Latest news with #NSWPoliceChildAbuseSquad
The Advertiser
14 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Predators try to hide their 'horrific' crimes. These detectives work to uncover them
PREDATORS may try to hide behind closed doors, targeting vulnerable children in corners of the internet, or committing horrific and life-altering acts against young people they're often trusted with knowing. But behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, operating from discreet locations, the highly-skilled detectives of the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad work tirelessly to expose some of the worst child abuse offenders in the state. The crimes are distressing and privacy is paramount, so the public would not know that in the northern zone alone, detectives in Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Ballina, investigated more than 1300 cases and charged more than 200 offenders last year. The northern zone manager of the NSW Police Force's Child Abuse Squad, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Robinson, sat down with the Newcastle Herald to lift the curtain on the important work his team does. "Child abuse detectives work in the field because they want to help and protect the most vulnerable people in the community, our children," he said. "They're driven to investigate offences against children and hold to account offenders who commit often serious and life-altering offences against children and hold to account offenders ... some of these crimes are horrific." THE Child Abuse Squad is part of the NSW Police Force's State Crime Command. Detectives investigate the most serious offences committed against young people, many under the age of 16. That includes cases of extreme neglect, sexual abuse and serious physical abuse, like head trauma, and other inflicted injuries like bone fractures in babies and young children and cigarette burns. "Reports of child abuse continue to increase year-on-year, which also means an increase in the workload of Child Abuse Squad staff," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. The confronting and often private nature of the offences may mean the public never hears about them, to protect victims, but that doesn't mean the prevalence of child abuse has to be swept under the carpet. So far this year, more than 50 detectives based in the northern zone, between Lake Macquarie and Tweed Heads and the busiest in the state, are investigating more than 700 child abuse cases and have charged more than 100 people. About 85 per cent of the Child Abuse Squad's work - or more - is investigating child sexual abuse. "Most offenders are known to the child victims and are often family members, neighbours, or associates. Offenders may be adults, but often they can be peers or older children and young people known to the victim," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. But apps like Instagram, Snapchat and online gaming have opened up new platforms for predators to interact with young people. "Offenders are finding new ways to target children, including children who are not known to them," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. "Children may believe they're talking to another child when really they're communicating with an adult predator. "Unfortunately, perpetrators continue to target vulnerable children in the community, including those with a disability, those who have an unstable home life, or those residing in out-of-home care. These are offenders are primarily men." The investigations aren't just becoming more plentiful, they're becoming more complex due to these technological developments like artificial intelligence, computers, mobile phones, apps and CCTV. The team continues to upskill as technology revolutionises not only how predators operate, but also the tools investigators have at their disposal. The Newcastle Child Abuse Squad has even charged offenders who have travelled from as far as Sydney, Northern NSW and interstate to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. People convicted of child abuse offences could face jail, be placed on a register and be monitored. "If you commit child abuse offences, whether in person or online, there is a strong likelihood that you will be caught," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson warned. CHILD abuse police undergo specialised training, are assessed psychologically before entry, and have regular assessments while serving on the squad. But, the large number of investigations, the court processes, and the court outcomes, can be stressful. "Child Abuse Squad detectives are caring people who want the best outcome for the children involved. Investigating these types of offences undoubtedly takes a toll on child abuse detectives," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. He's been a cop for more than 36 years, and has been part of the Child Abuse Squad for seven years. "I've seen a number of good, dedicated, hard-working, caring officers leave the squad and some, unfortunately, the NSW Police," he said. "Although difficult at times, child abuse detectives find this work very rewarding. "I think very highly of all our child abuse investigators and the work they do." Detectives need to review child abuse material and classify images and videos. Sometimes, when an offender has been charged and goes to court, the police officer is the only one who has had to review the material. Not all child abuse cases lead to charges, but detectives have other options to help the children at the centre. They undergo specialist training about