Dear Recipient,
I am writing as the father of the child seeking justice for what I allege is systemic child abuse through educational neglect, involving Cronulla High School and the NSW Department of Education. Over the past four years, I allege my child has suffered severe, ongoing educational neglect leading to significant harm —legally recognised in Australia as a form of child abuse.
My child's school attendance has been catastrophic, currently tracking at approximately 80–90% non - attendance, commencing in Year 6 at Miranda Public School through Years 7–10 at Cronulla High School. Despite this clear pattern and educational harm evidence, the school has failed to take effective action against the primary carer responsible for attendance, leaving my child unprotected, educationally harmed, and severely disadvantaged.
Following my divorce in 2019, the other parent refused to attend formal co-parenting interventions. My wish was always co-parenting our then 10-year-old child whom I held a historic meaningful relationship with. Instead, I have been alienated and disempowered from my child by coercive parental control, where as an outcome, my child without any justifiable cause now refuses all communication with me making it impossible to intervene directly with my child. There are no Family Court Consent Orders or other legal interventions in place that restricts or limits my parental involvement. Since 2022, and in response to my child's persistent truancy, I have made multiple offers to share overnight care arrangements with the primary carer to help support the child's wellbeing, help re-establish a meaningful relationship and to try and ensure that the child's educational and welfare needs are met. Despite these genuine and ongoing efforts, my offers have consistently been ignored or refused by the primary carer, without reasonable justification or regard for the child's best interests.
Cronulla High School and the New South Wales Department of Education have been made fully aware of the current family circumstances, including my ongoing exclusion from my child's life. This family dynamic, while not uncommon in separated family situations, has had a direct impact on my ability to participate in my child's upbringing and education.
My child does not carry any physical, psychological or health conditions which may have otherwise impeded, impacted or stopped them from receiving an education. My child was enrolled and accepted at Cronulla High School in 2021, commencing at the start of Year 7 in 2022. Between 2022 to now my child has not been home schooled nor received any other form of independent education by the primary carer. Cronulla High School, The NSW Department of Education and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) are all aware that my child's source of education is Cronulla High School.
When my child commenced high school in Year 7, the Cronulla High School principal was provided with evidence of truancy from the Year 6 primary school principal, highlighting that the primary carer was neglecting their legal responsibilities regarding the child's education. Despite this and the pattern of truancy continuing and getting worse upon commencing high school, my repeated formal requests for intervention—including seeking Compulsory Schooling Orders under the NSW Education Act 1990 (s 22D) through the NSW Children's Court on the application of the Director-General of the Department of Education — have been ignored and dismissed by both the school and the Department of Education, including the Minister for Education and Deputy Premier - Prue Car.
The result is devastating: my child has been denied a basic education and has suffered profound personal harm with long-term consequences. This is not minor truancy—it is institutional neglect and a systemic failure to protect a vulnerable child who is clearly and evidentially being harmed.
The prolonged exposure to my child's suffering, coupled with the absence of institutional accountability or relief, has had a profound impact on my own mental health as their father and legal guardian. I have since been clinically diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. This condition continues to affect my emotional stability, concentration, and overall quality of life. The psychological harm I have sustained is, in my view, a direct and foreseeable consequence of the Department's and School's ongoing negligence and failure to protect my child from educational neglect and harm.
I further allege that Cronulla High School and the Minister for Education are knowingly concealing and attempting to hide the full extent of the educational neglect and harm inflicted — actions seemingly intended to protect the school's and Minister's reputations.
The school is acutely aware that, at the conclusion of the 2025 NSW school term, my child — now profoundly harmed as a result of years of educational neglect — is unlikely to return to school for Year 11. In the event my child does return, it is highly probable that the established 5 year pattern of truancy and disengagement will persist until May 2026, when my child reaches the age of 17 and is no longer legally required to attend school. This scenario would enable the school to absolve itself of responsibility, effectively washing its hands of a child it has demonstrably failed and damaged.
I am seeking urgent governmental accountability and media attention to expose these failures. I have documented evidence, including correspondence, and am willing to provide all materials as evidence.
My child's story is both a personal tragedy and a pressing public issue that demands exposure and reform.
Thank you for your attention and that you may be able to be a voice to families silenced by bureaucracy.
Sincerely,
Bradley Cole 18 Laurence Ave, Bundeena, NSW, 2230
