***WARNING: DISTRESSING CONTENT***
Victorian detectives have laid 83 additional charges against former Melbourne childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown, expanding the total number of alleged offences to 156. The new charges stem from the identification of four additional alleged victims, alongside further offences connected to the eight children previously identified earlier this year. Health authorities have confirmed that no further child testing is required, and no new childcare centres have been flagged as concerning in relation to the latest charges.
Details of the New Charges
The additional offences include serious allegations such as:
- Six counts of penetrating a child under 12
- Eight counts of producing child abuse material
- 23 counts of using a carriage service to transmit child abuse material
- Sexual assault of a child under 16
- Attempted sexual penetration
- Bestiality (not connected to childcare settings)
- Reckless conduct endangering serious injury
- Drug possession
Police emphasised that the bestiality charges relate to a separate investigation and are not linked to any childcare centres.
Where the Newly Identified Victims Attended
The four newly identified alleged victims were enrolled at:
- Nino Early Learning Adventures, Point Cook – March 2019
- Only About Children, Williamstown – December 2020 & February 2021
- Aussie Kindies Early Learning Centre, Keilor – February 2025
Affinity Education Group, operator of Aussie Kindies, expressed deep distress and reaffirmed its cooperation with police, stating:
“One incident is one too many. No child or family should ever have to face this.”
Background of the Investigation
Brown was initially charged in July with more than 70 offences involving eight young children at Creative Garden Early Learning Centre between April 2022 and January 2023.
Key background details include:
- Approximately 2,000 children were asked to undergo health screening
- 1,200 children were recommended for infectious disease testing as a precaution
- Brown had worked at 20 childcare centres between 2017 and 2025
Government and Sector Response
Following the initial revelations in July, the Victorian government announced a suite of reforms aimed at strengthening childcare safety and regulatory oversight. These included:
- Establishing a register of childcare workers
- Conducting a rapid review, which found systemic failures in information sharing, legal constraints, and resourcing
- Strengthening the Working with Children Check (WWCC) to allow faster suspension or revocation of clearances
Authorities continue to encourage anyone directly affected to seek support through specialist services listed on the government’s investigation website.
Next Steps
Brown is scheduled to face court in February next year as the investigation continues to unfold.
Further Reading
Over 1,200 Children Urged to Undergo Health Screening
Victoria Moves to Strengthen Child Safety
NSW to Tighten Child Protection Laws
Victoria’s Childcare Sector Faces Reckoning:
Reference:
Alleged Childcare Paedophile Joshua Dale Brown Hit With More Than 80 Additional Charges