how to conduct forensic interviews with children from different backgrounds and work closely with NSW Health and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). The Newcastle office has purpose-built interview rooms that are soundproof, have state-of-the-art recording and family rooms. All child abuse victims are treated with the greatest respect," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. At work, officers are encouraged to take breaks often and support each other, and outside work, be active, maintain a social and family life, and get involved with community and sporting groups. DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Robinson encouraged anyone who spoke with a child disclosing abuse to be "believing and supportive", take notes if possible, ask open-ended questions and report it. "It takes a lot of courage for a child to disclose they're being abused," he said. He urged parents to speak with children about their online activities and be aware which apps could be used to share their location. He said parents and carers should be aware of who they were bringing into their home if they were starting a new relationship because some predators sought partners just to access children. INSTAGRAM ASSET, not for publication in story PREDATORS may try to hide behind closed doors, targeting vulnerable children in corners of the internet, or committing horrific and life-altering acts against young people they're often trusted with knowing. But behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, operating from discreet locations, the highly-skilled detectives of the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad work tirelessly to expose some of the worst child abuse offenders in the state. The crimes are distressing and privacy is paramount, so the public would not know that in the northern zone alone, detectives in Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Ballina, investigated more than 1300 cases and charged more than 200 offenders last year. The northern zone manager of the NSW Police Force's Child Abuse Squad, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Robinson, sat down with the Newcastle Herald to lift the curtain on the important work his team does. "Child abuse detectives work in the field because they want to help and protect the most vulnerable people in the community, our children," he said. "They're driven to investigate offences against children and hold to account offenders who commit often serious and life-altering offences against children and hold to account offenders ... some of these crimes are horrific." THE Child Abuse Squad is part of the NSW Police Force's State Crime Command. Detectives investigate the most serious offences committed against young people, many under the age of 16. That includes cases of extreme neglect, sexual abuse and serious physical abuse, like head trauma, and other inflicted injuries like bone fractures in babies and young children and cigarette burns. "Reports of child abuse continue to increase year-on-year, which also means an increase in the workload of Child Abuse Squad staff," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. The confronting and often private nature of the offences may mean the public never hears about them, to protect victims, but that doesn't mean the prevalence of child abuse has to be swept under the carpet. So far this year, more than 50 detectives based in the northern zone, between Lake Macquarie and Tweed Heads and the busiest in the state, are investigating more than 700 child abuse cases and have charged more than 100 people. About 85 per cent of the Child Abuse Squad's work - or more - is investigating child sexual abuse. "Most offenders are known to the child victims and are often family members, neighbours, or associates. Offenders may be adults, but often they can be peers or older children and young people known to the victim," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. But apps like Instagram, Snapchat and online gaming have opened up new platforms for predators to interact with young people. "Offenders are finding new ways to target children, including children who are not known to them," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. "Children may believe they're talking to another child when really they're communicating with an adult predator. "Unfortunately, perpetrators continue to target vulnerable children in the community, including those with a disability, those who have an unstable home life, or those residing in out-of-home care. These are offenders are primarily men." The investigations aren't just becoming more plentiful, they're becoming more complex due to these technological developments like artificial intelligence, computers, mobile phones, apps and CCTV. The team continues to upskill as technology revolutionises not only how predators operate, but also the tools investigators have at their disposal. The Newcastle Child Abuse Squad has even charged offenders who have travelled from as far as Sydney, Northern NSW and interstate to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. People convicted of child abuse offences could face jail, be placed on a register and be monitored. "If you commit child abuse offences, whether in person or online, there is a strong likelihood that you will be caught," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson warned. CHILD abuse police undergo specialised training, are assessed psychologically before entry, and have regular assessments while serving on the squad. But, the large number of investigations, the