Investigation of alleged incidents in childcare centres

Victoria Police are investigating allegations of sexual assault against children in a number of childcare centres across Melbourne.

The alleged offender has been arrested and charged by police and is in custody.

Man charged as part of investigation into alleged sexual assaults at Melbourne childcare centres

Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad are currently investigating a number of alleged sexual assaults linked to an employee who worked at a number of childcare centres across Melbourne.

On 12 May, police arrested and charged 26-year-old Point Cook man Joshua Brown with over 70 offences including:

• Sexual Penetration of a Child Under 12
• Attempted Sexual Penetration of a Child Under 12
• Sexual Assault of a Child Under 16
• Sexual Activity in Presence of a Child Under 16
• Produce Child Abuse Material for use through a carriage service
• Use Carriage Service to Transmit Child Abuse Material
• Possess Child Abuse Material for Use Through a Carriage Service
• Recklessly Contaminate Goods to Cause Alarm or Anxiety
• Use Carriage Service to Offend
• Use Carriage Service to Cause Child Abuse Material to be Transmitted to Self.

These charges relate to eight victims, who were placed at a Point Cook childcare centre between April 2022 and January 2023.

Brown was remanded and has remained in custody since that time.

He will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 15 September 2025.

The ongoing investigation

Since his arrest, a significant investigation has taken place led by detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad assisted by a number of specialist investigators.

The families of the eight victims have been notified and have been provided with all available support services.

It has been established that the man worked at 20 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025 and the above website has a full up to date list of impacted centres including the date range the man was employed at each centre.

As part of this ongoing investigation, detectives are also examining evidence of an allegation of offending at a second childcare centre which is based in Essendon. This matter is being investigated as a priority.

Investigators are working with a range of other agencies including the Department of Health, Commission for Children and Young Persons, Family Safety Victoria, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Gatehouse, Department of Education, and the Royal Children’s Hospital to ensure the right support services are in place and that families are given as much information as possible about the process from here.

Families who had children placed at the impacted centres during the time of the man’s employment are in the process of being contacted.

While the alleged offences the man has currently been charged with are limited to one childcare centre at this time, families who had children placed at any of the centres during the periods of the man’s employment are in the process of being contacted. This is to ensure appropriate support and welfare services are provided.

At this stage it is believed all alleged offending has taken place within Victoria.

There is no evidence at this time to suggest any other staff member at any centre is involved in this matter.

Police understand this will be incredibly distressing information for those in the community, particularly for those families with children at the childcare centres he worked at.

Reporting information

Any families who may have additional information they wish to provide police are urged to contact Crime Stoppers in the first instance and this will be passed on directly to investigators.

You can contact Crime Stoppers on www.crimestoppersvic.com.au or by calling 1800 333 000.

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