7am Adele Ferguson on why children aren’t safe at childcare centres
Jul 6, 2025
Adele Ferguson, an investigative journalist renowned for her work on child safety, joins National Children's Commissioner Anne Hollonds to discuss alarming issues in Australian childcare. They delve into a recent case of sexual abuse that exposes systemic failures in protecting children. The conversation shifts to how profit-driven childcare centers compromise safety, highlighting the urgent need for stronger regulations and accountability. They emphasize that prioritizing child safety should be a national commitment, urging comprehensive reforms to safeguard vulnerable children.
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Barriers To Reporting Abuse
- Childcare workers often don't report abuse due to fear of retribution or lack of understanding child protection policies.
- Insufficient supervision and staff shortages also allow abuse to go undetected.
Profit Over Child Safety
- For-profit childcare operators put profit before children, benefiting from weak regulation.
- Regulators fear shutting centres impacts parents, so enforcement remains lax despite existing penalties.
Safety Overlooked In Childcare Expansion
- Federal focus on expanding childcare access has overshadowed safety concerns.
- Only recent abuse incidents have pressured governments to acknowledge safety needs.