court processes, and the court outcomes, can be stressful. "Child Abuse Squad detectives are caring people who want the best outcome for the children involved. Investigating these types of offences undoubtedly takes a toll on child abuse detectives," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. He's been a cop for more than 36 years, and has been part of the Child Abuse Squad for seven years. "I've seen a number of good, dedicated, hard-working, caring officers leave the squad and some, unfortunately, the NSW Police," he said. "Although difficult at times, child abuse detectives find this work very rewarding. "I think very highly of all our child abuse investigators and the work they do." Detectives need to review child abuse material and classify images and videos. Sometimes, when an offender has been charged and goes to court, the police officer is the only one who has had to review the material. Not all child abuse cases lead to charges, but detectives have other options to help the children at the centre. They undergo specialist training about how to conduct forensic interviews with children from different backgrounds and work closely with NSW Health and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). The Newcastle office has purpose-built interview rooms that are soundproof, have state-of-the-art recording and family rooms. All child abuse victims are treated with the greatest respect," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. At work, officers are encouraged to take breaks often and support each other, and outside work, be active, maintain a social and family life, and get involved with community and sporting groups. DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Robinson encouraged anyone who spoke with a child disclosing abuse to be "believing and supportive", take notes if possible, ask open-ended questions and report it. "It takes a lot of courage for a child to disclose they're being abused," he said. He urged parents to speak with children about their online activities and be aware which apps could be used to share their location. He said parents and carers should be aware of who they were bringing into their home if they were starting a new relationship because some predators sought partners just to access children. INSTAGRAM ASSET, not for publication in story PREDATORS may try to hide behind closed doors, targeting vulnerable children in corners of the internet, or committing horrific and life-altering acts against young people they're often trusted with knowing. But behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, operating from discreet locations, the highly-skilled detectives of the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad work tirelessly to expose some of the worst child abuse offenders in the state. The crimes are distressing and privacy is paramount, so the public would not know that in the northern zone alone, detectives in Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Ballina, investigated more than 1300 cases and charged more than 200 offenders last year. The northern zone manager of the NSW Police Force's Child Abuse Squad, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Robinson, sat down with the Newcastle Herald to lift the curtain on the important work his team does. "Child abuse detectives work in the field because they want to help and protect the most vulnerable people in the community, our children," he said. "They're driven to investigate offences against children and hold to account offenders who commit often serious and life-altering offences against children and hold to account offenders ... some of these crimes are horrific." THE Child Abuse Squad is part of the NSW Police Force's State Crime Command. Detectives investigate the most serious offences committed against young people, many under the age of 16. That includes cases of extreme neglect, sexual abuse and serious physical abuse, like head trauma, and other inflicted injuries like bone fractures in babies and young children and cigarette burns. "Reports of child abuse continue to increase year-on-year, which also means an increase in the workload of Child Abuse Squad staff," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. The confronting and often private nature of the offences may mean the public never hears about them, to protect victims, but that doesn't mean the prevalence of child abuse has to be swept under the carpet. So far this year, more than 50 detectives based in the northern zone, between Lake Macquarie and Tweed Heads and the busiest in the state, are investigating more than 700 child abuse cases and have charged more than 100 people. About 85 per cent of the Child Abuse Squad's work - or more - is investigating child sexual abuse. "Most offenders are known to the child victims and are often family members, neighbours, or associates. Offenders may be adults, but often they can be peers or older children and young people known to the victim," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. But apps like Instagram, Snapchat and online gaming have opened up new platforms for predators to interact with young people. "Offenders are finding new ways to target children, including children who are not known to them," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. "Children may believe they're talking to another child when really they're communicating with an adult predator. "Unfortunately, perpetrators continue to target vulnerable children in the community, including those with a disability, those who have an unstable home life, or those