Milestones Early Learning Werribee, linked to sex abuse scandal, shut down over serious child safety failures
Updated ,first published
A childcare center in Melbourne’s west where alleged pedophile Joshua Dale Brown briefly worked will be closed for months after authorities revoked its license over serious child safety issues.
Milestones Early Learning Werribee, owned by the Affinity Education group, has had its service approval suspended for 90 days after Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA) officers identified a number of “serious and concerning” examples of non-compliance.
The babies were left unattended in a room at the Werribee nursery and inspectors found torn and torn furniture, exposed broken doors, peeling paint, electrical cords and dangerous power cord arrangements that posed a danger to children, the official said.
VECRA also claimed that the center management did not report the incidents to the authorities, in violation of its legal obligations.
The new independent regulator, which took over in January, found numerous issues with its compliance check had not been resolved and new problems had emerged, including unsafe sleep practices for babies and failure to comply with policies and procedures.
The child care industry entered crisis in mid-2025, when former care worker Joshua Dale Brown was charged with alleged child sexual abuse. Brown faces 156 charges, including transmission of child abuse material.
From August 14, 2024 to August 16, 2024, Brown worked for 23 early learning services, 13 of which were owned by Affinity, including Milestones Early Learning Center in Werribee.
Brown’s alleged contamination of children’s food with bodily fluids led to unprecedented STI testing of children at affected centres. His case will return to Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on April 21.
At a Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the childcare industry in late February, Affinity CEO Glen Hurley, who took over the leadership in October, insisted safety was paramount for the for-profit provider, despite Brown being among the centers he worked at.
At the inquest, Hurley said 2025 was the “low point” for the industry and Affinity.
The inquiry’s interim report, published on March 31, found that the rapid rise of the for-profit sector had “shifted the focus from children’s safety to profit, further stretching systems and undermining both child safety and quality”.
Committee chair Anasina Gray‑Barberio said the inquiry had “heard unequivocal evidence that stronger governance is required at both Victorian and national levels to ensure safety, quality and accountability across the sector are guaranteed, not optional”..
But the VECRA report, published in Milestones Early Learning Werribee on Tuesday, showed there was still non-compliance at one of its centres.
While Affinity Education Group addressed some of the regulators’ concerns, it noted that “significant compliance issues remain that put children’s health, safety and welfare at risk.”
And he believed that “it would not be in the interest of the children to be educated and cared for by the service if the service continued”.
The official said he was “absolutely dissatisfied that Affinity Education Group has the necessary management and oversight mechanisms in place to ensure that the non-compliances identified in this service do not occur again.”
Interim early childhood convener Adam Fennessy said parents deserved peace of mind that their children were safe and well cared for in early learning services.
“This service was considered for its child safety practices but has failed to address these concerns about the health, welfare and safety of children in its care,” he said.
“We will not hesitate to take strong action against any services that put children’s safety at risk. This includes suspending them until we are confident they can provide the safe, high-quality care they are legally required to do.”
If Affinity fails to comply, the company may face revocation of service approval or criminal penalties of a maximum of $1,034,100.
A spokesperson for Affinity Education Group said the center would be temporarily closed from April 13 and apologized for any inconvenience this would cause to families and educators. He said Affinity was working with families to support alternative care arrangements at nearby centers until they reopen.
“Affinity acknowledges that this result falls below both regulatory expectations and the standards we set for our centres,” he said.
Affinity had taken a number of steps to improve practices at the center before its suspension; 90 percent of the remediation activity has been completed, including revised room layouts to strengthen inspection and completed repairs to equipment and facilities.
He said they also conduct remedial training and refresher courses on appropriate policies and practices at the centre.
“But clearly more work needs to be done and further remediation work is underway and we will work closely with the regulator as this is completed,” he said.
“Children’s safety, well-being and continued access to quality care remains our top priority.”
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