Victorian families continue to be failed by the Allan Labor Government as the catastrophic loopholes of Victoria's Working With Children Check (WWCC) system continue to be exposed.
Reports today have revealed details of a childcare educator who has maintained a valid WWCC, despite being dismissed from a childcare centre in 2020 for sexual misconduct after an internal investigation found he was "grooming and kissing toddlers."
The individual continued to work in childcare - with the government regulator not stepping in to issue a prohibition notice to ban the individual from working in childcare until last year.
Despite this prohibition, the individual continues to hold an active WWCC as of this month.
This is the latest example of children in educational settings being placed at unacceptable risk and follows the Victorian Labor Government's failure to implement reforms to strengthen our WWCC system as recommended by the Ombudsman in 2022.
Three years later, the Allan Labor Government has still failed to implement the Ombudsman's reforms and last parliamentary sitting week voted down legislation introduced by the Liberals and Nationals to implement a six-point plan to keep children safe.
Shadow Attorney-General, Michael O'Brien, said: "Premier Allan has ignored the Victorian Ombudsman's recommendations for three years now. Every day Labor fails to strengthen the Working With Children Check system places the safety of Victorian children in jeopardy."
Shadow Minister for Education, Jess Wilson, said: "This case will further shatter the already broken community confidence in Victoria's childcare system.
"It is beyond comprehension how an individual who has behaved in this way could retain an active Working With Children Check.
"This individual must have their WWCC immediately rescinded, and the Allan Labor Government must explain how the system has so catastrophically failed on their watch."