residing in out-of-home care. These are offenders are primarily men." The investigations aren't just becoming more plentiful, they're becoming more complex due to these technological developments like artificial intelligence, computers, mobile phones, apps and CCTV. The team continues to upskill as technology revolutionises not only how predators operate, but also the tools investigators have at their disposal. The Newcastle Child Abuse Squad has even charged offenders who have travelled from as far as Sydney, Northern NSW and interstate to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. People convicted of child abuse offences could face jail, be placed on a register and be monitored. "If you commit child abuse offences, whether in person or online, there is a strong likelihood that you will be caught," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson warned. CHILD abuse police undergo specialised training, are assessed psychologically before entry, and have regular assessments while serving on the squad. But, the large number of investigations, the court processes, and the court outcomes, can be stressful. "Child Abuse Squad detectives are caring people who want the best outcome for the children involved. Investigating these types of offences undoubtedly takes a toll on child abuse detectives," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. He's been a cop for more than 36 years, and has been part of the Child Abuse Squad for seven years. "I've seen a number of good, dedicated, hard-working, caring officers leave the squad and some, unfortunately, the NSW Police," he said. "Although difficult at times, child abuse detectives find this work very rewarding. "I think very highly of all our child abuse investigators and the work they do." Detectives need to review child abuse material and classify images and videos. Sometimes, when an offender has been charged and goes to court, the police officer is the only one who has had to review the material. Not all child abuse cases lead to charges, but detectives have other options to help the children at the centre. They undergo specialist training about how to conduct forensic interviews with children from different backgrounds and work closely with NSW Health and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). The Newcastle office has purpose-built interview rooms that are soundproof, have state-of-the-art recording and family rooms. All child abuse victims are treated with the greatest respect," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. At work, officers are encouraged to take breaks often and support each other, and outside work, be active, maintain a social and family life, and get involved with community and sporting groups. DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Robinson encouraged anyone who spoke with a child disclosing abuse to be "believing and supportive", take notes if possible, ask open-ended questions and report it. "It takes a lot of courage for a child to disclose they're being abused," he said. He urged parents to speak with children about their online activities and be aware which apps could be used to share their location. He said parents and carers should be aware of who they were bringing into their home if they were starting a new relationship because some predators sought partners just to access children. INSTAGRAM ASSET, not for publication in story PREDATORS may try to hide behind closed doors, targeting vulnerable children in corners of the internet, or committing horrific and life-altering acts against young people they're often trusted with knowing. But behind the scenes and out of the spotlight, operating from discreet locations, the highly-skilled detectives of the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad work tirelessly to expose some of the worst child abuse offenders in the state. The crimes are distressing and privacy is paramount, so the public would not know that in the northern zone alone, detectives in Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour and Ballina, investigated more than 1300 cases and charged more than 200 offenders last year. The northern zone manager of the NSW Police Force's Child Abuse Squad, Detective Chief Inspector Mark Robinson, sat down with the Newcastle Herald to lift the curtain on the important work his team does. "Child abuse detectives work in the field because they want to help and protect the most vulnerable people in the community, our children," he said. "They're driven to investigate offences against children and hold to account offenders who commit often serious and life-altering offences against children and hold to account offenders ... some of these crimes are horrific." THE Child Abuse Squad is part of the NSW Police Force's State Crime Command. Detectives investigate the most serious offences committed against young people, many under the age of 16. That includes cases of extreme neglect, sexual abuse and serious physical abuse, like head trauma, and other inflicted injuries like bone fractures in babies and young children and cigarette burns. "Reports of child abuse continue to increase year-on-year, which also means an increase in the workload of Child Abuse Squad staff," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. The confronting and often private nature of the offences may mean the public never hears about them, to protect victims, but that doesn't mean the prevalence of child abuse has to be swept under the carpet. So far this year, more than 50 detectives based in the northern zone, between Lake Macquarie and Tweed