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.

Updates on investigation into alleged sexual assaults at Melbourne childcare centres

Detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad have confirmed further work locations as part of the ongoing priority investigation into alleged sexual assaults by Joshua Brown.

The childcare sites and dates listed below are subject to change. Please check vic.gov.au for updates.

Updated list of services – at 16 July 2025

Additional service

• Point Cook World of Learning on 24 August 2023.

Date clarification

• Kids Academy in Melton – date has been corrected to 12 September 2024 (not 2 September 2024).

Additional childcare centre locations - at 15 July 2025

• Kids Academy Waratah Estate in Mickleham on 29 August 2024
• Milestones Early Learning Tarneit in Tarneit on 10 September 2024 and 13 September 2024
• Milestones Early Learning Braybrook in Braybrook on 4 December 2024 and 6 December 2024
• Milestones Early Learning Greensborough in Greensborough on 5 December 2024, 31 January 2025 and 27 February 2025.

Updates to employment dates at childcare centres

Employment dates for 10 childcare centres listed on the website have now been updated as new information has come to light through the investigation. These centres are:

• Explorers Early Learning in Point Cook – 6 August 2019 to 14 October 2019, 10 November 2019 and 17 December 2019
• Adventurers Education in Wyndham Vale – 25 November 2019 to 29 June 2020
• Only About Children in Williamstown – 28 October 2020 to 29 March 2021
• Nido Early Learning School in Werribee – 21 June 2021 to 14 July 2021
• DOTS Occupational Therapy for Children in Footscray – 18 March 2024 to 24 April 2024
• Aussie Kindies Early Learning in Sunbury – 21 August 2024, 24 September 2024 and 15 January 2025
• Milestones Early Learning in Hoppers Crossing – 19 August 2024, 2 September 2024, 4 September 2024, 6 September 2024, 9-10 September 2024, 30 September 2024, and 21 October 2024
• Kids Academy in Melton – 12 September 2024 and 16 September 2024
• Aussie Kindies Early Learning in Keilor – 25 September 2024, 20 November 2024, 3-4 February 2025, 7 February 2025, and 11 February 2025
• Papilio Early Learning in Essendon – 20 August 2024 to 9 May 2025.

Full list of employment locations and dates

A dedicated website has been established by the Victorian Government with a full list of employment locations and dates, and is accessible at vic.gov.au.

The ongoing investigation

Although records obtained by police recorded that Brown had worked at Papilio Early Learning in Hoppers Crossing between 22 August 2024 and 12 March 2025, further investigation has since determined this information was incorrect and the centre has been removed from the list.

Police now believe Brown worked at 23 childcare centres between January 2017 and May 2025.

Agencies are in the process of contacting the families who had children placed at the four new impacted centres during the time of Brown’s employment.

Since the arrest of Brown, an urgent investigation has been led by detectives from the Sexual Crimes Squad.

A key focus of the investigation has been establishing a complete work history for Brown. This has been extremely complex due to the lack of centralised records available, requiring detectives to execute search warrants to obtain handwritten records, shift rosters and other critical information.

They have also had to interview witnesses to verify details and provide an accurate account of Brown’s employment history, as well as assessing more than 270 Crimestoppers reports.

The information released today is the most accurate and up to date record available. However, this remains an ongoing, active inquiry which is assessing new information daily, and as such, Victoria Police advises that further updates are likely in the coming weeks.

Detectives are continuing to work 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.

All of the childcare providers are continuing to cooperate fully with police on this matter.

Police are urging anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers on the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Support and welfare services

A range of support and welfare services are in place for those who have been impacted.

Detectives are continuing to work 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.

Reporting information

If any families who had children in identified centres have any concerns regarding their child or children, they are urged to contact police via Crime Stoppers or call the dedicated advice line on 1800 791 241 (open 7 days a week, 8am to 9pm weekdays and 8am to 5pm weekends).

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 the Crime Stoppers website or by calling 1800 333 000.

Original statement: 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.

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.

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.

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