A childcare centre in Melbourne’s west has been ordered to shut for 90 days after regulators uncovered a series of serious safety failures — in a case that has drawn added scrutiny because an accused child abuser had briefly worked at the same facility in 2024.
Milestones Early Learning Werribee, operated by Affinity Education Group, will have its service approval suspended from April 13 following an investigation by Victoria’s newly established watchdog, the Victorian Early Childhood Regulatory Authority (VECRA). The centre will remain closed for nearly three months as authorities assess whether it can meet required safety standards before reopening.
According to VECRA, inspectors identified “a range of serious and concerning examples of non-compliance” at the centre. Among the most alarming findings were infants under 12 months being left unsupervised and a failure by the service to report incidents to the regulator — both considered fundamental breaches in childcare safety protocols.
The regulator made it clear the issues were not new. The service had previously been placed on notice and given the opportunity to fix concerns identified during earlier inspections. While some improvements were made, VECRA said critical safety and wellbeing issues remained unresolved, continuing to put children at risk.
Interim Early Childhood Regulator Adam Fennessy said the action reflects a tougher enforcement approach under the new system. “This service was put on notice due to its child safety practices, yet it failed to address these concerns around the health, wellbeing and safety of children in its care,” he said. “We will not hesitate to take strong action against any service that puts children’s safety at risk.”
The watchdog also warned that if the centre fails to rectify the issues, it could face financial penalties exceeding $1 million — underscoring the seriousness of the breaches.
The case has gained additional public attention because accused child abuser Joshua Dale Brown worked at the Werribee centre for two days in August 2024. While the current regulatory action is not directly linked to those allegations, the overlap has heightened concerns among families and the broader community about safety standards in childcare settings.
For many parents, the situation raises uncomfortable questions. Childcare centres are expected to operate under strict supervision and reporting rules, particularly for infants. The idea that babies could be left unattended, combined with failures to properly report incidents, strikes at the core of trust that families place in these services.
Affinity Education Group acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and apologised to families affected by the closure. In a statement, the company said the outcome falls short of both regulatory expectations and its own internal standards.
“Affinity is working closely with families to support alternative care arrangements at nearby centres and will only reopen the centre once the regulator is satisfied that all requirements have been fully addressed,” a spokesperson said.
That support will be critical in the coming weeks. Sudden childcare closures often leave families scrambling for placements, particularly in high-demand areas where availability is already limited. For working parents, the disruption can quickly turn into a logistical and financial strain.
The shutdown also highlights the broader shift underway in Victoria’s childcare oversight. VECRA officially began operations on January 1 this year, following recommendations from the 2025 Rapid Child Safety Review. That review was commissioned in response to multiple allegations of child sexual abuse across early learning settings, prompting calls for stronger enforcement and faster intervention when risks are identified.
This Werribee case is one of the first major enforcement actions under the new regulator, and it signals a clear intent: services that fail to meet safety standards will face immediate and visible consequences.
For the childcare sector, the message is direct. Compliance is no longer just about meeting minimum requirements on paper. It involves consistent supervision, transparent reporting and swift action when concerns arise. Any gaps in those systems can now lead to serious regulatory action, including suspension.
For parents, the closure is likely to reinforce existing anxieties about childcare safety. While most centres operate responsibly, high-profile cases like this can shake confidence and prompt families to ask more questions about staffing, supervision and reporting practices.
The original report, published by ABC News, detailed the regulator’s findings and the timeline of the suspension, which begins April 13. It also highlighted that further penalties could follow if the provider fails to meet compliance requirements.
As the 90-day suspension approaches, attention will turn to whether the centre can address the outstanding issues and regain approval to reopen. But the impact of the case is likely to extend beyond one service, shaping how regulators, providers and families approach childcare safety in Victoria moving forward.
For now, the closure stands as a stark reminder that when it comes to early childhood care, even a small lapse can have serious consequences — and that regulators are increasingly willing to act before those risks escalate further.
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