Heads and the busiest in the state, are investigating more than 700 child abuse cases and have charged more than 100 people. About 85 per cent of the Child Abuse Squad's work - or more - is investigating child sexual abuse. "Most offenders are known to the child victims and are often family members, neighbours, or associates. Offenders may be adults, but often they can be peers or older children and young people known to the victim," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. But apps like Instagram, Snapchat and online gaming have opened up new platforms for predators to interact with young people. "Offenders are finding new ways to target children, including children who are not known to them," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. "Children may believe they're talking to another child when really they're communicating with an adult predator. "Unfortunately, perpetrators continue to target vulnerable children in the community, including those with a disability, those who have an unstable home life, or those residing in out-of-home care. These are offenders are primarily men." The investigations aren't just becoming more plentiful, they're becoming more complex due to these technological developments like artificial intelligence, computers, mobile phones, apps and CCTV. The team continues to upskill as technology revolutionises not only how predators operate, but also the tools investigators have at their disposal. The Newcastle Child Abuse Squad has even charged offenders who have travelled from as far as Sydney, Northern NSW and interstate to meet and engage in sexual activity with children. People convicted of child abuse offences could face jail, be placed on a register and be monitored. "If you commit child abuse offences, whether in person or online, there is a strong likelihood that you will be caught," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson warned. CHILD abuse police undergo specialised training, are assessed psychologically before entry, and have regular assessments while serving on the squad. But, the large number of investigations, the court processes, and the court outcomes, can be stressful. "Child Abuse Squad detectives are caring people who want the best outcome for the children involved. Investigating these types of offences undoubtedly takes a toll on child abuse detectives," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. He's been a cop for more than 36 years, and has been part of the Child Abuse Squad for seven years. "I've seen a number of good, dedicated, hard-working, caring officers leave the squad and some, unfortunately, the NSW Police," he said. "Although difficult at times, child abuse detectives find this work very rewarding. "I think very highly of all our child abuse investigators and the work they do." Detectives need to review child abuse material and classify images and videos. Sometimes, when an offender has been charged and goes to court, the police officer is the only one who has had to review the material. Not all child abuse cases lead to charges, but detectives have other options to help the children at the centre. They undergo specialist training about how to conduct forensic interviews with children from different backgrounds and work closely with NSW Health and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ). The Newcastle office has purpose-built interview rooms that are soundproof, have state-of-the-art recording and family rooms. All child abuse victims are treated with the greatest respect," Detective Chief Inspector Robinson said. At work, officers are encouraged to take breaks often and support each other, and outside work, be active, maintain a social and family life, and get involved with community and sporting groups. DETECTIVE Chief Inspector Robinson encouraged anyone who spoke with a child disclosing abuse to be "believing and supportive", take notes if possible, ask open-ended questions and report it. "It takes a lot of courage for a child to disclose they're being abused," he said. He urged parents to speak with children about their online activities and be aware which apps could be used to share their location. He said parents and carers should be aware of who they were bringing into their home if they were starting a new relationship because some predators sought partners just to access children. INSTAGRAM ASSET, not for publication in story
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘That's all they care about, is money': Childcare chain sets debt collectors on assaulted kid's mother
Edge, a for-profit childcare chain owned by private equity firms, only cancelled the debt collection process after being contacted by A Current Affair this week. A spokesperson for Edge said the company 'understands these circumstances are sensitive and the collection process has been cancelled'. More shocking alleged child abuse cases are emerging including one exposed at a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry by one of the state's top cops. Commander of the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, revealed to the inquiry on Thursday a disturbing case of a childcare worker dropping a seven-month-old baby and fracturing its leg in two places but not notifying parents. 'The child was only taken to the hospital a week later where that child sustained a significant injury and was obviously in distress for a number of days,' Howlett said. Loading A New South Wales police spokesperson confirmed the incident happened at Dapto in June and a 27-year-old female childcare worker had been charged with neglect of a child in her care. The centre has not been named but Howlett claims it not only failed to notify parents but actively tried to cover the case up. 