The dilemma for men at childcare centres

A spate of men being prosecuted for abusing children in childcare centres has renewed calls for the introduction of more stringent systems and better transparency to protect children.

Last month three childcare workers were arrested in three days for child abuse in NSW, with more than 10 child victims identified so far. In September, a former childcare worker pleaded guilty to 307 offences in Brisbane and Italy. And now the pending release of a Canberra male daycare worker convicted of an act of indecency on a four-year-old boy has further drawn attention to the vulnerability of children in care.

The man’s aberrant behaviour over three months came to light only after the boy’s mother took part in a child abuse prevention education course – which taught her how to discuss body safety with her son – and complained. The centre did not inform other parents about her allegations, leaving the four-year-old’s mother to tell them at a birthday party where they recognised telltale signs in their own children. The man was also charged with assaulting two other children but not convicted. He is due for parole this month.

With some 1.4 million children aged 12 and under attending some form of government-approved or government-funded childcare service in 2024-25, media coverage of the uptick in assaults has stirred fears for many parents.

Daycare providers must notify the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority and government departments about incidents, yet there is no statutory requirement to inform parents about allegations or convictions. Child offender information is managed by the Australian National Child Offender Register and the Managed Person System, accessible only by authorised people such as police officers.

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Louise Edmonds, a founding member of the Independent Collective of Survivors, wants greater supervision for daycare workers and for male daycare workers to be banned from toilet and nappy duties. The advocacy group, Fighters Against Child Abuse Australia, is demanding the Child Protection Register be made public, listing the names and suburbs of convicted child sex offenders.

The Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department is committed to supporting states and territories to manage the potential risk that registered child sex offenders pose to community safety, while ensuring that the register does not facilitate blackmail or vigilantism.

Many countries have pushed for greater male participation rates at childcare centres, but the Australian Productivity Commission estimated they comprise only 3 per cent of childcare workers. Meanwhile, the status of men in childcare centres is being questioned. But fear of predators must be balanced against the importance of males in early education. Few would not argue that the presence of male staff in childcare centres provides positive role models, particularly for children who may not have male role models at home.

There are reasonable concerns on both sides about whether there is enough transparency. But a review of child safety arrangements under the National Quality Framework is in progress and will choose between the public’s right to know and the protection of privacy.

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