken’ child safety system sparks inquiry
Almost half of children experienced physical abuse before entering out-of-home care in one state, prompting a landmark inquiry into the "broken" system.
School bus crash accused ‘not the villain’, jury told
Truck driver Jamie Gleeson has denied he was driving dangerously in the lead-up to a collision that left seven primary school students seriously injured.
School bus driver denies misremembering truck crash
A school bus driver has denied suggestions he is not correctly recalling the lead-up to a truck crash where several students were seriously injured.
Bail failing: legal services warn against tighter laws
Restricting bail and increasing penalties do not work to reduce crime, legal experts say, as 'tough on crime' measures continue to sweep across Australia.
Drop in kids going to jail prompts controversial review
A landmark High Court ruling on criminal responsibility for children has led to a drop in the number of kids found guilty amid calls to tackle youth crime.
Teacher accused of grooming has all charges dropped
A prosecutor has dropped all charges against a female teacher previously accused of grooming a student nearly 15 months after she was ordered to stand trial.
Dance industry stepping into new era of safety for kids
Child safety has long been a major issue for the dance industry but an innovative program could help studios keep kids safe and comply with tougher laws.
Doin’ it for the kids: PM’s pride in childcare legacy
The prime minister touted the government's childcare reforms as he targeted a marginal Liberal-held seat in Brisbane's east.
‘Taboo fiction’ author can’t hide in child abuse case
A Christian charity's marketing executive facing child abuse charges over her book Daddy's Little Toy has lost a bid to shield her identity from the public.
‘Profound anguish’: tears for boys killed in crash
The families of two boys killed in a horror crash shared their "immeasurable grief" and broke down in tears as the driver responsible learned his fate.
Deluded boy faces decade in custody for mum’s murder
A teenager who murdered his caring mother in cold blood as part of a deluded plan to take over Australia will spend at least 10 years behind bars.
Teenager alleges human rights abuse in watch house
Children should not be held in watch houses for more than 24 hours, a report has found, after a boy was allegedly deprived of his basic human rights.
Woman accused of torturing girl seeks medical evidence
A woman accused of torturing and neglecting a four-year-old girl needs time for her solicitor to review "quite voluminous" police evidence, a magistrate heard.
Incarceration crisis: youth laws to face UN scrutiny
Australia's juvenile justice system could come under international scrutiny as one state seeks to make its youth crime laws even tougher.