'When we approached the centre, they actually denied anything took place. It was the CCTV that we obtained, we saw the actual injuries and how the actual injury took place,' she said. Discovering the full extent of a childcare centre's history is almost impossible in Australia given the secrecy in how the industry is regulated. Loading Families are directed to a government website which is run by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) to find 'trusted information' about safety standards at the 16,000 centres nationally. But a search of Edge Early Learning, Morayfield, reveals it is 'meeting National Quality Standards' and that 'your child is made to feel supported and welcomed' and 'plays in a safe well-maintained environment.' There is no mention of the two assaults 18 months ago or the former centre director failing to notify parents. Another case involving Le Smileys Early Learning Centre at Gracemere made national headlines in 2022 after a three-year-old child was left on a bus for six hours, suffering heat stress so severe she was given a 5 per cent chance of survival. The Rockhampton centre operators pleaded guilty to 4 charges and were fined $50,000 in a Queensland court. But there's no mention of that on the Starting Blocks website, it too is 'meeting National Quality Standards' and keeping children safe. Another case involves John Paul College, in Daisy Hill south of Brisbane, after school care which is deemed to be 'exceeding National Quality Standards' according to the trusted government website, even though it was prosecuted and fined $15,000 for allowing two six-year-olds to wander off more than two kilometres, on their own. Chey Carter from Divergent Education says it's hard for even those in the industry to know where to find compliance information. 'Families, unless they know where to go, they also won't find that information,' Carter said. 'It's hit-and-miss. You go in just hoping that you're making the best decision.' An ACECQA spokesperson said it is working with regulators to 'receive the approval to publish more compliance information' on 'All governments are improving transparency so families can better understand how early childhood education and care services are regulated and monitored,' the spokesperson said. 'This will be a key area of focus when Education Ministers meet on 22 August to discuss a range of measures for improving child safety.' How the National Quality Standard ratings are assessed is also cause for concern. The Edge centre at Morayfield had its rating assessed in April, which involves officers from Queensland's Early Childhood Regulatory Authority observing the centre for a day, or two at the most. The centre receives seven days notice to prepare for that visit and put its best foot forward. The Regulatory Authority decided Edge was meeting the national quality standards even though it had already taken compliance action over the assault of two children. The details of that compliance action remains hidden from the public. The Education Department told A Current Affair it is 'unable to publish compliance action that is taken against an individual educator as this is protected information under the act'. Professor Leah Bromfield runs the Australian Centre for Child Protection and oversaw research on the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse a decade ago. 'Transparency, to me, is an absolute first principle when it comes to responding to abuse and neglect,' she said. 'As a country, I think we thought we'd done this, we had learned about the dangers to children and institutions, and we'd learned. We built a huge amount of evidence about what to do differently. 'When this is kept a secret, the only winners are perpetrators and the reputation of institutions. We are not keeping the best interests of children at the centre of what we're doing.' Placing privacy provisions above the safety of children is what helped Australia's worst paedophile Ashley Griffith continue his vile offending at childcare centres for almost two decades. The Queensland Regulatory Authority has found a number of breaches by the centres where he was employed but won't reveal which ones have been hit with any compliance action. The breaches include 'failing to notify serious incidents within required timeframes, use of inappropriate or unreasonable discipline and failure to accurately record incidents or notify parents and guardians within prescribed timeframes'. One victim's father tried to warn the broader public about the regulator's secrecy after Griffith was sentenced to a minimum 27 years in prison for his crimes last year. 'Parents are walking their children into these centres today with a false sense of security in its excellence rating,' he said. 'Their kids are having naps on the same cots other kids were raped on, being watched by the same staff who failed to stop it from happening.' Whilst keeping the names of individual centres secret, a spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Education said the Regulatory Authority has 'communicated emerging findings and recommendations for prevention measures with the early childhood education and care sector'. 'Critically, the RA has also communicated the findings of the investigations completed to date to the Queensland Family and Child Commission, to inform the System Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Review currently under way,' the spokesperson said.
