High-profile abuse cases have left a childcare giant boss “horrified” and sparked a major overhaul in the hiring and training of staff.
G8 Education, Australia’s largest for-profit childcare centre operator, began making changes to its worker screening processes even before the company was rocked by its own alleged abuse scandal.
Chief executive Pejman Okhovat told a Senate inquiry into the quality and safety of early childhood education his staff were still reeling from the 2025 arrest of former educator Joshua Dale Brown.
Brown was charged with more than 70 sex offences against eight children aged under two.
The alleged abuse happened at G8 Education-owned centres between April 2022 and January 2023.
"My team and I are horrified," said Mr Okhovat, who has repeatedly apologised since the allegations were revealed.
"Our hearts go out to the children and families involved and we are truly sorry for the pain this has caused.
"Our focus continues to be supporting those impacted."
The company investigated Brown twice while he was an employee, but his working with children check was not revoked despite both incidents being substantiated.
G8 Education began implementing a series of changes to hiring and screening before Brown was charged in a shift prompted by the arrest of former educator Ashley Griffith, who abused 69 girls across other centres.
Griffith, from Brisbane, was sentenced in November 2024 to life in prison.
Prospective workers are required to sign an "enhanced" child safety declaration and will be fired if any statements are false, G8 Education's chief legal quality and risk officer Josie King said.
"We've enhanced our reference verification processes with structured child safety questions," Ms King said.
"We also now have a process whereby a senior manager must provide a reference to the staff member and that must be verified."
New staff can't begin work until they complete mandatory child safety training.
"Previously, child safety and child protection training needed to be completed in the period after commencement," Ms King said.
The company, which operates 395 childcare and preschool centres, was hit with 569 breaches nationally in 2025, including 177 compliance breach notices.
Ms King cited difficulties in procuring a stable team and maintaining staff ratios as reasons for the breaches, especially in regional centres.
Despite child safety being the common goal of authorities and services, rates of abuse were not improving, Mr Okhovat said.
"As many expert witnesses ... have made clear in evidence to this committee, the crime of child sexual exploitation is not getting better across Australia," he said.
"No provider is immune. Therefore it is incumbent on all of us to work together ... to strengthen protection."
Public hearings held in Brisbane on Monday heard that parents, faced with declining childcare safety standards and falling quality, needed alternative childcare options.
"One in four Australian children live in so-called childcare deserts," advocacy group For Parents co-founder Cecilia Cobb said.
"This means one in four children live in an area where there are three children for every available childcare place.
"The reality is that access to a childcare centre, let alone a high-quality centre, depends on your postcode."
The inquiry is due to report back by the end of March.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
