‘I am truly sorry': Premier Jacinta Allan has promised to overhaul Victoria's childcare system after damning review
The Allan government's Rapid Child Safety Review, released on Wednesday, has handed down 22 recommendations while outlining a strict 12-month timeline for much needed improvements across multiple areas.
The review, undertaken by former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and veteran public servant Pam White, was launched following shocking allegations of abuse by a Victorian childcare worker came to light in July.
Responding to the review on Thursday, Premier Allan acknowledged the system 'simply isn't working'.
'Parents must be able to drop their children off at childcare, knowing they will be encouraged to play and learn — trusting they will be safe. That trust has been horribly broken,' Ms Allan said.
'To every family who has been hurt by these horrifying allegations, I am truly sorry. You put your trust in a system, and that system let you down.
'As a mum, I cannot begin to imagine that pain. But as Premier, I can do everything in my power to act.'
The Victorian government has accepted all 22 recommendations and has announced immediate action to create a new independent regulator, boost funding to the sector by $42 million, and massively overhaul the state's Working With Children Check (WWCC) system.
The WWCC system been the target of intense criticism since July with revelations emerging last week that a childcare worker who had been blacklisted from the industry in 2020 over accusations of grooming, kissing toddlers, and attempting to organise unsanctioned catch-ups, still had a valid working WWCC.
The rapid review recommended major changes to the WWCC, which found the system was 'not fit-for-purpose' and needed to be 'rebalanced in favour of child safety'.
Among the biggest flaws highlighted was the inability for childcare workers to be stripped of their WWCC without a formal criminal charge, conviction or finding of guilt.
The review not only recommended making it easier for childcare workers to have their WWCCs suspended or cancelled on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations, but also changes to allow police and child protection authorities to share unsubstantiated information to enable action to be taken.
It also recommended the removal of the ability for those accused of misconduct to appeal the decision to VCAT, with this being replaced by an internal review process with child safety experts responsible for all decisions.
Many of the concerns about the WWCC system were previously recommended by former Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass. And following the release of the rapid review, the Director of the Australian Catholic University's Institute of Child Protection Studies said that while action from the government was welcome, the findings 'do not tell us anything new'.
'Disappointing that it took such high-profile horrific incidents of abuse involving vulnerable children for the spotlight to finally be shone on these long-running safety gaps in early childhood education and care,' Professor Daryl Higgins told the Herald Sun.
Professor Higgins said the government needed to match its words with actions.
'We need to match the strong verbal commitments of the Victorian Government today with real and urgent action to implement these recommendations,' he said.
Shadow Education Minister Jess Wilson said the fact the government had not acted sooner showed a 'failure of leadership'.
'What is clear from today's review is that the government has delayed obvious, urgent action to keep children safe in this state,' she said.
'They have been warned for years that the system is not up to standard, that it is not keeping children safe, and it is failing to ensure that those who should not be working with children are not in the system and working with children.'
Ms Wilson pointed out the Liberal and National parties had introduced legislation to improve the WWCC system three weeks ago and it had been voted it down by the government.
'As a consequence of not passing those laws last in the last sitting period, there are individuals now still holding active working with children, checks in this state that should not be that pose a risk to children,' the shadow minister said.
'Had the premier, had the government worked constructively with the opposition, that would not be the case.'
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