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
‘That's all they care about, is money': Childcare chain sets debt collectors on assaulted kid's mother
Edge, a for-profit childcare chain owned by private equity firms, only cancelled the debt collection process after being contacted by A Current Affair this week. A spokesperson for Edge said the company 'understands these circumstances are sensitive and the collection process has been cancelled'. More shocking alleged child abuse cases are emerging including one exposed at a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry by one of the state's top cops. Commander of the NSW Police Child Abuse Squad, Detective Superintendent Linda Howlett, revealed to the inquiry on Thursday a disturbing case of a childcare worker dropping a seven-month-old baby and fracturing its leg in two places but not notifying parents. 'The child was only taken to the hospital a week later where that child sustained a significant injury and was obviously in distress for a number of days,' Howlett said. Loading A New South Wales police spokesperson confirmed the incident happened at Dapto in June and a 27-year-old female childcare worker had been charged with neglect of a child in her care. The centre has not been named but Howlett claims it not only failed to notify parents but actively tried to cover the case up. 'When we approached the centre, they actually denied anything took place. It was the CCTV that we obtained, we saw the actual injuries and how the actual injury took place,' she said. Discovering the full extent of a childcare centre's history is almost impossible in Australia given the secrecy in how the industry is regulated. Loading Families are directed to a government website which is run by the Australian Children's Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) to find 'trusted information' about safety standards at the 16,000 centres nationally. But a search of Edge Early Learning, Morayfield, reveals it is 'meeting National Quality Standards' and that 'your child is made to feel supported and welcomed' and 'plays in a safe well-maintained environment.' There is no mention of the two assaults 18 months ago or the former centre director failing to notify parents. Another case involving Le Smileys Early Learning Centre at Gracemere made national headlines in 2022 after a three-year-old child was left on a bus for six hours, suffering heat stress so severe she was given a 5 per cent chance of survival. The Rockhampton centre operators pleaded guilty to 4 charges and were fined $50,000 in a Queensland court. But there's no mention of that on the Starting Blocks website, it too is 'meeting National Quality Standards' and keeping children safe. Another case involves John Paul College, in Daisy Hill south of Brisbane, after school care which is deemed to be 'exceeding National Quality Standards' according to the trusted government website, even though it was prosecuted and fined $15,000 for allowing two six-year-olds to wander off more than two kilometres, on their own. Chey Carter from Divergent Education says it's hard for even those in the industry to know where to find compliance information. 'Families, unless they know where to go, they also won't find that information,' Carter said. 'It's hit-and-miss. You go in just hoping that you're making the best decision.' An ACECQA spokesperson said it is working with regulators to 'receive the approval to publish more compliance information' on 'All governments are improving transparency so families can better understand how early childhood education and care services are regulated and monitored,' the spokesperson said. 'This will be a key area of focus when Education Ministers meet on 22 August to discuss a range of measures for improving child safety.' How the National Quality Standard ratings are assessed is also cause for concern. The Edge centre at Morayfield had its rating assessed in April, which involves officers from Queensland's Early Childhood Regulatory Authority observing the centre for a day, or two at the most. The centre receives seven days notice to prepare for that visit and put its best foot forward. The Regulatory Authority decided Edge was meeting the national quality standards even though it had already taken compliance action over the assault of two children. The details of that compliance action remains hidden from the public. The Education Department told A Current Affair it is 'unable to publish compliance action that is taken against an individual educator as this is protected information under the act'. Professor Leah Bromfield runs the Australian Centre for Child Protection and oversaw research on the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse a decade ago. 'Transparency, to me, is an absolute first principle when it comes to responding to abuse and neglect,' she said. 'As a country, I think we thought we'd done this, we had learned about the dangers to children and institutions, and we'd learned. We built a huge amount of evidence about what to do differently. 'When this is kept a secret, the only winners are perpetrators and the reputation of institutions. We are not keeping the best interests of children at the centre of what we're doing.' Placing privacy provisions above the safety of children is what helped Australia's worst paedophile Ashley Griffith continue his vile offending at childcare centres for almost two decades. The Queensland Regulatory Authority has found a number of breaches by the centres where he was employed but won't reveal which ones have been hit with any compliance action. The breaches include 'failing to notify serious incidents within required timeframes, use of inappropriate or unreasonable discipline and failure to accurately record incidents or notify parents and guardians within prescribed timeframes'. One victim's father tried to warn the broader public about the regulator's secrecy after Griffith was sentenced to a minimum 27 years in prison for his crimes last year. 'Parents are walking their children into these centres today with a false sense of security in its excellence rating,' he said. 'Their kids are having naps on the same cots other kids were raped on, being watched by the same staff who failed to stop it from happening.' Whilst keeping the names of individual centres secret, a spokesperson for the Queensland Department of Education said the Regulatory Authority has 'communicated emerging findings and recommendations for prevention measures with the early childhood education and care sector'. 'Critically, the RA has also communicated the findings of the investigations completed to date to the Queensland Family and Child Commission, to inform the System Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Review currently under way,' the spokesperson said.
